Frontline Education

1. ACT 48 Workshop - PD Series: K-3 Reading Apprenticeship

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: ELA Teachers in Grades K-3

Dates: 9/18/2024 to 5/22/2025

The K-3 Reading Apprenticeship Model is a unique professional development model that supports primary reading teachers with the knowledge, skills, best practices and on-site support in teaching all students to be skilled readers and writers. This professional development opportunity consists of initial intensive, comprehensive training in reading history, pedagogy, theory, research and proven instructional practice and monthly follow-up trainings to build breadth and depth of professional knowledge in the English Language Arts. Teachers meet for 12 sessions at the AIU and additional technical support takes place at each site. Cost: $3,800 per participant (with onsite coaching and technical support) or $2,800 (no coaching and technical support). Districts will be invoiced after the first session. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

2. ACT 48 Workshop: Comprehension, Close Reading, & Complex Text: Laying the Foundation K-2

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: Primary Teachers of Reading (Grades K-2)

Dates: 1/28/2025 to 4/29/2025

Transitioning students to the demands of the PA Core Standards is not a job just for teachers in the tested grades! This four-session series will support teachers in the primary grades in aligning their instructional practices to the PA Core. Participants will engage with teaching informational text, text dependent questions, close reading, scaffolding instruction using complex text, annotating text, designing rigorous tasks, and incorporating academic vocabulary into students' vocabularies, specifically focusing on how to implement these concepts into everyday practice. Cost: $600 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first session. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

3. ONLINE Act 48 PD Series: Comprehension, Close Reading, and Complex Text: Laying the Foundation K-2

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: Reading and ELA teachers in grades K-2

Dates: 2/1/2025 to 5/1/2025

Transitioning students to the demands of the PA Core Standards is not a job just for teachers in the tested grades! This four-module series will support teachers in the primary grades in aligning their instructional practices to the PA Core. Participants will engage with teaching informational text, text dependent questions, close reading, scaffolding instruction using complex text, annotating text, designing rigorous tasks, and incorporating academic vocabulary into students' vocabularies, specifically focusing on how to implement these concepts into everyday practice. Cost: $450 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first module opens. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

4. Structured Literacy Training: PreK and Primary K-2 Teachers

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: PreK and Primary (grades K-2) teachers

Dates: 4/10/2025

Allegheny Intermediate Unit's Reading Achievement Center presents relevant professional development that meets Chapter 49 structured literacy requirements and is tailored to meet the literacy needs of different certificate holders' classrooms. This session is tailored to PreK and primary (grades K-2) teachers.

5. ACT 48 Workshop: Revisiting Eligibility and Continuing Eligibility

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: AIU School-Aged Program Speech/Language Pathologists and Bethel Park SLP's

Dates: 4/11/2025

New

Speech/Language Pathologist's (SLP) caseloads are growing rapidly with increasing referrals and greater student service needs. The SLP must make increasingly difficult decisions about eligibility and continuing eligibility. Today's session reviews the federal regulations of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) interpreted through the lens of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and Local Education Associations (LEA) with considerations for service determinations for the SLP.

6. ACT 48 Workshop: Structuring Small Groups to Support Social Emotional Behavioral Growth

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: General Education Teacher, Special Education Teachers, Interventionists and Coaches, School Counselors, School Psychologists, Social Workers, Building Principals, Other Building Level Admin, Special Education Liaisons

Dates: 4/15/2025

Do you want to systemtize your Tier 2 small group instruction or lunch bunches? This session will help participants to identify key features of an effective social academic instruction group including data, systems, and practices to ensure strong outcomes for group participants. Discussions will include how to select students and topics for groups, structure instruction, and use data to evaluate the effectiveness of groups. Information on selecting and installing SEL programs at Tier 2 will be shared. Flyer Link: Workshop Flier

7. ACT 48 Workshop: Assisting Students Struggling in Mathematics

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: General Education Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Interventionists and Coaches, School Psychologists

Dates: 5/8/2025

Join us for a comprehensive year-long professional development series designed to equip educators with the knowledge and skills to support elementary students struggling with mathematics. Based on the evidence-based recommendations from the "Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Intervention in the Elementary Grades" practice guide by the What Works Clearinghouse, this series will provide practical strategies, hands-on activities, and collaborative learning opportunities to enhance mathematical instruction and intervention.

