PDP Professional Development Courses Required for Renewal of Massachusetts Professional Educator License

This is a course about establishing effective programs for SLIFE (Students with Limited-Interrupted Formal Education) students so that their specific needs are addressed. This course should focus on exploring SLIFE students’ specific needs; strategies and supports for addressing those needs; guidance for educators, administrators, and school/district support staff (e.g., guidance counselors, social workers, special education teachers); assessment considerations; and opportunities to practice strategies aimed at promoting content learning, literacy, and language development for SLIFE students.

This course will provide in-service teachers with the subject matter knowledge, professional standards, skills, and dispositions essential to effectively shelter their content instruction through the effective use of technology to ensure English language learners (ELLs) in their classrooms will successfully access curriculum and achieve academic success.  Teachers will learn about theories and experience evidence-based instructional practices, protocols, methods and strategies to support students in the application of the MA ELA standards using technology as a scaffold and as a means of demonstrating content area knowledge. Teachers will have opportunities to practice specific modeled instructional strategies and technology applications for teaching English Language Learners while promoting language development in all language domains (reading, speaking, listening, writing) in ways appropriate for ELL students at different language proficiency levels.   Teachers will take into account Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the English Language Development (ELD) World Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) standards and the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework, which incorporates the CCSS (PreK-12), when creating and/or revising lesson plans. They will use the Teacher Endorsement Lesson Plan Template, approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, to create mini-lessons focused on integrating technology for the target grade level/content area.  

This course will provide in-service teachers with the subject matter knowledge, professional standards, skills, and dispositions essential to effectively shelter their content instruction through the effective use of technology to ensure English language learners (ELLs) in their classrooms will successfully access curriculum and achieve academic success.  Teachers will learn about theories and experience evidence-based instructional practices, protocols, methods and strategies to support students in the application of the MA ELA standards using technology as a scaffold and as a means of demonstrating content area knowledge. Teachers will have opportunities to practice specific modeled instructional strategies and technology applications for teaching English Language Learners while promoting language development in all language domains (reading, speaking, listening, writing) in ways appropriate for ELL students at different language proficiency levels.   Teachers will take into account Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the English Language Development (ELD) World Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) standards and the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework, which incorporates the CCSS (PreK-12), when creating and/or revising lesson plans. They will use the Teacher Endorsement Lesson Plan Template, approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, to create mini-lessons focused on integrating technology for the target grade level/content area.  

This 15 PDP course provides an overview of culturally responsive pedagogy theory and practices in relation to English Learners (ELs) from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

This self-paced online course is intended to satisfy the 15 PDPs needed for license renewal for all professional educators, however, it is also relevant for professional educators without teaching responsibilities, i.e., school nurses, school social workers, school librarians, school counselors..
It will present an overview of regulations, terminology, diversity and cultural competency, along with strategies for teaching and working with ELLs.

The purpose of this online course is to present evidence-based classroom strategies for modifying instruction and behavior management to meet the unique learning needs of students with disabilities.

Readings, reflective discussions, module content, and online activities will describe specific teaching strategies to facilitate and support student progress. Utilizing a case study approach, participants will develop an Instructional Strategy Plan for at least one student with a mild or moderate disability. 

These action plans will spell out in detail specific instructional strategies matched to annual goals in a student's Individual Education Plan.  The following teaching priorities will be addressed:  student learning style, discipline, classroom routines, classroom organization, test taking procedures, and general/special education collaboration.

The components of the Instructional Strategy Plan will include: description of student strength and weakness, instructional/behavioral interventions, classroom accommodations/modifications, data collection method, and evaluation timeline.

This 2nd edition self-paced online course is created for those individuals who successfully completed the original ‘Instructional Strategies for the Exceptional Learner’ self-paced online course.  However, successful completion of the original course is not required to take this 2nd edition. The purpose of this 2nd edition course is to extend the knowledge, skills, and strategies of this original course by continuing to present evidence-based classroom strategies for modifying instruction and behavior management to meet the unique learning needs of students with disabilities.

Readings, module content, and online activities will describe specific teaching strategies to facilitate and support student progress.  The first module consists of the History of Disability and the Law, aimed to give individuals the knowledge base to answer some of the why's of special education. The second module is based on broadening the individual’s scope of understanding accessibility and Universal Design for Learning along with accommodations and modifications. Modules 3 and 4 contain materials related to one of the 13 disabilities identified in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. These materials were selected for specific reasons: knowledge, perspective sharing, and information about supports and strategies to increase the success of your students.

Specific instructional strategies matched to annual goals in a student's Individual Education Plan will be addressed:  including modifications to classroom routines and organization, accommodations, general/special education collaboration, and behavior interventions.

This course meets the requirements for effective schooling for students with diverse learning styles and focuses on the importance of creating and maintaining a safe and collaborative learning environment for students with emotional and behavioral needs. Teachers will learn both proactive and reactive trauma-informed strategies to address challenging behaviors in the classroom setting in a non-punitive manner.