NM PED 2026 Literacy and Humanities Summer Conference

Disciplinary literacy is the ability to think, read, write, and communicate in ways that align with the unique practices of a specific field. In this interactive session designed for middle and secondary teachers, you will move beyond generic comprehension strategies and focus on the discipline-specific ways of thinking that help students truly make sense of complex texts.

Drawing on the research of Shanahan and Shanahan, you will examine how mathematicians, historians, scientists, and literary scholars engage with texts and how these expert moves can be translated into effective classroom instruction. Together, you will unpack why disciplinary literacy is distinct from general reading strategies and identify practical approaches you can incorporate into your teaching tomorrow. You will leave with a clearer understanding of how to mentor your students as they navigate the specialized language and unique inquiry methods of your specific subject area.

In this session, you will explore the why, the what, and the how of strong fluency instruction specifically for the secondary grades. You will discover how science-based instructional routines can provide middle and high school students with the necessary support to access and succeed with grade-level complex texts.

Designed for teachers, coaches, and instructional leaders, this session provides you with research-based, ready-to-implement fluency routines that fit the unique needs of the secondary classroom. You will walk away with practical strategies to help your students build the automaticity required for deeper comprehension, ensuring they have the tools to navigate challenging content across all subject areas.

This session invites secondary educators to bridge the gap between reading and writing standards by embedding a high-impact protocol from WestEd’s Reading Apprenticeship into literary analysis instruction. Participants will unpack key Reading (6–12 RL/RI) and Writing (6–12 W.1 and W.2) standards to better understand their interconnected nature.

Through guided close-reading and evidence-gathering routines, attendees will collaboratively design lesson sequences that move students from initial textual interpretation to structured, argument-driven essays. Through hands-on modeling and peer collaboration, educators will leave with ready-to-implement strategies that weave reading comprehension and writing skills into a seamless instructional flow, ensuring students can effectively communicate their analysis of complex texts.

What happens when your learners encounter texts that pull them in emotionally, intellectually, and physically? In this interactive workshop, you will experience an immersive, text-rich exploration of nuclear procurement in Indian Country, feeling firsthand how a compelling topic and carefully curated text set can activate deep engagement.

Following this experience, you will begin developing your own compelling topics and accompanying text sets for use at your local site. Finally, using the Indigenous Critical Curriculum Framework, you will examine your emerging plans for curriculum violence by asking not just if the work is engaging, but who the curriculum serves and who it might harm. You will leave with a compelling topic in progress and a critical lens to carry forward into all your future instructional design.