Upcoming Events

AAC Foundations [2 Day Training - August 7 &8]

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 [Oak Room]

August 7th, 2024 - 8:30 am

**This is a two day training that will take place August 7th & 8th**

The AAC Foundations trainings are designed to bring speech-language pathologists together with teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, school psychologists, behaviorists, paraeducators...anyone who can play a critical role in a collective team supporting the language and communication skill development for our students who use aided forms of communication. 

Participants Will:

  • Develop a shared understanding of the key beliefs that support the use and implementation of AAC for students with complex communication needs.
  • Gain an understanding of multimodal communication.
  • Review and become familiar with the elements that make up a multimodal communication system; strategies, tools, and symbols
  • Develop an understanding of the different communicator profiles
  • Explore key elements of instructional implementation and how to build communication skills.
  • Review universal classroom supports for the development of language and collaborative teaming strategies.

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Administrator Institute

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 [TLC]

August 9th, 2024 - 8:30 am

Join us for a day of professional learning as we explore various special education topics related to site administration.

  • Are you a site administrator who would like to to ensure your site is appropriately serving special education students?
  • Do you wonder about your role in an IEP and what you can do to make the process more efficient and effective?.
  • Want to know more about compliance “hot spots” and how to avoid them?

Be sure to attend this event! Special guest speakers will include Sam Drazin from Changing Perspectives and Heather Edwards, Special Education Attorney.

 

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Para-Professional Essentials - CLASS IS FULL, see additional offering on 8/21

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 [Redwood C]

August 13th, 2024 - 8:30 am

Nikarre Redcoff, M.Ed., BCBA, Sonoma County SELPA Program Specialist, will be providing this training for new or veteran paraprofessionals. This training will cover the following topics: Universal Design for Learning (UDL),Teaching Tricks, Increasing Independence, Behavior Support Strategies, and Working discreetly in a classroom

 

CLASS IS FULL, see additional offering on 8/21.

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Diagnostic Center North (DCN) - Introduction to Universal Design for Learning - Virtual

Virtual Via Zoom

August 14th, 2024 - 2:00 pm

How can we support our students in the classroom no matter their function?
California's Education Task Force (2015) determined that Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is the framework for improving educational outcomes for all students. Learn how Universal Design for Learning can improve outcomes and accessibility for all students.

Participants Will

  • Review CAST.org checkpoints for UDL implementation
  • Learn the basics of UDL implementation
  • Learn technology tools to support curriculum access for all students

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Education specialists
  • General education teachers
  • Reading specialists
  • Administrators
  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Any specialists who would like to gain a fundamental understanding of UDL

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Events and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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DTUG

August 20th, 2024 - 9:00 am

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Para-Professional Essentials (Additional Date)

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

August 21st, 2024 - 8:30 am

This training will cover the following topics:

  • Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
  • Teaching Tricks
  • Increasing Independence
  • Behavior Supports
  • Working discreetly in a classroom

When: August 21, 2024; 8:30am-3:30pm

Where: Sonoma County Office of Education

        5340 Skylane Blvd, Santa Rosa

Who: Gen Ed and Special Education Instructional Assistants, Yard Duty Supervisors

Questions about content: nredcoff@sonomaselpa.org

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Diagnostic Center North(DCN) - Dyslexia Academy Part 1 - Screening (In Person)

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

August 26th, 2024 - 10:00 am

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • General education teachers
  • Education specialists
  • Speech-language pathologists
  • School psychologists
  • Administrators
  • Para-educators
  • Any specialists who would like to gain a fundamental understanding of dyslexia and how it impacts student performance

Sessions

  • AS026: In-Person (2 hours)

California passed SB114 in 2023 a bill that will require screenings for kindergarten - second grade students throughout the state of California. This training will clarify California's definition of dyslexia and provide screening materials to help school teams identify and support students who may be at risk for reading difficulties such as dyslexia.

Participants Will

  • Learn components of phonological processing
  • Learn how to screen a student's phonological processing and early reading skills
  • Learn how their screening data can inform components of a reading intervention program
  • Learn academic interventions for students at-risk for dyslexia

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Events and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities. 

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Diagnostic Center North(DCN) Dyslexia Academy - Part 2 - Assessment - In Person

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

August 26th, 2024 - 1:00 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • School psychologists
  • Administrators
  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Education specialists
  • Any specialists who would like to gain a fundamental understanding of dyslexia and how it impacts student performance

Sessions

  • AS039: In-Person (2 hours)

Feifer, Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP), and Test of Auditory Processing Skills (TAPS) oh my! What is orthographic processing anyway? How do I rule out exclusionary factors? This training will support educational teams in using their clinical judgment to make specific learning disability (SLD) dyslexia determinations.

