Supporting Special Populations

3 units

This course will focus primarily on the skills teachers need to effectively serve students with disabilities and English Language Learners. The course will first focus on developing the foundational knowledge, skills, and strategies for teaching students with special needs. Candidates will explore special education history and laws, theoretical concepts, and instructional practices that facilitate the integration and support of students with special needs in the general education classroom. This course focuses on the inclusion of students with high-incidence disabilities, with the understanding that an inclusive framework can be applied to support students with other disabilities and a variety of learning needs. In this course, students will also be introduced to the historical, political, and legal foundations of educational programs for English learners. The course will provide an overview of theories of second language learning and research on the effectiveness of various means of promoting academic achievement in linguistically diverse contexts. Students will also be equipped with a repertoire of methods to facilitate and measure students' growth in English language and literacy, and to create learning environments that promote content area learning through the use of integrated ELD.