Project Endorsement+ Looking at Student Academic Language Professional Development and Implementation with Coach Support

The University of Massachusetts Global is looking for educators to participate in professional development and coach-guided implementation informed by the Looking at Student Work evidenced-based model through the Project Endorsement+ National Professional Development (NPD) Grant.

This 2-part grant-funded opportunity allows participants to complete tuition-free coursework. Educators will be paired with a UMass Global grant selected virtual educational coach and engage in three "cycles" of using a structured collaborative process with colleagues to improve instructional practices related to improving academic language development in English learners.

  • Part 1 - Looking at Student Academic Language (LASAL) Foundations professional development course
  • Part 2 - Looking at Student Academic Language (LASAL) Implementation Course with Coach Support
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Tuition  

The tuition of these courses is funded by the Project Endorsement+ National Professional Development grant and is based on the availability of funding by the U.S. Department of Education. The grant does not cover any additional costs such as books or materials.  

How to register?  

Complete and submit the online eligibility form. Once your eligibility form is submitted, our team will verify your employment and notify you via email about the next steps. This may take 2-3 weeks. After receiving this notification, you can proceed to register for your courses.

Online Eligibility Form

Looking at Student Academic Language (LASAL) Foundations professional development course

This course prepares educators to understand how to collaborate with colleagues to analyze the oral and written language of English Learners to determine the degree to which they are developing academic language.

Course Features:
  • Online, self-paced
  • 3 Graduate Level Professional Development Credits - These credits can be used for professional advancement, such as salary increment steps and recertification
  • 8 Weeks to complete
Course Topics:
  • Use language objectives as the basis for discussing student academic language development of language forms needed for specific functions
  • Distinguish between observation and analysis of student work
  • Distinguish between clarifying and probing questions
  • Describe and apply components of the Collaborative Analysis process
Resource:

Looking at Student Academic Language (LASAL) Implementation Course with Coach Support

This course serves as the structural mechanism for Educators reviewing key concepts about academic language and principles of the collaborative analysis process for improving professional practice.

Course Features:
  • Online, milestone-based
  • 3 Graduate Level Professional Development Credits
  • K12 School calendar-based timeline
Educators Can Expect To:
  • Be paired with a UMass Global grant-selected virtual educational coach
  • Engage in three "cycles" of using a structured collaborative process with colleagues to improve instructional practices related to improving academic language development in English learners
  • Use the technology of TeachFX to facilitate the accurate and timely use of data to improve reading instruction and build strong literacy skills
Resource:

 

Looking at Student Academic Language (LASAL) Foundations professional development course

This course prepares educators to understand how to collaborate with colleagues to analyze the oral and written language of English Learners to determine the degree to which they are developing academic language.

Course Features:
  • Online, self-paced
  • 3 Graduate Level Professional Development Credits - These credits can be used for professional advancement, such as salary increment steps and recertification
  • 8 Weeks to complete
Course Topics:
  • Use language objectives as the basis for discussing student academic language development of language forms needed for specific functions
  • Distinguish between observation and analysis of student work
  • Distinguish between clarifying and probing questions
  • Describe and apply components of the Collaborative Analysis process
Resource:

Looking at Student Academic Language (LASAL) Implementation Course with Coach Support

This course serves as the structural mechanism for Educators reviewing key concepts about academic language and principles of the collaborative analysis process for improving professional practice.

Course Features:
  • Online, milestone-based
  • 3 Graduate Level Professional Development Credits
  • K12 School calendar-based timeline
Educators Can Expect To:
  • Be paired with a UMass Global grant-selected virtual educational coach
  • Engage in three "cycles" of using a structured collaborative process with colleagues to improve instructional practices related to improving academic language development in English learners
  • Use the technology of TeachFX to facilitate the accurate and timely use of data to improve reading instruction and build strong literacy skills
Resource:

 

6-8 Weeks Cycle - Implementation & Coaching Support

During each of the cycles, the educator interacts with a coach to identify one or two work samples from English Learners which will become the topic of discussion with peers during a collaborative session.

The coach will support the educator in developing key questions and setting areas of focus for the collaborative session and selecting a group of peers who will provide feedback during a collaborative session.

The educator then conducts a collaborative session with peers to analyze and discuss classroom practices that may be impacting the student’s learning.

The coach will support the educator in reflecting on how to use the information from peers to improve classroom practice. Educators will implement the changes.