Speak Agent is now offering an expanded catalog of professional learning courses that, for the first time, includes a self-paced digital component. These self-paced modules use Speak Agent digital lessons to teach Speak Agent through hands-on practice. This not only helps teachers gain firsthand experience using the platform, but it also lets them experience learning from a student's perspective. Furthermore, the new courses develop competencies in areas that are broader than Speak Agent itself — areas such as STEM Writing Strategies or Student Progress Monitoring.
Teacher Recognition
Speak Agent has launched a new certification badging system for recognizing teacher professional learning. Teachers earn badges by successfully completing each course.
- Gain recognition of your new skills.
- Add badges to your email signature.
- Earn CEUs and other benefits in participating school districts.
- Impress your boss by sharing an official certificate like this one:
- If needed, you can also share a verification link like this one:
PD Course Catalog for SY21-22:
#101: Academic Language Learning
This course introduces Speak Agent’s STEM+Language program and how it aligns with your curriculum and standards. You will learn about our proven effective academic language learning model, the key principles of multimodal instruction, and how to apply the latest WIDA ELD standards for content-language integration. You will also learn the basics of how to use Speak Agent, from rostering classes to assigning learning tasks. After a 60-minute webinar you will be invited to participate in a self-paced, hands-on workshop that explores how to integrate the program into your classroom instruction. The workshop uses fun & engaging activities to familiarize you with Speak Agent, so take a break, relax, and enjoy!
#102: Virtual Gallery Walk
This is a webconference session where educators share their experiences with Speak Agent STEM+Language by presenting a 3-minute "TED-Ed" talk to their colleagues. The goals are for teachers to learn from one another, to bring up challenges early on so they can be quickly addressed, and to ensure that teachers use Speak Agent with fidelity. Course #102 does not include a digital module. This badge may only be earned by attending a scheduled session and making a live presentation.
#201: Custom Lessons & Differentiation
This course takes a deeper look at the tools in Speak Agent that you can use for differentiating math & science instruction. It will explore how to find and use digital lessons relevant to individual student needs (including a track created especially for multilingual learners), when and where customizing lessons may be helpful, and how to implement customization with minimal effort. As with course #101, the webinar will be followed by a 30-minute self-paced, hands-on workshop that guides you through how to implement differentiated instruction in Speak Agent.
#202: Active Reading Strategies
In this course, teachers gain hands-on experience with eight interpretive language strategies for math & science reading and how to use them in Speak Agent. These include (1) vocabulary development, (2) multiple visual representations, (3) sentence frames, (4) manipulative sentence construction, (5) dialogic reading & Three-Read strategies, (6) audiovisual texts, (7) reading aids, and (8) leveled texts for accessibility. The course includes a 60-minute webinar plus 30-minute self-paced digital module.
#203: STEM Writing Strategies
In this course, teachers will learn about key research-based strategies for scaffolded math & science writing such as Accessible Vocabulary, Explaining Thinking, Immediate Feedback, Journaling, Marginal Notes, Sentence Stems, Writing Your Own Problem, and Writing Models. The course will also explore the process of using Speak Agent to respond to student writing submissions and how to give feedback. The course includes a 60-minute webinar plus 30-minute self-paced digital module.
#204: Student Progress Monitoring
This course delivers best practices for using Speak Agent reporting tools to track completion of assignments, monitor student growth, and review data for purposes of collaborative learning, grading, and intervention. It also explores the student portfolio feature set. The course includes a 60-minute webinar plus 30-minute self-paced digital module.
#205: School Data Monitoring
This course delivers best practices for using Speak Agent reporting tools to track student growth and usage within a school. It will help school leaders identify classrooms that are achieving high fidelity and which require help or encouragement to do so. The course includes a 60-minute webinar plus 30-minute self-paced digital module.
Calling all Speak Agents!
Earn five badges to become a Certified Super Agent and gain access to Speak Agent Mission Control, plus receive the exclusive and much sought-after Speak Agent Swag Bag.
Written by Ben Grimley
Ben is CEO and Co-Founder of Speak Agent, Inc.
