Online Courses for Teachers

Preparing Students with Special Needs to Meet the Standards

(Grades K-3) / Flex Course

PDI Course Number: 100T02 / UCSD Course Number: EDUC40159

Course Description

Are you finding it increasingly difficult to help your special education students find success with your state's standards? As most teachers know, learning can be difficult for those with special needs. So how exactly can a teacher make this “bridge,” thereby connecting their most vulnerable learners to the more challenging and complex concepts? This online course for teachers is designed for K-3 educators who are attempting to do just this. Teachers will learn specific strategies for helping their special education students build strong foundational reading skills by using assessment to guide and differentiate their instruction. In addition, teachers will be given a variety of tools and strategies to help guide their struggling writers as they work to balance meaningful writing with explicit strategy instruction. Other topics include differentiating the mathematics block, providing tactile, kinesthetic, and auditory learning opportunities, student collaboration, cooperative group activities, and Universal Design for Learning. Rounding out the course is engaging special needs students in the art of conversation and using interventions and other teaching techniques to engage special needs students, including those who also happen to be English language learners. By the end of this continuing education course, teachers will feel much more confident in helping their students with special needs meet content standards. This online professional development course is worth 3 ⅓ semester units/5 quarter units (50 hours of training) from University of California San Diego (UCSD) Division of Extended Studies. For detailed information on receiving university credit for your PDI professional development course, visit our credit page.

Need help? Allison Wynne, PDI Program Coordinator, is ready to assist.

"I learned a lot about ways to differentiate for special needs students. I loved learning about resources I can use starting this year." - Sheri Baughman-Sheets