8. ESL 1 Course: Introduction to Teaching English as a Second Language

Program: CPE Courses

Audience: Certified K-12 educators seeking ESL specialist certification

Dates: 6/23/2025 to 10/20/2025

Meeting Times: Live classes via Zoom: 6/23 - 26, 2025; daily from 8:00 am - 11:30 am; and Monday, 10/20/2025 from 5:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Online coursework is due: October 13, 2025 by 11:59 p.m. Attendance is mandatory for all live Zoom classes.

Registration for this course closes on 6/20/2025

Required Text: participants must obtain the following text in order to successfully complete this course. This text can be ordered online in new or used condition; it may also be available for download to Kindle or other mobile text readers.

Title: And Justice for ELs: A Leader's Guide to Creating and Sustaining Equitable Schools. Author: Cooper, Ayanna, Corwin Press - ISBN 978-1-5443-8814-4.

This is a basic introductory course to English as a Second Language. It will include the five domains of teaching English language learners - culture, language, planning instruction, assessment, and professionalism. Emphasis is placed on the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) teaching standards and the ESL K-12 standards. Teachers will examine research-based practices in relation to the five domains and identify their role as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher.

9. ESL 2 Course: Developing Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity

Program: CPE Courses

Audience: Certified K-12 teachers seeking ESL specialist certification, ESL teachers

Dates: 7/14/2025 to 11/17/2025

Meeting Times: Live classes via Zoom: July 14 - 17, 2025 from 8:00 am to 11:30 am; and Monday, 11/17/2025 from 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Online coursework is due: November 10, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Attendance is mandatory for all live Zoom classes.

Registration closes for this course on 7/09/2025

Required Text: participants must obtain the following text in order to successfully complete this course. This text can be ordered online in new or used condition; it may also be available for download to Kindle or other mobile text readers.

Culturally Responsive Teaching for Multilingual Learners. Authors: Snyder, Sydney and Staehr-Fenner, Diane. Corwin Press - ISBN 978-1-544-39025-3

This course will provide an examination of theory, diversity, and pedagogy constructs for explicit applications to practice in classrooms with English Language Learners. A historical exploration of immigration, cultural perspectives, and teaching practices that demonstrate and explicate the interconnectedness of culture and cognition are provided. By examining the background of English Language Learners and their cultures a framework for creating a culturally responsive classroom environment is developed.

10. Structured Literacy Training: Administrators 2025026

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: Administrators who hold certificates that require structured literacy training

Dates: 7/15/2025

New

Allegheny Intermediate Unit's Reading Achievement Center presents relevant professional development that meets Chapter 49 structured literacy requirements and is tailored to meet the literacy needs of different certificate holders' classrooms. This two-day session is tailored to administrators who cold certificates that require structured literacy training and will focus on how administrators can support the components of structured literacy in their teachers' classrooms.

11. ESL 3 Course: Language Acquisition and Development

Program: CPE Courses

Audience: Certified K-12 teachers seeking ESL specialist certification, ESL teachers

Dates: 8/11/2025 to 12/8/2025

Meeting Times: Live classes via Zoom: August 11 - 14, 2025 from 8:00 am - 11:30 am; and Monday, 12/8/2025 from 5:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Online coursework is due: 12/1/2025 at 11:59 p.m. Attendance is mandatory for all live Zoom classes.

Registration closes for this course on 8/06/2025

Required Text: participants must obtain the following text in order to successfully complete this course. This text can be ordered online in new or used condition; it may also be available for download to Kindle or other mobile text readers.

How Languages are Learned (5th ed). Authors: Lightbrown, Patsy and Spada, Nina. Oxford Press - ISBN 9780-194406291.

This course is designed to give the participants an understanding of the theories of how language is acquired. We will be discussing various language acquisition theories, the stages of language acquisition, and strategies of how to help your students acquire language in the four language domains: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. We will also discuss accommodations and modifications along with these teaching strategies that can be used during small group ESL instruction and by general education teachers.

