This document discusses characteristics of effective literacy teachers and sociocultural influences on literacy. It outlines principles that effective teachers demonstrate such as purpose, exploration, reflection, and flexibility. Sociocultural influences include adolescent literacy being critical for academic success and preparing students for life. Elements to improve literacy are direct comprehension instruction, motivation, and text-based collaborative learning. The document also discusses how interdisciplinary teaching combines subjects in activities, and gives examples of combining science and writing or science and social studies. Finally, it outlines how teachers can incorporate local and global issues into various subjects through activities like learning about ecotourism internationally or using technology like Skype and Google Field Trip to connect classrooms globally.