Making the road by walking: The transition from content area literacy to adolescent literacy

Abstract

The past few years have witnessed a shift in both terminology and ideology of studies and practices of literacy and adolescents. Until recently, all such endeavors fell under the monikers of secondary reading and content area reading. However, the use of the term, adolescent literacy, marks not only a shift in term but also a purposeful change in framework and ideology. This manuscript explores the complexities of plotting this transition through the content of a preservice university class on content area literacy. The course instructor/researcher asked students in the class to consider the traditional topics, pedagogy, and curricula of content area literacy against the broader backdrop of adolescent literacy. The online discussions of students served as data for analyzing the complexities in secondary schooling, societal discourses about adolescents, and teaching and learning. The analysis of these discussions is then compared to work in adolescent literacy in Australia. Implications address the need to examine potential barriers and benefits of reconceptualizing the content, format, and placement of courses that currently cover secondary and/or content area literacy.