ESOL Endorsement Courses

Assessment of English Language Learners and Progress Monitoring, Grades K-12 - No. ELL-203

  Using assessment criteria to drive instruction requires the use of reliable data. Teachers that are actively and systematically use this data can understand the academic performance of their special needs students, ELLs and other struggling learners, thus leverage for effective progress monitoring. Participants will be introduced to multiple assessments that include feedback models and other formative methods that feed instructional decisions. Participants will learn to find and use this data effectively to meet the unique needs of their English language learners. Course Outcomes:

• Evaluate and monitor student work against rigorous assessment criteria.
• Plan and practice with assessment criteria as aligned to performance standards.
• Use data to reflect on further refine practices to improve teaching focused primarily on ELLs.
• Apply effective communication strategy to articulate learning and instructional goals to ELL. students, while demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness to their needs.

ESOL Testing and Evaluation Grades K-12 - No. ELL-ED-172

  Competency 4 Category I Assessment of learning or for learning? Balanced, summative, interim and formative assessments will be used to evaluate for application to the needs of English language learners. Participants will understand how to effectively monitor and evaluate for ELL student learning and language needs, and use the data to plan for effective instruction with. After an introduction to multiple types of assessment and methods of using data, teachers will learn to teach to support a rapid turnaround of language results among their ELLs. Participants will identify the affects of assessment and assessment behaviors among ELL students, to include linguistic bias, assessment accommodations, data analysis, and federal and state assessment policies. The use of formative and summative assessment criteria to plan and prepare with also requires the use of reliable data. Teachers that are actively and systematically use this data can understand the academic performance of their students to include ELLs and other struggling learners, thus leverage for effective progress monitoring. Participants will be introduced to multiple assessment types that include formative, summative, microdata, macrodata, feedback and other assessment vehicles to produce data that lead to responsive instructional decisions. Participants will learn to find and use this data effectively to meet the unique needs of their English language learners. Course Outcomes:

• Plan and practice with various assessment types, tools, and resources appropriate for ELLs with diverse backgrounds and levels of proficiency to further teaching and learning among English language learners.
• Match grade-level assessment criteria to standards-aligned curriculum and instruction.
• Monitor student learning to move up individual student performance, focusing primarily among ELLs.
• Glen and apply valuable information about student performance from data, focusing on ELLs.
• Distinguish among ELLs with learning disabilities, giftedness, Tiers 1, 2, and 3, and struggling learners in need of intervention.
• Use data for planning and preparation to teach English language learners effectively.

• Evaluate the needs of ELL students to align best instructional strategy to those needs.
• Develop working knowledge and understanding of the purposes for ESOL assessment and the role of cultural diversity at multiple levels of proficiency.
• Become familiar with, and develop working knowledge of, a variety of assessment procedures appropriate for ELLs of diverse backgrounds and at varying levels of English proficiency.
• Explore and practice with scenarios that include accommodations and allowances for ELLS at various levels of proficiency.
• Use performance-based assessment tools and make decisions with them about curriculum in order to measure the progress of ELLs and their literacy development.
• Distinguish among criterion-referenced assessments and norm-referenced; bias in test development and design.
• Develop strategies for teaching and developing appropriate test-taking skills to ELLs.
• Use authentic assessments with real life application to develop the language and literacy skills in ELLs.
• Evaluate and monitor work against assessment criteria.
• Use assessment criteria against performance standards and use this information to reflect on practices to improve teaching focused primarily at ELLs.
• Effectively communicate strategy to articulate learning and instructional goals to ELL students, while demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness to their needs.
• Use the tools of tiered evaluation and instruction to close achievement gaps for their ELL students.