12. Act 48 Network Series: Reading Specialists' Network 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: READING SPECIALISTS IN GRADES K-12

Dates: 9/12/2025 to 4/10/2026

New

Join the RAC Reading Specialists' Network for an opportunity to connect with other reading specialists in Allegheny County. Each session will feature research-based best practices and strategies that specialists need in order to be effective in their role as they work with students, teachers, and parents in all three tiers of literacy. Sessions will be held in a hybrid format, giving participants the option to join in person at the AIU or via Zoom. There is no charge for this network series.

13. ONLINE Act 48 PD Series: Text-Dependent Analysis Part 2 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: ELA teachers in grades 4-8

Dates: 9/15/2025 to 3/1/2026

New

This three-module series is open to participants who attended "TDA: Effective Instructional Practices” during a previous school year. In this series, participants will deepen their understanding of the reading, thinking, and writing processes necessary for TDA success, examine student work, and use the TDA Learning Progressions to make instructional decisions. Cost: $450 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first module opens. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

14. ONLINE Act 48 PD Series: Text-Dependent Analysis: Effective Instructional Practices 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: ELA teachers in grades 4-8

Dates: 9/15/2025 to 1/2/2026

New

This fully online four-module series focuses on effective teaching practices for helping students overcome some of the biggest struggles with the text dependent analysis (TDA) portion of the PSSA. Sessions will focus on teaching students how to understand the prompt, read and write for analysis, determine the best evidence, and craft the essay. Participants will engage in modeled research-based and classroom-tested activities to strengthen their own instruction. Cost: $600 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first module opens. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to attend this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

15. Act 48 Workshop - PD Series: Text-Dependent Analysis: Effective Instructional Practices 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: ELA Teachers in Grades 4-8

Dates: 9/16/2025 to 1/29/2026

New

This four-day series focuses on effective teaching practices for helping students overcome some of the biggest struggles with the text dependent analysis (TDA) portion of the PSSA. Sessions will focus on teaching students how to understand the prompt, read and write for analysis, determine the best evidence, and craft the essay. Participants will engage in modeled research-based and classroom-tested activities to strengthen their own instruction. Cost: $600 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first session. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to attend this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

16. ACT 48 Workshop - PD Series: K-3 Reading Apprenticeship 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: ELA Teachers in Grades K-3

Dates: 9/17/2025 to 5/14/2026

New

The K-3 Reading Apprenticeship Model is a unique professional development model that supports primary reading teachers with the knowledge, skills, best practices and on-site support in teaching all students to be skilled readers and writers. This professional development opportunity consists of initial intensive, comprehensive training in reading history, pedagogy, theory, research and proven instructional practice and monthly follow-up trainings to build breadth and depth of professional knowledge in the English Language Arts. Teachers meet for 12 sessions at the AIU and additional technical support takes place at each site. Cost: $3,800 per participant (with onsite coaching and technical support) or $2,800 (no coaching and technical support). Districts will be invoiced after the first session. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

17. Structured Literacy Training: ESL Teachers 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: Teachers of English learners

Dates: 9/23/2025

New

Allegheny Intermediate Unit's Reading Achievement Center presents relevant professional development that meets Chapter 49 structured literacy requirements and is tailored to meet the literacy needs of different certificate holders' classrooms. This session is tailored to teachers of English learners.

18. Act 48 Workshop - PD Series: Text-Dependent Analysis: Effective Instructional Practices PART 2 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: ELA Teachers in Grades 4-8

Dates: 9/25/2025 to 3/3/2026

New

This three-session series is open to participants who attended "TDA: Effective Instructional Practices” during a previous school year. In this series, participants will deepen their understanding of the reading, thinking, and writing processes necessary for TDA success, examine student work, and use the TDA Learning Progressions to make instructional decisions. Cost: $450 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first session. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to attend this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

19. Structured Literacy Training: Non-ELA Certificate Holders 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: Upper elementary and middle school non-ELA teachers; those holding certificates that require structured literacy training but are not currently using that certificate.

Dates: 9/30/2025

New

Allegheny Intermediate Unit's Reading Achievement Center presents relevant professional development that meets Chapter 49 structured literacy requirements and is tailored to meet the literacy needs of different certificate holders' classrooms. This session is tailored to certificate holders who are required to take structured literacy training but not teaching ELA (for example, middle school non-ELA certificate holders) or those holding a certificate but not using it (for example, a high school teacher who is special education certified but not teaching special education classes).

