The Opportunity of Bilingualism: Serving Today’s Young English Language Learners

Discover practical approaches to fostering language and literacy skills among English language learners.

Overview

We know that two languages are better than one for children’s cognitive development, so how can we capitalize on the strengths of English language learners while also promoting their ongoing language and literacy development?

The Opportunity of Bilingualism is a new online professional development program for teachers, early childhood educators, literacy coaches, parents, and community-based professionals. Based on the research of HGSE Professor Nonie Lesaux, the workshop provides strategies for promoting language and literacy development in linguistically diverse settings and explores implications for policy creation to support this important work.

Program Details

This two-week online workshop includes a mix of self-paced learning, group discussion, and job-embedded application. Activities include:

• Video lectures from Professor Lesaux
• Research summaries and assigned readings
• Self-assessment and reflection prompts
• Facilitated cohort discussions
• Job-embedded practice where you will apply the concepts and techniques learned

A core part of the HGSE experience is cohort learning, and this curriculum is designed to create a community of practice for participants to learn with and from each other.

This online workshop is an asynchronous learning experience with no live components and is designed to be self-paced. All materials are provided at the start of the program and can be completed at times that best fit a participant’s schedule within the two-week program period. Participants should plan to devote a total of 10 hours of work over the two weeks. Participants who complete all individual assessments and contribute to group discussions prior to the end of the course period will receive a certificate indicating completion of ten clock hours of instruction.

Objectives

• Explore language and literacy development among language learners, with a focus on how early development is connected to later outcomes
• Discover how age-old instructional strategies and universal screening practices can be leveraged to promote 21st century learning among language learners
• Identify effective ways to partner with families to support children’s learning
• Explore policies that create optimal learning opportunities for language learners

Who Should Participate

• Teachers
• Early childhood educators
• Paraprofessionals
• Literacy coaches
• Parents
• Community-based professionals working with children 1-12 years old

English Language Proficiency Requirements

English language proficiency is a requirement for application to and successful participation in this online course. All participants are expected to have fluency in English, including a basic knowledge of education terminology, in order to effectively engage with the content, complete assignments, and interact with other members of the learning community.

Fees & Policies

Full tuition is due by the indicated payment deadline, which you may find above or on the program’s community page. While a purchase order confirms enrollment, full payment is still required by the payment deadline. Please note that failure to pay by the payment deadline will result in your withdrawal from the program. Click here for more information on payment, refund, and withdrawal policies.

Tuition includes all instructional materials required for participation in the program. The Harvard Graduate School of Education reserves the right to change faculty or cancel programs at its discretion. The school is not responsible for any planning expenses incurred.