Overview of Module Topics
1. Learning Theory – In this set of four modules teachers are introduced to the
relationship between learning theory and teaching practice exploring the
developmental pathways that teachers need to understand in order to
support the development and learning of students.
TQ Standard: III
Contact Hours: 25.0 hours
Modules
 How People Learn
 Fostering a Growth Mindset in Self and Others
 Development and Learning
 Cognitive Processing
2. Understanding Culture in the Classroom – In this set of three modules
teachers are guided through a personal discovery of identity development
models, elements of culture, personal biases, and communication style
uncovering aspects of their identity and communication patterns and the
implications for the classroom.
TQ Standard: II
Contact Hours: 25.0 hours
Modules
 Complexity of Identity
 Elements of Culture
 The Evolving Language of Diversity
3. Instructional Design: Universal Design for Learning – In this set of three
modules teachers are introduced to UDL (Universal Design for Learning) and
given tools to help them effectively plan curriculum and instruction to meet
the needs of all learners. UDL provides teachers with explicit tools and
strategies they can use to differentiate instruction.
TQ Standard: III
Contact Hours: 30.0 hours
Modules
 Introduction to Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
 Applying UDL to Lesson Development
 Differentiated Instruction and UDL: Meeting the needs of ALL
students
4. Instructional Design: Designing Instruction Linked to Colorado
Academic Standards – In this set of two modules teachers are guided
through the backwards design process of creating curriculum units and
learning and assessment plans linked to the CO Academic Standards and
Common Core State Standards. Teachers will gain a deep understanding of
the CO Academic Standards for their grade level and content area.
TQ Standard: III
Contact Hours: 20.0 hours
Modules
 Design Curriculum Linked to Colorado Academic Standards (PED026)
 Moving from Unit Overview to Learning Plan (PED027)
5. Instructional Design: Understanding by Design - In this set of three
modules teachers are introduced to UbD (Understanding by Design)
curriculum planning framework and provided step-action tables and tools to
help them design curricular units based on the key components of UbD. The
key components include: (1) identifying desired results; (2) determining
acceptable evidence; and (3) developing a learning plan.
TQ Standard: III
Contact Hours: 30.0 hours
Modules
 Understanding by Design: Stage One – Desired Results
 Understanding by Design: Stage Two – Assessment Evidence
 Understanding by Design: Stage Three – Learning Plan
6. Assessment for Learning: Formative Assessment – In this set of five
modules teachers are introduced to the attributes of assessment for learning
(formative assessment) including support on how to develop learning goals
and success criteria, plan for and put into practice formative assessment
practices, provide quality descriptive feedback to students on their
performance, and incorporate self- and peer-assessment into the learning
process.
TQ Standard: III
Contact Hours: 30.0 hours
Modules
 Assessment for Learning Foundations
 Learning Intentions and Success Criteria
 Interpret and Use Evidence
 Descriptive Feedback
 Self and Peer Assessment
7. Becoming a Culturally Responsive Classroom Manager – In this set of
four modules teachers are introduced to the attributes of a culturally
responsive classroom manager and provided a vast set of tools they can use
to help them shift their current practices or address specific needs they have
related to classroom management. The goal for this set of modules is for
teachers to develop a proactive classroom management vision and plan that
reduces behavioral challenges in the classroom.
TQ Standard: II
Contact Hours: 25.0 hours
Modules
 Attributes of Culturally Responsive Classroom Managers
 Co-Constructing the Learning Community
 Proactive Classroom Management
 Choice Theory: Creating a Need’s Satisfying Classroom Environment
8. Relationship-Driven Classroom Management Strategies – In this set of
five modules teachers are introduced to classroom management strategies
designed to improve teacher-student and student-student relationships in
the classroom. Teachers will learn strategies to help them preserve and
enhance the teacher-student relationship. Teachers will learn some explicit
reactive strategies to help them more effectively manage behavioral
challenges.
