This course is designed for early career teachers (0-3 years of experience) to build a solid foundation of knowledge and skills to work with English learners, no matter the age or subject taught. We’ll start off by learning about the importance of specialized instruction for ELs and principles that teachers should follow to set the stage for their academic. Next, we’ll expand on the concepts from module 1 and explore practical steps for teachers in the classroom, including how to make linguistic and instructional accommodations for ELs. We take a deeper dive into techniques for teachers and present strategies for students to bolster their own academic success in module 3. The course wraps up with module 4, which is all about facilitating academic success for special groups of English learners, including gifted students, long-term English learners, and ELs with disabilities.

Throughout this course, you will watch instructional videos, read scholarly articles, participate in discussion boards, and complete assignments that will encourage you to think about your practices as a teacher of ELs. Finally, you will complete this course with a treasure trove of practical classroom activities and tips for fostering academic success with English learners. By participating in this course, teachers will be better prepared to serve the English learners in their classrooms through sheltered instruction principles, effective lesson planning and assessment practices, purposefully reflecting on teaching, and understanding the unique challenges faced by this group of students.