20. ONLINE Act 48 PD Series: Adolescent Literacy Institute 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: Middle and high school reading and English teachers

Dates: 10/1/2025 to 1/2/2026

New

The Adolescent Literacy Institute is a series of online modules for middle and high school teachers focused on research-based literacy practices that support students as they become college and career ready. Specifically aligned with brain research on how adolescents learn, this workshop series engages participants in the research behind and modeling of effective reading and writing instruction for the secondary grades. Cost: $600 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first module opens. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

21. ONLINE Act 48 PD Series: Keys to Comprehension 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: Reading and ELA teachers in grades 3-8

Dates: 10/1/2025 to 1/2/2026

New

This professional development series consists of four online modules that focus exclusively on the literacy domain of reading comprehension. Targeted for teachers in grades 3 to 8, the content is directly aligned with the PA Core standards and state test expectations. Participants learn instructional techniques to unlock reading comprehension, applicable to both literature and informational text. Cost: $600 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first module opens. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

22. ONLINE Act 48 PD Series: Thinking Through the Pencil 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: Reading and ELA teachers in grades 3-8

Dates: 10/1/2025 to 1/2/2026

New

This professional development series consists of four online modules designed to build students' critical thinking skills through writing. Designed for practical application in grades 4-8 ELA classrooms, participants engage in instructional practices based on current research on what makes a difference in student writing. Topics include teaching academic form, increasing the frequency of writing opportunities, providing effective and timely feedback, incorporating writing into reading, incorporating grammar instruction into reading and writing, conducting document reviews of student work, and teaching mode-specific writing to meet the writing requirements of the PA Core Standards. Cost: $600 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first module opens. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

23. ACT 48 Workshop - PD Series: Keys to Comprehension 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: Reading Teachers in Grades 3-8

Dates: 10/2/2025 to 2/12/2026

New

This professional development series consists of four sessions that focus exclusively on the literacy domain of reading comprehension. Targeted for teachers in grades 3 to 8, the content is directly aligned with the PA Core standards and state test expectations. Participants learn instructional techniques to unlock reading comprehension, applicable to both literature and informational text. Cost: $600 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first session. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

24. ACT 48 Workshop: PD Series: Thinking Through the Pencil 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: ELA and Writing Teachers in Grades 3-8

Dates: 10/8/2025 to 2/24/2026

New

Thinking Through the Pencil is a four-session workshop series designed to build students' critical thinking skills through writing. Designed for practical application in grades 4-8 ELA classrooms, participants engage in instructional practices based on current research on what makes a difference in student writing. Topics include teaching academic form, increasing the frequency of writing opportunities, providing effective and timely feedback, incorporating writing into reading, incorporating grammar instruction into reading and writing, conducting document reviews of student work, and teaching mode-specific writing to meet the writing requirements of the PA Core Standards. Cost: $600 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first session. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

25. ACT 48 Workshop - PD Series: Word Wizards 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: ELA, Reading, and English Teachers in Grades 3-12

Dates: 10/21/2025 to 2/10/2026

New

Build your students into word wizards! This three-session professional development series presents teachers in grades 3-12 with research and practical strategies to strengthen students word knowledge, through both indirect vocabulary exposure and direct vocabulary instruction. Cost: $450 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first session. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

26. Structured Literacy Training: PreK and Primary K-2 Teachers 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: PreK and Primary (grades K-2) teachers

Dates: 10/22/2025

New

Allegheny Intermediate Unit's Reading Achievement Center presents relevant professional development that meets Chapter 49 structured literacy requirements and is tailored to meet the literacy needs of different certificate holders' classrooms. This session is tailored to PreK and primary (grades K-2) teachers.

