Course Objective #1

Conceptualize culturally responsive practice and describe its important for teaching ELs / MLLs at the elementary level.

Course Objective #2

Demonstrate knowledge about the cultural and linguistic diversity of their own communities and school districts.

Course Objective #3

Identify effective practices for communicating with culturally and linguistically diverse students and their families.

Course Logistics

Dates Fall 2026: Wednesday, October 21 to Tuesday, November 17, 2026 Spring 2027: Wednesday, March 10 to Tuesday, April 6, 2027 Grade Levels Supported: Elementary educators & administrators (K-5) Course Format: Online, asynchronous Professional Development Points (PDPs): 22.5 PDPs  Graduate Credit: 1 optional graduate credit available ($180) with credit accreditation through Southern New Hampshire University Fee: $750 (contact us at [email protected] to enroll in the course using a Purchase Order)

Massachusetts Standards & Professional Alignment

This course aligns with Massachusetts RETELL (Rethinking Equity and Teaching for English Learners) professional development requirements for supporting multilingual learners and culturally and linguistically diverse students. 

Course Overview

5 Chapters · 36 Lessons

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Course Overview

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      Image Credits

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      Engaging Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Students & Families in Elementary Schools Course Syllabus

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      Project Guidelines: "Learning the Culture of your Students" Culminating Project

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      Course Guidelines

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      Discussion Forum Guidelines

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      Graduate Credit Assignment & Registration Information

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      Graduate Project and Diversity Initiative Examples

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      Resource Sharing Forum

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      Session One Readings & Activities

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      Reading/Video Interviews: Establishing Concepts & Definitions of Culturally Responsive Teaching

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      Webinar: Culturally Responsive Practice for Multilingual Elementary Learners

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      Teaching Practice Journal #1: Considering the Elements of Culturally Responsive Teaching in Your Own Work

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      Activity: Demographic Changes in Schools and Communities

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      Discussion Forum: Session One

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      Session Two Readings & Activities

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      Reading/Film: Children of Immigration: Understanding Their Experience

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      Refugee and Immigrant Children: Challenges, Barriers, Resilience

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      Reading: Rethinking Engagement with Immigrant Families

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      Activity: Case Studies in Family Engagement

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      Discussion Forum: Session Two

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      Session Three Readings & Activities

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      Readings: Communicating (and Miscommunicating) Cross-Culturally: What Teachers Should Know

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      Activity: Cultivating Students' Cross-Cultural Understanding

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      Cross-Cultural Connections with Parents

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      Teaching Practice Journal #2

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      Activity: The Policy Context for EL Education

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      Discussion Forum: Session Three

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      Session Four Readings & Activities

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      Reading/Viewing: Culture and Schooling, Multiple Dimensions and Perspectives

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      Activity: Researching the Cultural Context of Your Students

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      Ethnic / Cultural Group Resource Page

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      Discussion Forum: Session Four (Project Abstract)

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      Post-Course Survey

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      Final Project Submission

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Graduate Credit Project Submission

What our Educators are Saying

Join hundreds of educators across Greater Boston (and beyond!) who trust Primary Source for engaging, high quality professional development.

”
I have brought in so many resources, projects, and knowledge to the classroom because of these classes. My students have a richer, more intentional outlook on what we study.
 

 

The access to these courses is such an asset. Within my department, I have taught several different curricula, and Primary Source has been such a resource for me to help me feel more comfortable with historical context for texts that are new to me. 
 

 

Primary Source programs have introduced me to a variety of perspectives along with concrete strategies of how to incorporate them into my classroom. I leave every session with a lesson that I can immediately implement. 
 

 

About Primary Source

Primary Source educates global citizens by working with teachers to foster students’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions for thoughtful and engaged citizenship. With our guidance and resources, teachers cultivate students’ civic-mindedness, cultural awareness, and global competence, preparing them for our increasingly diverse and interconnected world. We collaborate with teachers, schools, and educational organizations to offer professional development programs and resources that help make global, civics, and cultural education an integral part of every student’s classroom experience. Our engaging face-to-face and online programs, curriculum resources, and international study tours enhance global understanding, civic engagement, and cultural understanding, and help thousands of teachers every year bring the wider world to their students. To learn more, visit our homepage at primarysource.org!