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Phone:
800.257.7751
TTY:
802.258.3388
Fax:
802.258.3116
PO Box 676, Kipling Road
Brattleboro, VT 05302 USA
Contact us by email.
ACCESS Courses in Massachusetts
The School for International Training has created a special course design for Massachusetts teachers, integrating the Massachusetts English Language Proficiency Benchmarks and Outcomes (ELPBO).
Who should take these ACCESS courses?
District teams should be composed of ESL teachers and elementary teachers or secondary content teachers (e.g. math, science, social studies, health, etc.). ESL teachers who enroll in ACCESS may also apply to SIT to become trained as ACCESS trainers.
What are the objectives of the ACCESS course?
Participants in ACCESS will learn to support English language learners by:
- Understanding the cultural, linguistic and academic challenges of English language learners
- Addressing challenges within a particular district by documenting successful strategies and sharing effective approaches
- Learning research-based frameworks and strategies for teaching English language learners
- Collaborating with colleagues to build a sustainable professional community
- Sheltering content instruction to provide access to the entire curriculum AND to promote the development of English language proficiency
Why is this important for Massachusetts teachers?
The SIT ACCESS Graduate Certificate course helps teachers acquire the skills and knowledge required for Category 2: Sheltering Content Instruction as outlined by the Massachusetts Commissioner of Education in June 2004.(See the memo Updated Guidance on Qualifications for Teachers in Sheltered English Immersion Classrooms Addendum I for more information).
Is graduate credit available?
All teachers who successfully complete the ACCESS course will receive an ACCESS Certificate issued by SIT and 35 PDPs. Three graduate credits are available through the School for International Training. Cost for graduate credit is $450 per participant. Teachers who receive graduate credit will be granted 45 PDPs.
How can my district host an ACCESS course?
Please contact Margaret Tarmy, (margaret.tarmy@sit.edu, 802.258.3310) for more information or to register.