27. ACT 48 Workshop - PD Series: Adolescent Literacy Institute 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: ELA Teachers in Middle and High School

Dates: 10/29/2025 to 2/26/2026

New

The Adolescent Literacy Institute is a series of workshops for middle and high school teachers focused on research-based literacy practices that support students as they become college and career ready. Specifically aligned with brain research on how adolescents learn, this workshop series engages participants in the research behind and modeling of effective reading and writing instruction for the secondary grades. Cost: $600 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first session. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

28. ONLINE Act 48 PD Series: Word Wizards 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: ELA teachers in grades 3-12

Dates: 11/1/2025 to 1/2/2026

New

Build your students into word wizards! This three-module online professional development series presents teachers in grades 3-12 with research and practical strategies to strengthen students word knowledge, through both indirect vocabulary exposure and direct vocabulary instruction. Cost: $450 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first module opens. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

29. ESL 4 Course: Observing, Planning, Implementing, and Managing Instruction

Program: CPE Courses

Audience: Certified K-12 teachers seeking ESL specialist certification; ESL teachers

Dates: 11/3/2025 to 1/26/2026

Meeting Times: Live Zoom classes: Monday, November 3, 2025; 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm and Saturdays: 11/8, 11/15, 11/22, 2025; 8:00 am to 11:30 am, and Monday, 1/26/2026; 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Online coursework due: January 19, 2026 at 11:59 pm. Attendance is mandatory.

Registration for this course closes on 10/29/2025

Required Text: participants must obtain the following text in order to successfully complete this course. This text can be ordered online in new or used condition; it may also be available for download to Kindle or other mobile text readers.

Classroom Instruction That Works with English Learners (2nd ed). Authors: Hill & Miller. ISBN: 978-14166-1630-6

Teachers will examine the theories, principles, and practices that assist English language learners in achieving academic proficiency in the content areas. Planning standards-based instruction and adapting instruction in the content areas is emphasized. To promote the academic success of English language learners, teachers will involve the family and community, and analyze the learner to establish learning goals and assessment measures that are appropriate for the individual student. ESL teachers will be able to demonstrate knowledge of their ELLs and the role of individual characteristics in the process and outcome of language learning. Drawing upon this knowledge, they will demonstrate an ability to observe and plan standards-based ESL and content instruction for students from K-12. They will use the PA Academic Content Standards, as well as, the PA English Language Proficiency Standards when planning lessons. They will use performance-based measures to assess ELLs discrete and integrated ability to use grammar, vocabulary, listening, speaking, reading, and writing to communicate.

30. ACT 48 Workshops: ELA Symposium: Tips for Shifting to online PSSA (Grades 3-5)

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: ELA Teachers in Grades 3-5, Administrators

Dates: 11/10/2025

New

The ELA Symposium is the Reading Achievement Center's annual workshop addressing a critical need for strengthening teacher practice that improves student achievement. This session, for ELA teachers in grades 3-5, will focus on tips for shifting to the online PSSA.

31. ESL 6 Course: English Language Learners, Families, Community and Professionalism

Program: CPE Courses

Audience: Certified K-12 educators seeking ESL specialist certification; ESL teachers

Dates: 1/5/2026 to 3/16/2026

Meeting Times: Live Zoom classes: Monday, Jan 5, 2025 from 5:00pm - 8:30pm; Saturdays: 1/10, 1/17, and 1/24, 2026 from 8:00am - 11:30am; and Monday March 16, 2026 from 5:00pm - 8:30pm. Online coursework is due: March 9, 2025 at 11:59pm. Attendance is mandatory.

Registration for this course closes on 12/29/2025

Required Text: participants must obtain the following text in order to successfully complete this course. This text can be ordered online in new or used condition; it may also be available for download to Kindle or other mobile text readers.

Title: Powerful Practices for Supporting English Learners: Elevating Diverse Assets and Identities First Edition, Westernoff, F., Jones-Vo, S., & Markus, P. (2021) Corwin Press ISBN: 9781544380094

Most English language learners are from another country. They come in with anxieties and go through phases of cultural adjustments. Without the necessary support, it might be hard for them to transition smoothly and thus be able to learn English well and fast.

This course is geared toward equipping ESL teachers with the necessary tools to give ESL students the support they need while they undergo the challenges of transition. Issues that may arise concerning the support of students in the classroom, school and the community will be addressed.

