Course description: 

This is a hybrid workshop which will explore practical strategies for working effectively with English Learners (ELs) Physical Education, Health and Wellness classrooms.  Participants will learn about and discuss World Class Instruction and Design and Assessment (WIDA) standards, student levels and current instructional strategies used to work with ELs. Through first-hand experiences implementing teaching strategies, discussing types of students and specific content objectives, participants will learn about and develop new approaches to curriculum development, pedagogy, ways to differentiate instruction, discuss Culturally Responsive Instruction, as well as adapting class materials. Teachers will be required to dig deeper into students’ cultural backgrounds in order to determine best practices. The aim of the workshop is to provide teachers with tools, curriculum and instruction approaches, in addition to strategies to make it possible for all their students to gain access to physical education skills and content. 

As our student population brings needs that are increasingly diverse, PE teachers are required to teach students in an integrated setting. Very few resources exist for PE teachers to learn how to reach all of their students effectively and meet their diverse needs. This workshop will provide PE teachers with much-needed information, experiences, tools, and strategies that will improve their teaching of all students. To that end,  this 15-hour course will satisfy the requirement that all educators, including school PE teachers, must have 15 hours of professional development in teaching English Learners (ELs).

This course will focus on helping teachers truly integrate ELs into their PE classroom activities by ensuring that they understand the directions and can effectively communicate with other students in the class. Using this UDL approach, teachers will look at how to incorporate these principles into lessons that they have already been teaching.  Through peer sharing and reading they will learn new activities that lend themselves well to an inclusive classroom. 

By the end of the course, PE teachers will:

• Design lessons using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) which offer a wide range of ways in ELs can participate and meet the lesson’s goals
• Understand the different levels and abilities of ELs and how to communicate with them
• Have useful information about modifying communication methods and resources available to help with meeting the needs of their ELs
• Recognize the need for incorporating culturally responsive teaching practices and racial diversity into classroom curriculum

In Person Dates: 3/7/23 and 4/4/23 from 4:00pm -7:00pm

Location:  ACCEPT, 4 Tech Circle, Natick

Online:  Approximately 7 hours of asynchronous work online between 3/7- 4/4/23

Presenters: Kate Phillipson, M. Ed and Shannon Komow M. Ed

Earn:  15 PDPs

Cost:  $295 ACCEPT members/ $355 non-members

Graduate Credit Option:  Pending approval, participants may choose to apply for 1 graduate credit for an additional fee of $125 payable to Worcester State University

Please contact Dana Mullaley with any questions – [email protected]