Accessibility for All

Being a collaborative educator is a requisite skill in creating an inclusive learning environment. One of the most effective ways to develop this practice is through establishing shared accountability and responsibility for student learning within the school community. This course will unpack how all adults in the school support the planning, teaching & learning, and assessment processes. First, we will discuss the roles and responsibilities each adult may play. Then we will identify strategies to build effective partnerships in the classroom. Finally, we will explore co-teaching models and recognize when they are appropriate to use in your classroom to support student learning

Accessibility in the classroom means creating equitable experiences and resources that support all learners. We will begin the course by establishing an understanding of what equitable access is and looks like. We will explore the value of respecting the diversity that shapes your classroom. Then, we will dive into the areas where creating access is most important, paying attention to instructional, environmental, and physical/digital accessibility. We will highlight the importance of purposeful planning to promote equitable classroom activities that support academic and social-emotional growth. Upon completing this course, you will have actionable strategies to apply to your classroom practice, helping you create equitable access for all your learners.

Scaffolding is a process teachers use to help students progress towards a deeper understanding and ultimately greater independence in the learning process. In this course, we will unpack how to provide temporary support that helps learners reach higher comprehension and skill acquisition levels. Then we will reflect on goal-setting strategies that can be utilized to help build independence. You will leave this course with an action plan to help learners reach their fullest potential using scaffolding techniques to build independence.

As educators, we know that no two students are the same. Individual learners require different types of support in order to be successful in the classroom. Teachers should consider how we can tailor our instructional practices to make learning experiences accessible to all students. Differentiation is the practice of personalizing instruction to meet the needs of individual students. In this course, we will explore methods for differentiation and develop a toolkit to apply the techniques to support differentiation in your classroom.