Why do we have to do English in Math class?

I agree: high school math teachers, science teachers, geography teachers DO have their hands full in covering their own curriculum and trying to engage learners with subject materials. I also agree that students visibly cringe when "literacy" is mentioned. "Why do we have to do English in ___________ class?"

Nonetheless, students must be explicitly taught literacy strategies and practice these in all curriculum areas. As literacy leader, I wave the flag, offer to support, co-teach, co-plan, model, and assess with my colleagues in geography, history, math, science, art, tech, business, music, etc. But it is not often they take me up on my offers. I end up feeling like I am a nuisance and an imposition.

I am not sure why. There is likely a combination of factors: time constraints, fixed plans, and discomfort.  Maybe on some level there is still a notion that the teaching of communication skills is the domain of English Language Arts classes.  Largely, I think my colleagues are not convinced of any tangible benefits of teaching literacy within their subject area.  Theoretically they nod their heads that "of course course literacy is important."  But concretely will students be able to better learn each subject if we devote precious time to practicing reading and writing?

So often, in Literacy PD, I end up answering questions about "what's on the standardized test?" so that subject teachers can feel like they are doing their part and spending "extra" time on these discrete skills or ideas.

So  "what's on the standardized test"? Here is are examples of questions from the Released Items of the 2014 OSSLT that many students simply guess on:

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Now do these questions fall under the domain of geography or math or English?  All the questions require students to interpret graphical data and draw conclusions based on that data.  I have watch students stare at these graphs and questions and ultimately just guess.  Eenie, meenie, miney, mo...

Me: Why did you guess?

Student 1: I didn't know where to start.
Student 2: They all look right.
Student 3: It's confusing.
Student 4: I didn't want to leave it blank.

The issue here is not subject specific.  What we need to talk about is the elephant in the room: What are the challenges that students encounter when learning and how can we support them?  When I do work with colleagues in various subject areas, I am more focused on thinking skills and learning strategies than on reading and writing.  Students need all of us to teach them how to learn. Information literacy is part of the skills set, but so are memory, mindset, determination, focus, organization, and creativity. This skill-set is much more important in the long-term than the details in our content areas.