TQ Standard: II
Contact Hours: 30.0 hours
Modules
 Establishing a Positive Classroom Climate
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Enhancing Student Motivation
Enhancing Student Responsibility
Building Relationship with Difficult and Resistant Students
Creating and Implementing Effective Consequences
9. Pedagogy for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students – In this set
of six modules teachers are introduced to a system of principles and methods
that supports and facilitates effective teaching for culturally and linguistically
diverse students. The Center for Research on Education, Diversity &
Excellence (CREDE) has defined five standards for effective teaching. This set
of modules prepares teachers to organize their classrooms as communities of
learners, design innovative instructional activities, develop students’
competence in language and literacy, encourage student interaction, provide
positive classroom management, use a variety of grouping formations, and
use dialogue to teach directly to learning goals.
TQ Standard: III
Contact Hours: 30.0 hours
Modules
 Introduction to CREDE’s Five Standards of Effective Pedagogy
 CREDE, Standard I: Teachers and Students Producing Together
 CREDE, Standard II: Language and Literacy Development
 CREDE, Standard III: Connecting Learning to Students’ Lives
 CREDE, Standard IV: Challenging Activities
 CREDE, Standard V: Instructional Conversations
10. Elementary Literacy – In this set of modules elementary and special
education teachers are introduced to the essential components of reading
instruction, writing instruction, and assessment strategies. The textbook
required for this set of modules also serves as a comprehensive reference on
reading instruction that is organized according to the elements of explicit
instruction and includes both a research-informed knowledge base and
practical sample lesson models.
TQ Standard: I
Contact Hours: 25.0 hours
Module – Set 1
 Reading Acquisition: The Reading Brain
 Five Components of Literacy
 Stages of Reading Development
 Guided Reading
TQ Standard: I
Contact Hours: 25.0 hours
Module – Set 2
 Teaching Reading Comprehension
 Introduction to Vocabulary Development
 Teaching Writing
 Teaching Spelling
11. Secondary Content Literacy – In this set of modules secondary teachers are
introduced to content area literacy strategies to help students comprehend
subject area texts, and develop students’ reading, writing and thinking skills.
The core strategies include: anticipatory activities, management of text
reading in class, close reading, questioning strategies, vocabulary instruction,
writing to learn and writing to demonstrate understanding.
TQ Standard: I
Contact Hours: 25.0 hours
Modules – Set 1
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Reading Acquisition: The Reading Brain
Integrating Literacy into Secondary Content Areas
Anticipatory and Prereading Activities to Engage Learners in Content
Area Classrooms
Reading Comprehension Strategies (Part I): Classroom Management
of Text Reading
TQ Standard: I
Contact Hours: 25.0 hours
Module – Set 2
 Vocabulary Development Across the Curriculum
 Reading Comprehension Strategies (Part II): Teaching Complex Texts
 Writing to Demonstrate Understanding
 Writing to Learn
12. Elementary Mathematics – In this set of five modules elementary teachers
are introduced to the five process standards put forth by the National Council
of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). These modules support teachers in their
ability to foster the development of the following mathematical skills:
problem solving, reasoning and proof, mathematical communication,
connections among mathematical ideas, and creation and use of
mathematical representations.
TQ Standard: I
Contact Hours: 25.0 hours
Modules
 Communicating Mathematical Thinking
 Mathematical Problem Solving
 Reasoning and Proof in Mathematics
 Using Connections among Mathematical Ideas
 Using Mathematical Representations
13. English Language Acquisition (Part I) – This five-module set helps
teachers understand the basics of English language acquisition, including the
underlying interplay of language and culture in today’s classrooms. This
module set helps teachers understand what it is like to live in more than one
language and culture and provide specific literacy development strategies to
make the classroom conducive to learning in a second language. This module
partially satisfies the Denver Public Schools ELA-T requirements.
TQ Standard: I & III
Contact Hours: 25 hours
Modules
1. Linguistically Responsive Classrooms
2. Academic Language: What teachers need to know (Part I)
3. Academic Language: What teachers need to know (Part II)
4. Sheltering Instruction for English Learners (Part I)
5. Sheltering Instruction for English Learners (Part II)
14. English Language Acquisition (Part II) – This five-module set extends
teachers understanding of English language acquisition and provides
additional instructional supports, assisting teachers in differentiating their
instruction for English learners.