Methods of Instruction for ELLs, Grades K-12 - No. ELL-ED-112

  Competency 1 This course aligns with the Florida ESOL Competencies for: Methods of Teaching ESOL: Category 1 The core principles of instruction include differentiation through applied strategy, design, re-design, and flexible teaching that uses student data: content, process, and product. Participants in this e-course will reinvent lessons using research-based, effective methods for differentiation geared specifically for ELLs. They'll have opportunities to re-purpose lesson plans, understand readiness versus ability, and capitalize on brain plasticity to engage students through intellect and creativity. Learning profiles, interest surveys, cognitive-friendly learning environments, tiered questioning and student "hooks" for rigorous learning application are some of the takeaways to this e-course.  In addition, this course will take participants into deep realms of content area literacy methods and strategies to include text analysis in literary, non-fiction and technical text, reading comprehension, critical literacy, questioning strategies, and leveling of resources to differentiate for standards and second language learners’ needs. Participants will learn about, become familiar and practice with the resources that determine text complexity and level libraries. Participants will learn to use running records and anecdotal data to analyze, evaluate, and plan for student needs. With a focus on expository writing geared for ELLs, participants will cull the CCSS writing and language standards for applicability to content-specific reading and writing in ELL instruction. Course Outcomes:

• Create differentiated lessons through design and strategy focused on the language needs of ELLs.
• Design strategy for mixed-ability grouping and classroom environment.
• Use online and print tools for differentiation such as learning profiles, interest surveys and tiered questioning.
• Locate, develop and use the tools needed to effectively differentiate instruction for ELLs within the Literature Circle framework.
• Use the tools to successfully conduct literature circles that differentiate for ELLs.

• Use tools that determine text complexity.
• Become familiar and develop utility with resources that support content area reading and writing specific to ELLs.
• Understand genre and CCSS expectations as they apply to reading and writing specific to ELLs.
• Use new strategies to plan, differentiate, and scaffold reading and writing tasks for ELLs.
• Understand and plan with new strategies for teaching ELLs while facilitating grade-level CCSS language standards in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• Understand and develop working knowledge of how to assess students using formative and summative assessments while using assessment data to close achievement gaps among ELLs.
• Understand the history and pedagogy of L2 teaching methods.
• Develop, through intentional design, best practices for second language learners in literacy development, grounded in sound research.
• Understand the laws and policies that govern ESL students to include models of sound ELL instruction.
• Design instruction geared to developing the reading, writing, listening, and speaking (oral language) abilities of ELL students at varying levels of proficiency.
• Research, practice with, and design curriculum and instruction that focuses on a variety of activities from sentence formation to expository writing and collaboration.
• Embed appropriate reading, listening, speaking, and writing activities into instruction, curriculum, and assessment.
• Embed appropriate and culturally responsive materials that are age-appropriate, non-bias, and linguistically accessible for a range of Ell proficiencies and cultural backgrounds.
• Become familiar with various technology resources with which to continue design of differentiated language and content area instruction at varying levels of ELL proficiency.

This course is 60 hours

Applied Linguistics, Grades K-12 - No. ELL-ED-138

  This course aligns with the Florida ESOL Competencies for: Applied Linguistics The concepts of applied linguistics will be explored, and include phonology, principles of English language in reading, writing, speaking and listening; sociolinguistics, language acquisition, and second language acquisition. Consistent use of reading and writing strategy across all content areas continues to turn around the language skills of English language learners, particularly those who struggle. Participants will finish this course with a compendium of strategies, resources, and tools to aid ELLs and struggling learners with, using researched and field-tested implementation materials. In addition, they will practice with application of these strategies in their classrooms, to return and reflect on them in learning forums. Planning and preparation will involve comprehensive lesson and unit development. Course Outcomes:

• Demonstrate competency in language and understanding of language as a sequential and organized system of communication.
• Use common, grade appropriate strategy ideas across all content areas to leverage ELL student success with.
• Glean and apply multiple strategies to aid in the successful literacy effort of struggling learners and ELLs.
• Collaborate among multiple disciplines in order to better accommodate the needs of struggling learners.
• Develop working knowledge of the research behind effective strategies that teach language conventions.
• Develop and practice with strategies that teach language conventions.
• Apply, through design and redesign of curriculum, knowledge of phonology, morphology, pragmatics, syntax in support of reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
• Use knowledge of rhetorical and discourse structures to develop language and literacy skills among ELLs.
• Apply knowledge of sociocultural, sociopolitical, and psychological variables that facilitate academic achievement among ELLs.
• Consider and plan with understanding of the role and relevance of ELLs’ home languages, and use this understanding to differentiate with.

