ED 305: Teaching Diverse Learners

This course addresses two primary goals: 1) to examine and develop the skills regarding instruction, assessment, and adaptations necessary to teach diverse learners. 2) to learn what important issues are most relevant to instruction of diverse learners and how best to acquire proficiency in those areas. To this end, the course focuses on topics such as recent law and policy changes, cultural issues relevant to immigration, the process of acquiring a second language and the impact of that process on students' academic and social well-being, definitions of second-language acquisition, language difference and disability, and accommodations and modifications for students with special education needs or those in the process of second-language acquisition. Additionally, the course will explore strategies to improve achievement of diverse learners in specific content areas.