ECE Professional Learning
Early Childhood Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS® )
The Arizona Department of Education is partnering with Lexia Learning to provide free LETRS® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) training for Early Childhood Preschool Educators and community partners across Arizona.
LETRS® for Early Childhood Educators professional learning provides deep knowledge of literacy instruction for the youngest learners.
Lexia LETRS for Early Childhood Educators provides deep knowledge and clarity of effective skills necessary to prepare the youngest learners for success in kindergarten and beyond by providing the “why” and “how” of early literacy instruction across all domains: language, literacy, cognitive, motor, social, and emotional. Dr. Louisa Moats and Dr. Lucy Hart Paulson designed this ongoing professional learning course for early childhood educators because research shows the foundation of literacy begins at a young age. This will support Arizona’s literacy initiative to build a generation of lifelong readers. To learn more about EC LETRS professional learning please visit https://www.lexialearning.com/arizona-letrs and our Padlet for frequently asked questions.
If you and/or your district/site is interested in receiving this training, please fill out the form and someone will be in contact with you (please give a few weeks as the volume of requests is high).
This training is designed for Preschool Educators and does not meet the requirements for the K-5 Literacy Endorsement.
ADE and Lexia Learning will be hosting an informational webinar on Tuesday, September 19th at 3:00. Please click here to join.
Coming Soon: Early Childhood LETRS office hours
Comprehensive Literacy State Development-Supplement (CLSD-Supplemental) grant
The Arizona Comprehensive Literacy State Development-Supplement (CLSD-Supplemental) grant is now open and closes on 9/15/2023.
CLSD-Supplemental competitive grant opportunities include literacy-based curriculum and high-quality resources that meets Tier 1 or Tier 2 ESSA requirements, Dyslexia Designee Training, K-5 Literacy Endorsement Professional Development and High Impact Interventions.
Links to upcoming Q&A sessions are available on the CLSD-Supplemental Flyer. Before attending a Q&A Session please watch the recorded webinar.
The Arizona Department of Education Early Childhood Education (ECE) team offers a comprehensive list of synchronous (live) and asynchronous (on-demand) professional learning opportunities. All ADE-ECE professional learning opportunities meet requirements for continuing education units (CEUs).
New Live Webinars have been added!
ADE ECE is now offering LIVE Webinar sessions on specific Early Childhood topics. These will be open to the entire ECE field and will be offered regularly. No registration is needed for these sessions unless otherwise noted below. Please add to your calendar as a reminder and join below!
Date | Time | Webinar Topic | Link to Join |
9/6/23 | 9:00-10:30AM | Early Childhood Quality Improvement Process (ECQUIP) Informational Webinar | Select to Join |
9/8/23 | 12:00-12:45PM | Pyramid Model Informational Meeting for *For those interested in becoming Pyramid Model Trainers Registration is REQUIRED | |
9/15/23 | 8:30-9:15AM | Pyramid Model Informational Meeting for *For those interested in becoming Pyramid Model Implementation Sites Registration is REQUIRED | |
9/19/23 | 3:00-4:00PM | Early Childhood LETRS Informational Webinar | Select to Join |
FY23 Live Training Schedule
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 2:00PM-4:00PM
Participants will be able to explain the importance of using data to inform instruction, describe the keys to effective early childhood assessment, identify the different ways to collect and implement informal data in their daily instruction, demonstrate and understand the standards and how to document data.
Tuesday, September 12, 2023 4:00PM-6:00PM
State standards are sometimes written as complex statements that can be interpreted in different ways. Thus, it is important that teachers have a common understanding about the goals and targets of each standard. Participants will be able to: Explain and identify what the students should know and be able to do, identify key concepts and skills of the standard, identify the learning intention and how students will know they are successful.
Saturday, September 30, 2023 9:00AM-11:00AM
This course looks at the Literacy Knowledge strand of Scarborough's Rope. Participants will learn how it aligns to the Emergent Literacy concepts in AZELS. Learners will leave the course with activities and engagement strategies to immediately implement in their learning environment.
Wednesday, October 4, 2023 2:00PM-4:00PM
This course looks at oral language development of children from birth through five years old. Participants will dive into the ITDG and AZELS and see the correlation between brain research and how children develop. The course will provide participants with strategies for enhancing children's communication skills, interactions, and literacy rich experiences from infancy to kindergarten entry.