• Become knowledgeable of, and apply, theories of second language reading and writing development at varying levels of proficiency.
• Distinguish among L1 and L2 literacy and language development.
• Develop working knowledge of the principles behind phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, and discourse in literacy development.

This course is 60 hours

ESOL Methods of Teaching for Category III Teachers: Strategies for Professionals, K-12 - No. ELL-ED-213

  This course aligns with Florida ESOL Competencies for: Methods of Teaching/Category III This course is for all professionals and working with ELL students to include parents, paraprofessionals, and all school stakeholders to include psychologists, special area teachers and all school personnel in  fulfilling the requirement to complete required in-service training. Topics cover the roles and responsibilities of school professionals in Florida for ELL students, research-based ESOL strategies, methods, curriculum and curriculum design, linguistics, culture, and evaluation of ELL students. Course Outcomes:

• Increase knowledge of, and utility with, classroom methods and materials for ELL students.
• Understand the needs of ELL students and the outcomes needed for language development and overall academic achievement.
• Develop strategies for working successfully with ELL students in all school settings.
• Understand the pedagogy behind the transfer of new skills and strategies to all content areas.

ELL/ESOL for Administration, Grades K-12 - No. ELL-ED-298

  Participants will understand how to fulfill leadership responsibilities behind ESOL program development and maintenance, to include federal and state program and legal requirements, the role of culture and the community, cross-cultural communications, strategies for parental involvement, and support for classroom teachers. Course Outcomes:

• Understand the role of diversity, and its role in, and affect on, the school community.
• Learn about and apply strategies for enlisting involvement of the home family.
• Develop working knowledge of, and utility with, resources and materials that support student growth in language and overall academic achievement.
• Understand the history and background of ESOL/ELL programs, the role of legislation behind them and what the mandates are in order to support them in the school community.
• Understand how to represent the legal interests of ELL students in the wider school community.
• Understand the role of state and federal government in ESOL programs and how to support their academic achievement through teacher professional development and parental support.
• Develop and practice with strategies that aid paraprofessionals in supporting ESOL/ELL academic growth in all content areas.
•  Demonstrate knowledge of second language acquisition (applied linguistics) theory and its applicability to the instructional process.
• Understand and apply language acquisition and theory.
• Design curriculum supports and use strategies that further language acquisition.
• Understand how to support ESOL participation in gifted programs, academic intervention programs.
• Understand how to identify special education needs in ELL students, and learn the referral process when indicators are recognized.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the school site administrator’s role and responsibilities as the instructional leader representative in the school-based ELL Committee.
• Analyze and use data to further ESOL professional development, student intervention, and for programmatic decision-making.

Administrative Accountability for ESOL Programs Communication - No. ELL-ED-297

  This course will take administrators through the process of identifying LEP students, working with their family and the wider school district community in the provision of resources available to them.  Topics will begin with a focus on the knowledge and impact of the history behind ESOL programs, legislation that impacts educational programs, and how to meet mandates to ensure all school personnel are in compliance. Participants will understand the state and federal programs behind ESOL education, identification of LEP students, responsibilities for meeting LEP educational needs, assessment requirements, and the interaction among language proficiencies and content-based academic knowledge. Course Outcomes:

• Develop knowledge and understanding of programs and mandates that govern the teaching and assessment of ELL students.
• Develop knowledge and understanding of how to support parents and the wider school community in resources that support ESOL programs, along with knowledge and strategies for working with ELL students.
• Develop working knowledge of digital and technical resources that support ESOL programs, and ELL student academic achievement in all content areas.
• Understand and demonstrate sensitivity to the cultural background and needs of ELL students and their families.
• Understand how to support ESOL participation in gifted programs, academic intervention programs.
• Understand how to identify special education needs in ELL students, and learn the referral process when indicators are recognized.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the school site administrator’s role and responsibilities as the instructional leader representative in the school-based ELL Committee.
• Understand procedures for participation on LEP committees, procedures for identification of student language needs, and follow-up program interventions both during and after program participation.
• Analyze and use data to further ESOL professional development, student intervention, and for programmatic decision-making.

