When we see students struggle with reading complex texts, our natural impulse is often to assign less reading. However, some faculty have found that students can and will engage with challenging texts when explicitly taught how to read disciplinary texts.
Join colleague Erin Flynn (Philosophy) for a practical conversation on strategies to teach disciplinary reading, starting with Erin’s explanation of how he teaches both majors and non-majors to navigate professional philosophy articles. We will discuss these strategies as well as your own strategies and questions, such as:
- How can we make implicit reading strategies in our disciplines explicit to novices?
- How does disciplinary reading competence affect our students’ sense of belonging within our discipline or in academic work more generally?
Facilitator: Erin Flynn
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 30, 12 p.m.-1 p.m., with lunch
Location: Slocum 201
Reading: Using Scientific literature
Sign-up: Sign up for Teaching Disciplinary Reading
Questions? Contact Barb Bird.
About “Smith Center Conversations” (New Format):
Smith Center Conversations are peer-led sessions designed for collaborative discussion and sense-making on teaching-learning issues.
What to Expect in these sessions:
- Brief Pre-Reading: Participants receive one short, foundational article in advance to ground the discussion.
- Targeted Discussion: The host provides a 5–10 minute opening framework, leading directly into facilitated peer discussion focused on actionable classroom strategies.
Event Name/Title: Smith Center workshop: Equip Your Students to Engage Disciplinary Texts
Date: 2026-09-30
Time: 12-1 p.m.
Location: Slocum Hall, Room 201
RSVP Information: Monday
OWU Sponsor: Smith Center for Faculty Excellence — Provost
Contact: Barb Bird at bjbird@owu.edu