Tuesday, October 10, 2023 4:00PM-6:00PM
Participants will be able to explain the importance of using data to inform instruction, describe the keys to effective early childhood assessment, identify the different ways to collect and implement informal data in their daily instruction, demonstrate and understand the standards and how to document data.
Friday, October 20, 2023 9:00AM-11:00AM
This course looks at the Literacy Knowledge strand of Scarborough's Rope. Participants will learn how it aligns to the Emergent Literacy concepts in AZELS. Learners will leave the course with activities and engagement strategies to immediately implement in their learning environment.
Saturday, October 28, 2023 9:00AM-11:00AM
State standards are sometimes written as complex statements that can be interpreted in different ways. Thus, it is important that teachers have a common understanding about the goals and targets of each standard. Participants will be able to: Explain and identify what the students should know and be able to do, identify key concepts and skills of the standard, identify the learning intention and how students will know they are successful.
Recorded Webinars
Webinar TOPIC | PRESENTED BY | SESSION MATERIALS | link to RECORDING |
---|---|---|---|
PDG B-5 Subgrantee Guidance Manual Overview/Q&A (English) | ECE Team Arizona Department of Education | PDG Sub-Grantee Manual Q&A Slide Deck (English) | View Recording |
Manual del subconcesionarios de PDG B-5 (Español) | ECE Team Arizona Department of Education | Manual del subconcesionarios de PDG B-5 (Español) | View Recording |
Introduction to Adult Resilience | ECE Team Arizona Department of Education | Intro to Adult Resilience | View Recording |
Empower Program / Go NAPSACC | Bonnie Williams Dept of Health Services | View Recording | |
Quality First Overview | Quality First Team First Things First | View Recording | |
Observation and Assessment | ECE Team Arizona Department of Education | View Recording |
Introductory Online Courses (30 min)
Intro to Infant Toddler Developmental Guidelines (ITDG) (30-min)
This course provides an introduction to the five domains of the Infant and Toddler Developmental Guidelines (ITDG) and how to use the guidelines to provide responsive caregiving and quality learning experiences for all children birth to 3 years of age in early care and education settings.
Intro to Arizona Early Learning Standards (AZELS) (30-min)
This course provides an introduction to the eight standards within the Arizona Early Learning Standards (AZELS) and how to use the standards to provide an instructional foundation for all children 3-5 years old in early care and education settings.
Intro to Program Guidelines for High Quality Early Education (30 min)
The course provides an introduction to the Program Guidelines for High Quality Early Education: Birth through Kindergarten and will help participants develop a working knowledge of the guidelines to support their program be better prepared to help young children succeed.
CURSOS INTRODUCTORIOS EN LÍNEA (30 MIN)
Introducción a las Directrices para el Desarrollo del Bebé y del Infante (ITDG) (30 min)
Este curso proporciona una introducción a las Pautas de desarrollo para bebés y niños pequeños (ITDG) y cómo usar las pautas para proporcionar cuidado receptivo y experiencias de aprendizaje de calidad para todos los niños desde el nacimiento hasta los 3 años de edad en entornos de atención y educación temprana.
Introducción a los Estándares de Aprendizaje Temprano de Arizona (AZELS) (30 min)
Este curso proporciona una introducción a los ocho estándares dentro de los Estándares de Aprendizaje Temprano de Arizona (AZELS) y cómo usar los estándares para proporcionar una base de instrucción para todos los niños de 3 a 5 años de edad.
1-hour Online Courses
ITDG Social Emotional Development (1-hr)
This course focuses on the SE Domain of the Infant Toddler Developmental Guidelines (ITDG) including early brain research in relation to positive development and how to create rich learning environments for infants and toddlers.
ITDG Approaches to Learning (1-hr)
This course focuses on the Approaches to Learning Domain of the Infant Toddler Developmental Guidelines (ITDG) including an introduction to early brain research in relation to approaches to learning and how to foster initiative, creativity, and problem solving skills in infants and toddlers.
ITDG Language Development & Communication (1-hr)
This course focuses on the Language Development & Communication Domain of the Infant Toddler Developmental Guidelines (ITDG) including an introduction to early brain research and how to build the language and communication skills of listening, speaking, and emergent literacy in infants and toddlers.