Participants Will

  • Learn the components of phonological processing and orthographic processing
  • Learn formal assessment tools to identify Specific Learning Disability (SLD) dyslexia
  • Learn through case studies how to use their clinical judgment to decide if the student meets psychoeducational criteria for dyslexia
  • Learn how to talk to families and educational stakeholders about a student with a dyslexic profile

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Events and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North(DCN) - Language and Literacy Instruction for Students with Intellectual Disabilities - Virtual

Virtual

August 28th, 2024 - 1:30 pm

Even small, incremental improvements in independent reading and writing skills can have drastic effects on quality of life. Students who acquire even elementary language and literacy skills can access many more texts than a nonreader. Alone, functional literacy programs which focus on rote visual learning of words do not provide the skills needed to read text with understanding and write independently. Recent research has found comprehensive literacy programs focusing on word level reading and language comprehension skills are most effect for students with intellectual disabilities (ID). In this training we will explore this recent research, what to include in a comprehensive approach to language literacy instruction and practical activities to implement tomorrow.

Participants Will

  • Define comprehensive and integrated literacy instruction
  • Describe research aligned instruction for students with intellectual impairments
  • Implement engaging instruction to develop language and literacy skills for students with intellectual disabilities

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Special education teachers
  • School psychologists
  • Administrators
  • Speech language pathologists

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Events and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North (DCN)-Function to Reinforcement: A Deeper Dive to Understanding What To Do About Challenging Behavior - Virtual

Virtual Via Zoom

September 17th, 2024 - 1:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Special education teachers
  • General education teachers supporting students with behavior needs

This training will focus on building understanding of functions of behavior that are commonly seen within the classroom setting. Case studies and examples will be used to support participants analyzing behaviors across an array of severity to determine appropriate strategy selection.
Emphasis will be placed on how to match interventions and replacement behaviors to the function of behavior.

Participants Will

  • Increase understanding of the functions of behavior
  • Be provided with specific explanations of how to implement positive behavior strategies within the classroom environment from the Prevent, Teach, Reinforce model
  • Be able to identify appropriate interventions given specific behavior functions

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North (DCN) - Writing Measurable Social-Emotional Goals - Virtual

Virtual Via Zoom

October 23rd, 2024 - 2:00 pm

Writing Measurable Social-Emotional Goals

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Special education teachers
  • Counseling enriched program teachers
  • School psychologists and counselors
  • Mental health clinicians

This training introduces service providers to a framework that addresses social-emotional needs using an operationally defined and measurable system. This framework emphasizes conceptualizing the presenting issue into three categories: symptom, self-report, and coping skill. Definitions of these categories will be expanded upon, and sample Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals will be discussed.

Participants Will

  • Discuss when social-emotional goals are required
  • Increase skills to operationalize and measure social-emotional goals

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North (DCN) - Treating Trauma - Virtual

Virtual Via Zoom

November 1st, 2024 - 10:00 am

Presenters(s)

Intended Audience

  • School psychologists
  • Mental health professionals

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimates that more than two thirds of school aged children have experienced at least one traumatic event by age 16. This staggering statistic suggests that a significant number of students are likely struggling with mental health issues related to trauma. This training will teach therapeutic, evidence-based practice interventions for working with students who have experienced trauma. The trainer will break down the steps involved in a cognitive behavioral approach and will share resources and strategies for working with students in an academic setting.

Participants Will

  • Learn how to use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) interventions to support students who have experienced trauma
  • Learn how to utilize evidence-based treatment methods in the school setting
  • Learn how to adapt appropriate treatment interventions according to the type of trauma the student has experienced

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North - Assistive Technology Consideration - (Virtual)

Virtual Via Zoom

December 11th, 2024 - 1:30 pm

Assistive Technology Consideration (New!)Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Administrators
  • General education teachers
  • Special education teachers
  • Speech language pathologists

Assistive technology must be considered for all students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP). What does this mean for professionals supporting students in special education? What assistive technology should be considered? This training will describe the process of assistive technology consideration, examine commonly available assistive technology and explore how to effectively implement assistive technology.

Participants Will

  • Describe the process of assistive technology consideration
  • Recognize the role of IEP team members in considering assistive technology
  • Support implementation of assistive technology

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North - Strategies for Effective Consultation within the School Setting - Virtual

Virtual Via Zoom

December 12th, 2024 - 1:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Administrators
  • Board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs)
  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Other professionals providing consultation to teachers

The focus of this training will be on how to provide effective consultation to teachers within the school setting. It is often difficult to find ways to provide feedback, recommendations and supports for busy and stressed teachers. Honing your consultation skills is an art and can result in more collaborative and fruitful consultative relationships with the school staff that need support. Evidence-based interventions for consultation will be reviewed. There will be ample time for discussion and problem solving related to consultation barriers within the school setting.

