Advanced Listening for Multilingual Learners: Designing, Scaffolding, and Assessing Comprehension
Audience | PreK–12 educators and support staff who work with multilingual learners, including general education, special education, ESL/ESOL, vocational/CTE teachers, school counselors, and instructional coaches. This 15-hour course is designed for educators pursuing Massachusetts recertification. |
Presenter Name(s) | David Turo, M.Ed., M.A. in Applied Linguistics, CAGS |
Presenter Bio(s) | David Turo has been teaching English as a Second Language for 25 years in public schools. He leads SEI Endorsement classes and enjoys learning alongside the teachers and students he works with in his district, at the state level, and internationally. David also teaches ESOL classes for adult learners, helping them build language skills and confidence for everyday life. He is always looking for practical ways to support learners and values creating spaces where both students and teachers can grow. |
Description | This advanced course offers teachers a focused, in-depth exploration of listening comprehension for multilingual learners—an essential but often underdeveloped area of instruction. Participants will analyze listening demands, complete a classroom listening task audit, and examine common myths about language comprehension. They will design scaffolded listening tasks aligned to WIDA proficiency levels and apply evidence-based supports and equitable assessment strategies. Using a shared anchor video, guided online discussion, and a culminating classroom-based task, teachers will develop practical, ready-to-use listening sequences that strengthen comprehension and support meaningful participation across content areas. |
Synchronous / Asynchronous | Primarily asynchronous (Google Classroom) with limited synchronous sessions |
Location | Online |
Dates & Times | February 2 – March 15, 2026 Live via zoom on Mondays, February 2nd and March 9th, 4pm – 7pm; 9 additional hours online Teachers are required to attend a synchronous session during Week 1 for orientation and Week 5 for the culminating task. Optional weekly office hours are available for additional support and questions on Mondays, 4pm-7pm |
PDPs | 15 PDPs |
Credits | Pending approval, participants may choose to apply for (1) optional graduate credit for an additional fee of $125 payable to Worcester State University. |
Cost | $295 ACCEPT members/$355 non-members |
Registration Deadline | January 26, 2026 |