This course is 22 hours

ESOL for Administrators: Understanding of Culture and Effective Communication No. ELL-ED-296

  This course aligns with Florida ESOL Competencies for: ESOL for Administrators/Category IV By developing sensitivity to diverse cultural and multicultural populations of students, participants will enhance their ability to support ELL student progress in the classrooms, and ESOL district-wide programs through an understanding of culture and effective means for communication. All district stakeholders invested in ESOL progress will benefit from this course as it reaches across cross-cultural issues, accommodation needs, and how to enrich the larger ELL student population. Course Outcomes:

• Become sensitized to multicultural and diverse student populations in order to support the wider ELL community.
• Develop awareness of issues facing ELL students and the wider ELL community.
• Develop the skills for effective communication among all stakeholders in the ESOL program community at schools, homes, and in the wider community.
• Develop knowledge of effective community outreach approaches.
• Understand how to screen for language deficits and indicators of learning disabilities, particularly among special education students, language impaired and understand the distinction among them.
• Understand how to screen for effective programs that support the needs of ELL students.
• Understand how to identify and support effective professional development programs and methods for teachers in support of the ELL students that they teach through research and evidence-based curriculum.
• Apply research-based principles and pedagogy in support of ESOL programs.
• Identify digital and technical resources and materials in support of ESOL programs, and in support of teacher professional development as it flows into cultural understanding and facilitation of language skills among ELL students.

ESOL Instructional Leadership No. ELL-ED-299

  This course aligns with Florida ESOL Competencies for: ESOL for Administrators/Category IV Participants will develop clear understanding of the role of and responsibilities of leadership in ESOL instructional programs. A district and school-wide understanding of the programs through an understanding of culture and its impact on instructional pedagogy will engage all district stakeholders invested in ESOL programs and progress. Course Outcomes:

• Understand multicultural instruction for diverse student populations.
• Learn how to support the integration of multicultural instruction in classrooms.
• Develop awareness of issues facing ELL students and the wider ELL community.
• Understand formal and informal assessment of ESOL programs and for ELLs in all capacities: language skills, language impairment, special education, giftedness.
• Communicate these methods and strategies to all stakeholders in support of effective ESOL programs to garner support among the wider district and school community.
• Understand how to screen for language deficits and indicators of learning disabilities, particularly among special education students, language impaired and understand the distinction among them.
• Understand how to screen for effective programs that support the needs of ELL students.
• Understand how to identify and support effective professional development programs and methods for teachers in support of the ELL students that they teach through research and evidence-based curriculum.
• Apply research-based principles and pedagogy in support of ESOL programs.
• Identify digital and technical resources and materials in support of ESOL programs, and in support of teacher professional development as it flows into ELL language development and academic achievement.
• Effectively coach and evaluate school staff to support methods and resources for successful ESOL program implementation and support the school’s Continuous Improvement Model.

This course is 20 hours

ELL/ESOL for Guidance Counselors – No. ELL-ED-214

  This course aligns with Florida ESOL Competencies for: ESOL for Guidance Counselors/Category IV Counseling gifted students to help them achieve their talents requires skillful coaching and motivational address of the students in their care. This course will teach the background and legal requirements of ESOL programs for both state and federal requirements in order to effectively support students’ academic track toward college and career choices. Participants will examine multiple self-concept and motivational strategies, practice with motivational technique geared specifically for ESOL students to guide them throughout a responsible college and career track. Course Outcomes:

• Develop the skills to counsel, advise, and support students in their development of language proficiencies.
• Use and apply enhanced counseling and communication skills to support students at home, in the classroom, and throughout their academic track.
• Learn how to recognize the differences among language proficiencies in native tongue and in English through the administration of aptitude testing, learning styles inventories, interest inventories, and application of multiple intelligences theories.
• Support student development as it flows into and out of district and school curriculum.
• Assist students and their families in support of academic achievement, social and emotional interferences to academic achievement and college and career readiness.
• Assist students in advanced placement, career exploration, development of LEP plans, LEP Student Plans, and academic readiness for higher education.
• Develop support strategies for all instructional and academic needs for LEP students.
• Develop strategies for LEP family outreach.
• Develop strategies for community outreach on behalf of LEP students.
• Facilitate the capacity-building of LEP students in accessing and utilizing resources for personal and academic gain in furtherance of a responsible and appropriate academic track beyond the classroom.
• After screening students for appropriate higher educational choices, learn how to aid them in the admission requirements for institutes of higher education.
• Design and pursue a case study that embodies the elements of responsible counseling and student capacity-building, strategies to support the academic needs of ELL students in support of the FL DOE ESOL competencies.
• Access digital resources to aid in responsible and appropriate post-secondary guidance counseling process.

This course is 60 hours

ESOL Essentials for Content Area Teachers, Grades K-12 - No. ELL-ED-147-2

  Category II This course will take participants into deep realms of content area reading and writing to include literary and non-fiction across multiple genres, reading comprehension, critical literacy, questioning strategies, and leveling of resources to differentiate for standards and second language learners’ needs. Participants will learn about, become familiar and practice with the resources that determine text complexity and level libraries. Participants will learn to use running records and anecdotal data to analyze, evaluate, and plan for student needs. With a focus on grade level writing differentiated for ELLs, participants will cull the FSS writing and language standards for applicability to content-specific reading and writing in ELL instruction. In doing so, participants will level strategy and expectation with assignments as they align with state and national standards. Assignments will include developing performance tasks and comprehensive lessons, unit planning and preparation and rigorous participation in discussion forums. Participants will learn to strategically scaffold in order to close grade-level achievement gaps while meeting the expectations for ELLs within the Florida State Standards. Course Objectives:

• Apply new strategies to teaching ELLs while facilitating grade-level standards-based language standards in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• Understand how to assess students using standards-based formative and summative assessments while using assessment data to close achievement gaps among ELLs.
• Select methods to improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills for a variety of academic and social purposes.
• Apply standards-based instruction through design and implementation to develop the skills ELLs need for academic success.
• Resource and apply tools that determine text complexity.
• Use and plan with with resources that support content area reading and writing specific to ELLs.
• Understand genre and CCSS expectations as they apply to reading and writing specific to ELLs.
• Learn and apply research-based strategies to plan, differentiate, and scaffold reading and writing tasks for ELLs.

Cross-Cultural Communications and Understanding, Grades K-12 - No. ELL-ED-260

  Category I Aligned to: Danielson Domain 2, Marzano Domain 4. Organizing and maintaining multi-cultural classroom environments are the high strategies, while facilitating collaboration, respect and rapport among students. Active participation will further learning about students’ while aiding in the development of assignments and activities that are the outgrowth of high expectations for all students, with a focus on ELLs. Classroom management and effective language strategies will further group work, student engagement, and peaceful transitions between and among activities through culturally relevant practices and sensitivity training. Participants will use, share, research, plan and apply multiple methods of effective classroom design as they align to curriculum and ELL instructional needs. Looking at and analyzing exemplars will teach participants how to identify specific best practices in action, and what makes them best as a strategy, to include applied linguistics, accessing materials for applied linguistics, evaluating and analyzing materials and resources, technologies, and embedding effective practices in projects. Looking at the actions behind them will be catalysts to building a foundation with which to differentiate. After a broad introduction to multiple resources and the research behind their success, participants will research and identify the practices most pertinent to the grade and discipline they teach, and then work them into assignments that scaffold into a final project. Gaining knowledge and awareness of multiple cultures, cultural sensitivity, and language bias participants will develop the working knowledge to operate with awareness and sensitivity through best ELL practices grounded in research. Course Outcomes:

• Analyze lesson components to identify embedded best practices that support the diverse language needs of their ELL students.
• Glean and apply new best practices to work them into unit and lesson plans presently being taught.
• Practice and reflect upon best practice strategies taught, giving and receiving peer feedback in discussion forums.
• Align best practices with pertinent lesson components and Common Core Standards as they apply specifically to their ELLs.
• Align management strategy with content goals based on industry best practices for inclusive grade-level settings focused on ELL growth.
• Take an active role in learning about their students in order to establish a successful multi-cultural classroom environment.
• Develop working knowledge of behavior management strategies and organization of physical space that contributes to an effective classroom environment.
• Study and practice with successful attributes of student peer review that leads to organized and peaceful transitions and student collaboration.
• Take an active role in learning about their students in order to establish a successful multi-cultural classroom environment.
• Understand and design culturally relevant curriculum, with access to culturally relevant resources and materials.
• Apply working knowledge of cultural competence, with an understanding of cultural identity that affects learning, student academic achievement, and overall K-12 pedagogy.
• Understand racism, stereotyping, and cultural discrimination in teaching, learning and assessment of learning.
• Understand the relationships among language, bias, and culture in students from diverse backgrounds and at various levels of English language proficiency.
• Create, scaffold, and differentiate lessons and lesson supports for ELLs.
• Differentiate and scaffold for ELL struggling readers.
• Understand the classroom conditions necessary for 21st century ELL learners to be motivated and engaged.

This course is 60 hours

ESOL Curriculum and Instruction, Grades K-12 - No. ELL-ED-131

  Competency 3 Category I Learning environments conducive to ELL growth is best achieved when the right standards-based materials are selected, resourced, and designed. Participants in this e-course will become knowledgeable about accessing research-based resources, while selecting and adapting standards-based curriculum, materials, and digital resources. Effective reading comprehension combined with teacher modeling, guided practice, independent application, chunking and other approaches will be used across grade and content areas as they apply. Under this umbrella, participants will learn to teach reading, writing, listening, and speaking geared specifically for the needs of ELLs, through effective and differentiated strategy that builds student capacity. Visual representation, vocabulary, questioning, note-taking, close reading and summarizing are some of the approaches that participants will use to develop units and lessons with. Field-tested, research-based and as appropriate evidence-based strategies with accompanying print and digital tools for implementation will taught to scaffold and differentiate with. Participants will be introduced to sound and scientific research as it promotes literacy across all content areas to help ELL students build foundational skills across reading, writing, speaking and listening. They’ll learn and work with the scaffolds behind them that aid students in the important transition process across all content areas. Intentional, consistent, and rigorous teaching of reading and writing strategy that improves student achievement will engage the 90/90/90 principled approach. Participants completing this course will take away field-tested implementation tools that include: graphic organizers, semantic maps, thinking aids, checklists, rubrics and more. Course Outcomes:

• Acquire the skills needed to effectively teach reading comprehension in primary grades for ELLs.
• Apply new strategy that builds student capacity through teacher modeling, guided practice.
• Use balanced literacy components and leverage them for ELLs.
• Use reading, writing, listening and speaking strategies to effectively scaffold ELL language learning.
• Develop the skill and ability to leverage online and off-site resources to teach using balanced literacy strategies and techniques.
• Become familiar with, and further develop, intervention strategies focused on effective reading interventions (and writing as they support reading comprehension) for struggling ELLs.
• Design, differentiate and scaffold materials and curriculum for ELL struggling readers.
• Move scientific theory into classroom literacy strategy across specific content areas for ELL students.
• Design, differentiate and scaffold ELL curriculum focused specifically on, and informed by, student progress along a rigorous strategy continuum.
• Import research-based literacy strategy into lessons for rigorous application and implementation for their ELL students.
• Glean and apply new strategies for rigor in reading and writing across all subject areas for ELLs.
• Use new strategies for motivating successful reading and writing effort.
• Plan and become familiar with multiple online and print resources that lead to reading and writing success.
• Plan and prepare rigorous units and lessons using newly acquired research-based strategies and methods.
• Create student-friendly classroom environments that are language and culturally sensitive, with language sensitive instruction.
• Embed formative assessment that scaffolds for individuals and small groups in response to focused learning targets
• Select and adapt L1 and L2 resources specifically for ELL development.

This course is 60 hours