Participants Will

  • Learn about evidence-based interventions for consultation
  • Explore simple, straightforward methods for providing consultation
  • Reflect on their consultative approach and discuss alternative approaches

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North: Strengthening Autism Assessments Through Behavioral Observations

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

December 17th, 2024 - 8:30 am

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Intermediate to advanced practitioners
  • School psychologists
  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) assessors

This training is intended for intermediate to advanced school-based practitioners who conduct autism assessments. The primary focus is to sharpen and expand assessors' ability to operationalize and collect observational data as part of a comprehensive assessment. This training will build capacity to identify and document obvious and subtle social and behavioral features of autism.

Participants Will

  • Understand the value of diagnostic criteria to determine autism educational eligibility
  • Anchor behavioral observations with key indicators of autism
  • Identify varying degrees of autism-related behaviors

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North: Executive Functioning Academy - Part 1: The Fundamentals

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

January 8th, 2025 - 9:00 am

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • General education teachers
  • Education specialists
  • Intern and early career school psychologists
  • School counselors
  • Administrators
  • Para-educators
  • Any specialists who would like to gain a fundamental understanding of the executive functioning domains and how they impact student performance

Executive Functioning (EF) refers to a set of processes that have to do with managing oneself and one's resources to achieve a goal. It is an umbrella term for neurologically based skills involving mental control and self-regulation. It is now commonly believed that executive functions are essential for purposeful, goal directed behaviors and actions, and there is substantial evidence that academic achievement and appropriate executive function skills are correlated.
In this beginning level training, educators will gain a fundamental understanding of executive functioning and its impact on student learning and development.

Participants Will

  • Gain a fundamental understanding of executive functioning skills and how EF skills develop
  • Learn about the executive functioning domains, and how they impact student learning and behavior
  • Develop foundational skills needed to plan effective executive functioning accommodations and interventions

 

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North: Executive Functioning Academy - Part 2: Assessment & Analysis

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

January 8th, 2025 - 1:00 pm

Executive Functioning Academy - Part 2: Assessment & Analysis

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • School Psychologists

Executive Functioning (EF) refers to a set of processes that have to do with managing oneself and one's resources to achieve a goal. It is an umbrella term for neurologically based skills involving mental control and self-regulation. It is now commonly believed that executive functions are essential for purposeful, goal directed behaviors and actions, and there is substantial evidence that academic achievement and appropriate executive function skills are correlated.
In this intermediate level training, educators will learn about the assessment and analysis of executive functioning skills.

It is recommended that participants have a fundamental understanding of EF to participate in this training. Participants are encouraged to take EF Academy Part 1 if they are early career practitioners, or if their understanding of executive functioning is at a beginner level.

Participants Will

  • Learn how to assess EF skills through formal and informal measures, rating scales, interviews, and observations
  • Develop an efficient EF testing battery
  • Learn about common EF profiles and assessment patterns
  • Discuss educational impact and decision making for Individual Education Plans (IEP) and 504 eligibilities

 

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North: How to Conduct Meaningful Assessments for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

SCOE: 5340 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

January 28th, 2025 - 8:30 am

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • School psychologists
  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Special education teachers

Comprehensive psycho-educational assessments are the cornerstone of any well-developed Individual Education Plans (IEP) and are essential for program planning. However, conducting assessments that are legally defensible and meaningful for students with significant needs can be especially challenging. Often, students with significant needs have difficulty participating in formal assessment measures and may even be deemed "untestable". This training will include strategies for how to gain relevant and meaningful information through a combination of formal and informal measures and the use of dynamic assessment.

Participants Will

  • Discuss the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and special education eligibility criteria for Intellectual Disability (ID)
  • Learn how to conduct legally defensible assessments for students with ID that yield useful, meaningful information for goal writing and program planning
  • Discuss formal and informal assessment measures to help providers develop a well-rounded assessment battery
  • Learn strategies for dynamic assessment
  • Learn how to explain ID and the implications to parents

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North: Dynamic Assessment: A guide for Speech-Language Pathologists

Virtual

February 12th, 2025 - 1:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Speech-Language Pathologists

Dynamic assessment, you have heard about it but want to learn how to implement it in your practice This training will provide participants with guidelines for how to conduct dynamic assessment.