32. ACT 48 Workshop: Comprehension, Close Reading, & Complex Text: Laying the Foundation K-2 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: Primary Teachers of Reading (Grades K-2)

Dates: 1/8/2026 to 4/15/2026

New

Transitioning students to the demands of the PA Core Standards is not a job just for teachers in the tested grades! This four-session series will support teachers in the primary grades in aligning their instructional practices to the PA Core. Participants will engage with teaching informational text, text dependent questions, close reading, scaffolding instruction using complex text, annotating text, designing rigorous tasks, and incorporating academic vocabulary into students' vocabularies, specifically focusing on how to implement these concepts into everyday practice. Cost: $600 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first session. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

33. ACT 48 Workshop: ELA Symposium: Tips for Shifting to Online PSSA (Grades 6-8)

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: ELA Teachers in Grades 6-8, Administrators

Dates: 1/13/2026

New

The ELA Symposium is the Reading Achievement Center's annual workshop addressing a critical need for strengthening teacher practice that improves student achievement. This session, for ELA teachers in grades 6-8, will focus on tips for shifting to the online PSSA.

34. ONLINE Act 48 PD Series: Comprehension, Close Reading, and Complex Text: Laying the Foundation K-2 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: Reading and ELA teachers in grades K-2

Dates: 2/1/2026 to 5/1/2026

New

Transitioning students to the demands of the PA Core Standards is not a job just for teachers in the tested grades! This four-module series will support teachers in the primary grades in aligning their instructional practices to the PA Core. Participants will engage with teaching informational text, text dependent questions, close reading, scaffolding instruction using complex text, annotating text, designing rigorous tasks, and incorporating academic vocabulary into students' vocabularies, specifically focusing on how to implement these concepts into everyday practice. Cost: $450 per participant. Districts will be invoiced after the first module opens. When registering, please select "Purchase Order” as your payment method if the district is to be invoiced for the cost of the workshop. By registering, you certify that you have obtained supervisor permission to participate in this workshop, and your supervisor is aware of the professional development fee.

35. Structured Literacy Training: Upper Elementary & Middle School ELA Teachers 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: Upper elementary and middle school ELA teachers

Dates: 2/19/2026

New

Allegheny Intermediate Unit's Reading Achievement Center presents relevant professional development that meets Chapter 49 structured literacy requirements and is tailored to meet the literacy needs of different certificate holders' classrooms. This session is tailored to upper elementary and middle school ELA teachers.

36. ESL 5 Course: Assessment and Support for English Language Learners

Program: CPE Courses

Audience: Current ESL educators or educators who are seeking ESL specialist certification.

Dates: 2/23/2026 to 4/20/2026

Meeting Times: Live Zoom classes: Monday, Feb 23, 2026 from 5:00pm - 8:30pm; Saturdays: 2/28, 3/7, 3/14, 2026 from 8:00am - 11:30am; and Monday, 4/20/2026 from 5:00pm - 8:30pm. Online coursework is due: April 13, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Attendance is mandatory.

Registration for this course closes on 2/18/2026

Required Text: participants must obtain the following text in order to successfully complete this course. This text can be ordered online in new or used condition; it may also be available for download to Kindle or other mobile text readers.

Title: Assessing Multilingual Learners: Bridges to Empowerment, (3rd Edition). Author: Gottlieb, Margo. Corwin Press, ISBN: 978-10-71897270

Assessing and supporting English Language Learners can be challenging for teachers and students. As English language learners in grades K-12 acquire English, there needs to be appropriate and valid measures in place when assessing their progress. Assessment tools need to be based upon individual proficiency levels of students. In this course, student teachers will gain exposure to the tools necessary to assess English Language Learners. The course will offer knowledge on benchmarks for each English proficiency level.

ESL teachers demonstrate and share knowledge and techniques of appropriate assessments with a range of stakeholders. This includes the ability to administer required testing as well as to make accommodations to such testing when appropriate; the expertise to help colleagues and families understand how assessment can be designed and interpreted to best demonstrate what ELLs know and are able to do; the use of data generated by multiple measures to ensure that ELLs have access to a quality language instructional program; Revised 12/18/2017 and to make progress toward benchmarks and display academic growth while receiving services within an ESL program.

37. Structured Literacy Training: Special Educators and Reading Specialists 2025-26

Program: ACT 48 Workshops

Audience: Special educators and reading specialists

Dates: 3/10/2026 to 3/11/2026

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Allegheny Intermediate Unit's Reading Achievement Center presents relevant professional development that meets Chapter 49 structured literacy requirements and is tailored to meet the literacy needs of different certificate holders' classrooms. This two-day session is tailored to special educators and reading specialists.

Professional Development

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Catalog: Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3 (Web Registration)

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