Western Governors University

D806: Secondary Disciplinary Literacy

A guide to WGU's D806, the graduate (MAT) version of the disciplinary literacy course for career-changers becoming secondary teachers.

Updated October 2026 · 5 min read

D806 is listed on this site as the graduate version of Secondary Disciplinary Literacy, taken by candidates in WGU's Master of Arts in Teaching programs.

The course content is described in the MAT guide as examining the distinct literacy needs of secondary subjects and how reading, writing, speaking and listening function differently in each.

MAT candidates usually arrive with a bachelor's degree and often years in another profession. That background is a strength if you use it: the best submissions connect disciplinary texts you know well, such as lab reports, contracts, data analyses or source documents, to the way secondary students will learn to read them.

Course at a Glance

ItemDetails
UniversityWestern Governors University (WGU)
Course codeD806 (graduate version)
LevelGraduate teacher preparation (MAT)
ProgramsMAT secondary programs in English, mathematics, science and social studies
Subject areaDisciplinary literacy for secondary classrooms
Competency unitsTwo in the MAT English Education guide

What D806 Covers

The competencies in WGU's MAT guide are:

Competency (summarized)What it means in practice
Assess literacy strategies for a disciplineEvaluate which approaches suit your subject's texts
Design learning activities that incorporate literacyPlan reading, writing and discussion tasks that build content understanding
Plan authentic writing activitiesWriting that resembles what practitioners produce
Propose lesson improvements using feedback and researchRevise your plan with evidence

WGU adds that the curriculum integrates the science of reading with technology and digital literacy, and combines research-based evidence with structured literacy activities.

Key Concepts Explained

Using Your Own Expertise

You know how your field communicates. Turning that into teaching means naming the moves experts make: sourcing a claim in history, interpreting a graph in science, justifying a step in mathematics, analyzing craft in English.

Example: A former engineer teaching physics might show students how a technical report separates method, results and discussion, and use that structure to scaffold lab write-ups.

Scaffolding for Adolescents

Supports such as vocabulary routines, modeled thinking and graphic organizers help students reach complex disciplinary texts. Good scaffolds fade as students gain independence.

Example: Students first read a model argument with annotations, then use a sentence frame to write their own, then write independently using a checklist.

Improving a Plan with Evidence

The final competency asks you to improve a lesson using feedback and research. Describe the feedback, the specific change and the research idea behind it.

Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them

Task elementWhat it testsHow to approach it
Strategy evaluationDisciplinary judgmentCompare two strategies for one text and choose with reasons
Lesson designPlanningAlign objective, activity and evidence of learning
Writing taskAuthenticityDefine audience, form and criteria for success
Revision rationaleReflection with researchLink each change to feedback and a research idea

Drawing on Your Professional Background

A short mapping exercise turns experience into instructional detail. List what you read and wrote at work, then decide which pieces suit adolescent learners.

Professional textClassroom adaptation
Data reportShort, annotated data set with guiding questions
Contract or policySimplified excerpt for claim and evidence practice
Technical manualProcedure text for sequencing and precision
Client briefAuthentic writing task with a real audience

Readiness Checklist Before You Submit

Use the competencies as a final checklist.

CheckWhat to confirm
Discipline namedContent area, grade and text are specific
Strategies matchedEach strategy fits the text features
Writing authenticAudience, form and criteria are defined
Supports plannedVocabulary and scaffolds are named
Research linkedRevisions cite feedback and evidence

Splitting Your Study Time

MAT candidates often study around work and family, so plan short, regular sessions. Begin by collecting disciplinary texts, because everything else in the lesson is built around them.

StageFocus
Text collectionTwo or three authentic texts for your subject
Strategy matchingSelect and justify strategies
Writing taskDefine audience, form and criteria
ScaffoldsVocabulary and supports for adolescents
RevisionUse feedback and cite research

Where Students Get Stuck

Study Tips for D806

How We Help with D806

Send your content area, the task, the rubric and any draft. A writer with teaching experience can prepare a worked model for study, explain disciplinary literacy using your subject, or review your plan for generic strategies. Our education assignment help guide explains the process.

GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. Model work is for study and reference; your submission must be your own under WGU's academic integrity policy, and no result is promised.

We do not complete licensure exams or classroom placements. Orders are written from scratch with free revisions within the scope of your original request, and a full refund if late.

Make Sense of Your D806 Task

Share the task, rubric and draft. A writer prepares a worked model for your subject you can study.

Start My D806 Help

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Frequently Asked Questions

How is D806 different from D805?

D806 is the graduate (MAT) version of the same course content; the difference is the degree pathway and the candidates, not the focus on disciplinary literacy.

Which programs include it?

WGU's MAT secondary programs in English, mathematics, science and social studies list the course.

How many competency units is it?

The MAT English Education guide lists two.

Does my previous career matter?

It helps when you connect it to instruction, but the rubric still looks for classroom-ready reasoning.

How is it assessed?

WGU says through a performance assessment task.

Can you help with lesson plans?

Yes, as custom plans and feedback for study; the plan you submit must be your own.