ITDG Cognitive Development (1-hr)
This course focuses on the Cognitive Development Domain of the Infant Toddler Developmental Guidelines (ITDG) including a connection to early brain research and how to foster exploration, build memory skills, and support reasoning and problem-solving through imitation and symbolic play.
AZELS Social Emotional Development (1-hr)
This course provides an overview of the Social & Emotional Development Standard from the Arizona Early Learning Standards (AZELS) and an introduction to the Pyramid Model to provide behavior supports, along with strategies to foster positive development in children age 3-5.
AZELS Approaches to Learning (1-hr)
This course provides an overview of the Approaches to Learning Standard from the Arizona Early Learning Standards (AZELS) including supports to foster curiosity, confidence, creativity, and problem solving skills in children age 3-5.
AZELS Language & Literacy (1-hr)
This course provides an overview of the Language & Literacy Standard from the Arizona Early Learning Standards (AZELS) including supports to build language, emergent literacy, and emergent writing skills in preschool age children.
AZELS Mathematics (1-hr)
This course provides an overview of the Mathematics Standard from the Arizona Early Learning Standards (AZELS) including supports to foster counting, operations, measuring, and geometry skills in preschool age children.
AZELS Science (1-hr)
This course provides an overview of the Science Standard from the Arizona Early Learning Standards (AZELS) including supports to foster scientific inquiry and application skills in preschool age children.
AZELS Physical Development Health & Safety (1-hr)
This course provides an overview of the Physical Development, Health & Safety Standard from the Arizona Early Learning Standards (AZELS) including supports to promote healthy physical development, appropriate hygiene practices, and safety measures in the environment and the classroom for preschool age children.
PGHQ: Family Engagement & Support (1-hr)
This course provides an overview of Program Guideline 5: Family Engagement & Support from the Program Guidelines for High Quality Early Education: Birth through Kindergarten including specific ways to more fully and effectively engage with families involved in your program.
AZ School Readiness Framework (1-hr)
This course provides an overview of the Arizona School Readiness Framework and its key components such as research-based curriculum and assessment, high-quality kindergarten transitions, and the importance of family engagement.
Ongoing Progress Monitoring (1-hr)
This course is designed to show the importance of ongoing progress monitoring within the early childhood education system. The four stages of the assessment cycle are outlined to include high-quality practices that support children’s outcomes, family engagement, and programmatic decision making.
2-hour Online Courses
ITDG Language Development & Communication (2-hr)
This course takes a closer look at the Language Development & Communication Domain of the Infant Toddler Developmental Guidelines (ITDG) including the connection of early brain research to language and communication development and provides effective strategies for supporting listening, speaking, and literacy-rich experiences for infants and toddlers.
AZELS Social Emotional Development (2-hr)
This course provides a closer look at the Social Emotional Standard from the Arizona Early Learning Standards (AZELS) including the tiers of the Pyramid Model to provide behavior supports, and instructional strategies for fostering positive development in children age 3-5.
AZELS Approaches to Learning (2-hr)
This course provides a closer look at the Approaches to Learning Standard from the Arizona Early Learning Standards (AZELS) including supports to implement the strands within the Standard as well as strategies to support executive function skills and cognitive flexibility in children age 3-5.
AZELS Language & Literacy (2-hr)
This course provides a closer look at the Language & Literacy Standard from the Arizona Early Learning Standards (AZELS) including supports to build language, emergent literacy, and emergent writing skills and how to design a literacy-rich environment for preschool age children.
AZELS Mathematics (2-hr)
This course takes a closer look at the Mathematics Standard from the Arizona Early Learning Standards (AZELS) including supports to foster counting, operations, measuring, and geometry skills along effective strategies for implementing math skills in all standards of early learning for preschool age children.
AZELS Science (2-hr)
This course takes a closer look at the Science Standard from the Arizona Early Learning Standards (AZELS) including supports to foster scientific inquiry and application skills, as well as strategies for designing a science-rich environment for preschool age children.
The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Early Childhood Education (ECE) team offers a comprehensive list of professional learning opportunities. To best meet the needs of the field, the professional learning courses range from 30 minutes to 4 hours and are available in both synchronous (live) and asynchronous (on-demand) sessions.
ADE ECE Comprehensive Professional Learning Opportunities
You will need to log into your ADEConnect account or create a new account. Please use the same email address to sign up for ALL registered events. This will help you keep track of all training certificates in one place.