Participants Will

  • Become familiar with the assessment framework of dynamic assessment.
  • Learn about guidelines and necessary components for designing and conducting dynamic assessment
  • Learn about tools that can be used to score your mediated learning experience
  • Learn how to integrate results into a written report

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North: When They Don't Show Up: Dealing with School Avoidance

Virtual

April 8th, 2025 - 1:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • School psychologists
  • Mental health professionals
  • Administrators
  • Teachers

There has been a steady increase in the number of students who are refusing to attend school. Chronic absenteeism and frequent tardies are significant problems that not only plague schools, but families as well. This training will help provide information on how to identify the reason(s) behind the student's school refusal (whether in person or while engaged in remote learning), and outline evidence-based practice interventions to help students return to class. Case examples will be offered to illustrate the various methods and intervention strategies. Attendees will have the opportunity to share their own case examples.

Participants Will

  • Learn how to identify reason(s) behind a student's school avoidance
  • Learn evidence-based strategies to help students return to class
  • Learn how to assemble an appropriate team to implement and monitor the transition plan

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Diagnostic Center North: Social Communication in School-Age Students- Part 1 of 2

Virtual

April 9th, 2025 - 12:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Administrators
  • Special education teachers
  • School psychologists

Sessions

  • IN014: In-Person (3 hours)
  • IN032: Virtual session 1 of 2 (1.5 hours)
  • IN033: Virtual session 2 of 2 (1.5 hours)

George is having a hard time making friends. In conversations, he sometimes interrupts or changes the topic abruptly. He doesn't pick up on nonverbal cues and often misinterprets his classmates' intentions or feelings. In the classroom, he struggles to follow rules. He always seems to be in trouble. His classmates sometimes tease him. As part of an interprofessional team we are often asked to evaluate and intervene with students who, like George, struggle with social communication. This training will address what social communication is, how we assess it and evidence-based strategies for intervening. The training will focus on students who are in late elementary through high school.

Participants Will

  • Define social communication and its disorders
  • Describe assessment strategies for students' social communication
  • Explain how to implement evidence-based interventions for students who struggle with social communication
  • Work as part of an interprofessional team to address social communication

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North: Social Communication in School-Age Students- Part 2 of 2

Virtual

April 23rd, 2025 - 12:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Administrators
  • Special education teachers
  • School psychologists

Sessions

  • IN014: In-Person (3 hours)
  • IN032: Virtual session 1 of 2 (1.5 hours)
  • IN033: Virtual session 2 of 2 (1.5 hours)

George is having a hard time making friends. In conversations, he sometimes interrupts or changes the topic abruptly. He doesn't pick up on nonverbal cues and often misinterprets his classmates' intentions or feelings. In the classroom, he struggles to follow rules. He always seems to be in trouble. His classmates sometimes tease him. As part of an interprofessional team we are often asked to evaluate and intervene with students who, like George, struggle with social communication. This training will address what social communication is, how we assess it and evidence-based strategies for intervening. The training will focus on students who are in late elementary through high school.

Participants Will

  • Define social communication and its disorders
  • Describe assessment strategies for students' social communication
  • Explain how to implement evidence-based interventions for students who struggle with social communication
  • Work as part of an interprofessional team to address social communication

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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Diagnostic Center North: Universal Design For Learning (UDL) - Part 2: Engagement, Representation, and Assessment Choice Boards

Virtual

April 30th, 2025 - 1:30 pm

Presenter(s)

Intended Audience

  • Special education teachers (transitional kindergarten - high school)
  • General education teachers (transitional kindergarten - high school)
  • Administrators

It is recommended that participants have a fundamental understanding of UDL to participate in this training. Participants are encouraged to take "Introduction to Universal Design For Learning (UDL)" prior to this training.

Universal design for learning (UDL) helps create inclusive and accessible learning environments for all students. By providing multiple means for action, expression and engagement, UDL allows for different learning styles and abilities to be accommodated. This leads to increased student engagement, motivation, and success in the classroom. This training takes a deep dive into understanding the three pillars of UDL (engagement, action & expression, and assessment). You will also learn how to create choice boards in each of those three pillars and have access to an extensive Padlet that contains ready to use resources for teachers to include on their choice boards.

Participants Will

  • Describe the three pillars of UDL (engagement, action- & expression, and assessment)
  • Explore a variety of choice boards and discover how important they are in the UDL framework
  • Engage in instruction on how to create choice boards in all three pillars (engagement, action & expression, and assessment)
  • Receive access to a UDL Padlet that is full of resources, templates, examples, videos, and suggested reading materials

A Certificate of Completion is available for virtual trainings, in-person trainings, Special Training Opportunities and Technical Assistance Projects. This may be used to document professional development hours or applied towards the credential requirements for Education Specialist Level II non-university activities.

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