TQ Standard: I & III
Contact Hours: 25 hours
Modules
1. English Language Development (Part I)
2. English Language Development (Part II)
3. English Language Development and Universal Design for Learning
4. L2 Literacy Across the Curriculum
5. High Challenge/High Support
15. Response To Intervention (RTI) – In this set of four modules teachers are
introduced to the essential elements of RTI. These include data-based
decision making, progress monitoring, and tiered instruction. The teachers
will also explore the special identification process and its relationship to
Response to Intervention. No textbook required.
TQ Standard: III
Contact Hours: 25.0 hours
Modules
 RtI (Part 1): Overview of Response to Intervention
 RtI (Part 2): Multi-Tiered Instruction & Intervention
 RtI (Part 3): Essential Components
 RtI (Part 4): Relevance of RtI to Special Education
16. Special Education: Identification – In this set of five modules teachers are
introduced to Colorado specific approaches to determining if a student has a
disability and qualifying a student with a disability. These modules utilize
hypothetical student scenarios and real paperwork to help teachers
understand the steps necessary to getting a student an Individualized
Education Plan.
TQ Standard: III
Contact Hours: 25.0 hours
Modules
 Overview of Specific Learning Disabilities
 Qualifying Students with a Specific learning Disability
 Identifying Written Expression Disabilities
 Identifying Reading Disabilities
 Early Identification and Intervention for Students with Mathematics
Disabilities
17. Special Education: Individual Education Plans – In this set of four
modules teachers are introduced to specific 21st century language used in
Special Education, the history of Special Education, and also how to run a
quality IEP meeting and build an airtight IEP using Colorado-specific
standards.
TQ Standard: III
Contact Hours: 25.0 hours
Modules
 Language of Special Education: Guide to the World of Acronyms
 History of Special Education & Reform
 Overview of the IEP Process and Roles
 Conducting a SMART IEP Meeting
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Least Restrictive Environment & Full Continuum of Services
18. Special Education: Accommodations – This three-module set helps
teachers, both special educators and general educators, prepare a classroom
that caters to all learners, specifically those with Specific Learning
Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder. These modules also dive into
specific accommodation and modifications to build an inclusive environment
for all learners. TQ Standard: III
Contact Hours: 20.0 hours
Modules
 Accommodation Strategies for Specific Learning Disabilities
 Understanding Reading Disabilities
 Autism in the General Education Classroom
19. Special Education: Collaboration - This two module set is designed to help
special education teachers build a comprehensive understanding of what it
means to be a member of a highly functioning collaborative team and to take
a critical look at many of the teams that they sit on, from individual student
IEP teams to grade-level teams. This module set also delves into the different
types of co-teaching models and how to set up a strong co-taught
environment.
TQ Standard: III
Contact Hours: 10.0 hours
Modules
 Principles of Collaboration in Every Setting
 Collaborative Teaching Models
20. Special Education: Behavior – This three-module set looks at chronic
‘misbehavior’ and helps teachers come up with informal systems and
supports to minimize and change behavior. This module set also looks at the
formal process of handling disciplinary actions for students on IEPs, and
addresses how to build both Functional Behavioral Assessments and
Behavior Intervention Plans in the state of Colorado.
TQ Standard: III
Contact Hours: 20.0 hours
Modules
1. Effective Behavior Interventions & Supports
2. Building Behavior Plans
3. Manifest Determination
21. Special Education: Assistive Technology – In this two-module set we look
at Assistive Technology as a means to include learners with exceptionalities.
Assistive technology is any device that can help a student with an
exceptionality access the curriculum. In this module set we will learn about
some of the more popular forms of assistive technology as well as how you
determine if a student would benefit from a piece of assistive technology. We
also look at how to include students with severe needs by using Assistive
Technology.
TQ Standard: III
Contact Hours: 10.0 hours
Modules
1. Assistive Technology Basics
2. Assistive Technology for Including Students with Severe Needs