Three decades. Thousands of educators.
One mission: Students who can read, write, and communicate in the disciplines.
The Disciplinary Literacy team at WestEd supports teachers in using research-based, instructional frameworks that help students read, write, and think like historians, scientists, writers, mathematicians, and literary critics.
We assist educational leaders in building discipline-centered learning cultures to drive change in literacy instruction.
Reading Apprenticeship® is a proven instructional approach to helping students critique texts and use knowledge like a disciplinary expert.
New! Writing Apprenticeship® helps teachers motivate students to evaluate and revise their own texts for discipline-specific purposes and authentic audiences.
Featured Courses:
Reading Apprenticeship 101, Summer 2026
Jun 8 – Aug 1, 2026 | Online
Reading Apprenticeship in College Writing, Summer 2026
Jun 8 – Aug 1, 2026 | Online
Let us design an approach for your district. Get started
Our Approach
Reading Apprenticeship in Action
Watch a 6th grade teacher in California use Reading Apprenticeship routines as students read a challenging text, listen to classmates’ interpretations, and discuss what they learn from each other.
The Book
Discover Reading for Understanding, Third Edition
This updated edition illustrates evidence-based Reading Apprenticeship routines and practical tools that help students comprehend subject-area texts by making their thinking visible—building confident, independent readers.
Our Services
Introducing Writing Apprenticeship
WestEd’s newest literacy service! Our experts help teachers guide students to write for real purposes and audiences, learning to plan, monitor, and evaluate their own discipline-specific writing with growing confidence.
Professional Learning
Get Started Today
Let us help your school boost literacy achievement with Reading Apprenticeship and Writing Apprenticeship. We offer online courses, personalized on-site professional learning, and practical tools to assess needs and measure progress.
For the past several years, students have not met expected growth in biology. The response from our superiors has been, “Well, these same students are meeting growth on the English assessment, so why are they not doing that in biology?” After I implemented Reading Apprenticeship, the test results came back, and we exceeded expected growth!
— 10th grade biology teacher, NC
I was so pleased by the quality of writing my students did recently. Thanks so much for all your guidance and the opportunity to learn the awesome techniques Writing Apprenticeship provides.
— 7th grade history teacher, CA
I can tell I improved as a reader because I know when I need to reread or slow down and think about what I read. I read to understand not just to get done because it saves time when you don’t [have to] go back.
— 9th grade student, MI
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