To register for an ADE-ECE course, visit the ECE Professional Learning webpage. Click on the course name/title to go to the registration link for the ADE Professional Learning and Development (APLD) system. Select the green "Register" button.
Select Proceed to Checkout in the top right corner and complete the checkout process.
The ADE Professional Learning and Development (APLD) is the platform utilized for all Arizona Department of Education (ADE) professional learning opportunities. These opportunities include in-person trainings, virtual trainings, webinars, online courses, and conferences. Anyone wishing to participate in ADE professional learning opportunities must register for an ADEConnect account that will be associated with their registered events in APLD.
Log into your APLD account via ADE Connect. Once you are logged in, select Dashboard from the menu on the left of the screen to view your Active Courses section.
Select the Course Title in your list of Active Courses on your Dashboard. This will take you directly to the meeting in Zoom or Teams.
Live training (synchronous) sessions are presented by ADE Early Childhood Education (ECE) staff and are scheduled for specific dates/times. Participation in the entire live training session is required for full credit.
Currently, all live training sessions are offered in a virtual platform. Participants are strongly encouraged to join training sessions via computer/laptop and to download Microsoft Teams or Zoom depending on the training delivery method. This allows participants to have access to the chat, video presentations, and training activities. Joining training sessions via cell phone is NOT recommended as it significantly limits access and participation.
The Live Training schedule (including training topics, dates, and times) is carefully planned based on annual survey data from the field and ECE staff capacity. Trainings are scheduled months in advance to allow sufficient time for registration and planning.
Participants are required to attend an entire live training session and are expected to participate during the session to get full credit. At the end of a live training session, participants are asked to complete a short survey. This survey functions as attendance validation and provides valuable feedback regarding the trainings. The training facilitator will use the survey attendance to mark participants completed in APLD. Please allow approximately three business days to be marked completed. After being marked completed for the course, you will receive a confirmation email from ADE.
Log into your APLD account via ADE Connect. Look for the course in the Completed Courses section on the right side of the page. Select the course name and a pop up will appear to download your certificate.
It is highly recommended that you download and save ALL certificates for your personal records.
Do not worry if a live training session you attended is showing as not completed. Please allow approximately 3 business days after attending a live training session for the facilitators to mark your course "Completed." If your session is still not showing as Completed after 3 days please contact the ECE Inbox or your training facilitator(s). You can find contact information on the ECE Team webpage.
Online courses are available on-demand (asynchronously) and can be completed at any time. Registration is completed in the same manner as live sessions.
Log into your APLD account via ADE Connect. Select the Online Course in your list of Active Courses on your Dashboard. This will take you directly to BlackBoard Ultra and all content for the Online Course
After launching the online course URL, if you receive an error message or do not have access to Blackboard, please email the Course Contact (found in the registration email) and include the following information:
- Online Course Title (Ex: Intro to ITDG, AZELS Social Emotional 2-hr, etc.)
- Request to "Synchronize Participants" to Blackboard
Occasionally when automatic updates occur, the APLD and Blackboard systems need to be manually "synchronized" for certain courses. Please provide accurate information in the email and allow for a short processing time for this synchronization to occur.
After watching the Online Course presentation video and studying course materials, you will need to complete a short course assessment with a passing score of 80% or above. You will have three attempts to successfully pass the assessment. Please open and utilize the course materials (i.e. AZELS, ITDG, Program Guidelines) during the assessment. After successfully passing the assessment, a completion confirmation email will be sent from ADE within approximately 24 hours.
Log into your APLD account via ADE Connect. Look for the course in the Completed Courses section on the right side of the page. Select the course name and a pop up will appear to download your certificate.
It is highly recommended that you download and save ALL certificates for your personal records.
This process is currently under development. This section will be updated when the systems are linked to automatically provide credit from APLD to the Registry.
While the Registry is an ideal place to help users manage their career profile with the goal of keeping a record of trainings and credentials all in one place, it is highly recommended that you download and save all certificates in your own personal files to access later if necessary.
If you have multiple ADEConnect accounts (more than one email address), please call our ADE Help Desk at 602-542-2222 to transfer and/or merge your ADE Connect account(s).
Information from ADE Educator Certification:
- Requirements for Early Childhood Education Certificate, Birth-Grade 3 or Age 8
- Requirements for Early Childhood Special Education, Birth-Grade 3 or Age 8
- ADE Certificates & Requirements
ADE Career & Technical Education (CTE)