Conceptualizing a graduate certificate program in Teaching Bilingual English Learners with Disabilities

Graduate programs today are starting to look very different.  In fact, there is a growing effort on encouraging teachers to seek the professional development that they need, to build professional networks by social media, and to still complete traditional master of education programs.  What is real is that as professionals we need to continue to learn about the latest research, evidence-based practices and other instructional approaches that help us address the changing demographics in our schools and classrooms.   We need to engage in an ongoing cycle of teaching and learning.

Last week my colleagues and I presented at the National Bilingual Education Association conference in Orlando, FL.  The title of our presentation was the Conceptualization of a Graduate Certificate on Teaching Bilingual English Learners with Disabilities.  My colleagues Diana Morales, district leader and lecturer, Joni Magee, former district administrators, teacher, and state leader, and myself presented the program we have developed at Lasell College.

We investigated the most effective professional development practices within the teacher preparation programs and created four courses fully online that address bilingual special education.  The program includes content-focus, active learning, coherence and duration on the topic, active participation, and application based on need at school sites. Our program is focused on building the background knowledge for educators working with Bilingual English Learners and giving them the tools for them to advocate for better practices like collaboration, MTSS, co-teaching, progress monitoring and truly embedded culturally responsive pedagogy.  The products and outcomes are focused on change in their schools.  This means that the classroom products may be developing a new way to track data in their schools, or creating a case study using a student IEP to show how you can address language and academic goals.

The presentation was our way to give back to the community of education professionals who are asking for more strategies to address the needs of bilingual students with and without disabilities.  Let me know if you would like to see more information on our session.