Curriculum and Instructional Design
PREL collaborates with state education agencies (SEAs), schools, and teachers to further the implementation of effective standards-based teaching and learning. We provide technical assistance to SEAs and schools and practical support for teachers as they tackle the challenges of planning and implementing lessons, units, and assessments that enhance student learning and progress toward attaining both standards and achievement goals.
Workshops
Addressing Equity Issues Using a Standards-Based Curriculum
Audience: Teachers, Administrators
Learn the process and framework for developing standards-based curriculum units based on proven practices and create your own. Review standards and benchmarks, and learn the steps for developing standards-based curriculum units by examining a sample unit and then generating your own units to use in the classroom. The sample unit, Cultural Heritage, focuses on perseverance of cultural identity during time of change.
Creating a Constructivist Learning Environment
Audience: Teachers, Technology Specialists, Curriculum Specialists
Constructivist learning remains a powerful tool for building knowledge and reaching high levels of attainment. These educational environments include project-based learning, problem-based learning, engaged learning, and other types of effective learning opportunities. Learn about the major constructivist theories and approaches. In addition, this workshop will allow you to engage in practical hands-on activities that demonstrate how to incorporate elements of constructivist learning into classroom lessons.
Developing Instructional Units Which Build Understanding and Integrate Content
Audience: Teachers, Curriculum Specialists
Integrating content area curriculum into lessons assists teachers in ensuring that all standards and benchmarks are being addressed. Learn how to integrate various content areas into your teaching using a framework. A variety of resources are used, including the PREL-developed Weaving Standards Into Learning.
Improving Achievement: Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP)
Audience: Teachers, School Administrators
SIOP provides a proven model for teachers to addresses the learning needs of ELL, SPED, and other struggling students through implementing proven research-based strategies. For teachers, professional development will include using the SIOP model to address language and content learning for at-risk students across subject areas. Additional sessions can be provided for school administrators to build their capacity as instructional leaders and coaches to more effectively support classroom teachers in implementing the SIOP approach.
As a result of the training provided: (a) teachers will be better prepared to meet the needs of all students in their classrooms, thus ensuring students gain content knowledge while developing their language abilities; (b) students will be able to comprehend content area subject matter and meet age-appropriate English language goals (reading, writing, speaking, thinking) to attain grade-level content standards; and (c) school administrators and other instructional leaders will have increased capacity to support the classroom implementation.
Picturing Science
Audience: Elementary Teachers, Secondary Science Teachers
The Picturing Science process combines photography, science, writing, and art to create a Web-based showcase of student work. The goals of the project are for students to look at their environment through new perspectives and engage creatively with those elements that they study in science classes.
Resource: http://www.prel.org/picturingscience/index.asp
Writing Standards-Based Lesson Plans and Units
Audience: Teachers
Where does a teacher begin when planning instruction in a standards-based classroom? Learn the “backwards mapping” technique while writing a standards-based lesson with aligned assessment, and plan a unit of study. Reading is the content area for the example, but the process is adaptable for all content areas. A variety of resources are used, including the PREL-developed Weaving Standards Into Learning.
Programs
Center for Learning and Teaching (CLT)
Websites
Pacific Early Literacy Resource Kit
Picturing Science
Teaching Educators About Micronesian Students (TEAMS)
Products
Booklets:
A Focus on Comprehension (Research Based Practices in Early Reading Series)
A Focus on Fluency (Research Based Practices in Early Reading Series)
A Focus on Professional Development (Research Based Practices in Early Reading Series)
A Focus on Vocabulary (Research Based Practices in Early Reading Series)
Reading Aloud to Children: A Workshop for Parents—Facilitator's Manual
Weaving Standards Into Learning
Papers:
Assessing Early Reading: Change, Culture, and Community in a Pacific Island School
Instructional Leadership in a Pacific Context
Integrated Curriculum: A Reflection of Life
Integrating Academic Standards and Workplace Skill Standards for a Unified Education System
Language of Instruction: Choices and Consequences
Literacy in Indigenous Communities
Professional Development for School Leaders—A Hawaii Model
Reading Instruction for Older Struggling Readers
Standards-Based Instruction for English Language Learners
Textbook and Instructional Materials Adoption Policy and Procedures
Using Standards-Led Policy to Align Assessment and Accountability Systems
Multimedia
CDs:
Process Approach to Middle and Secondary School Mathematics: Algebra I
DVDs/VHS Tapes:
Teaching Reading in the Vernacular
Contact PREL
Pacific Resources for Education and Learning
Phone:
(808) 441-1300
U.S. Toll-free Phone:
(800) 377-4773
AskPREL
Phone:
(808) 441-1300
U.S. Toll-free Phone:
(800) 377-4773
AskPREL
Service Request
For further information about PREL services, or to explore a solution customized to suit your needs, please contact us directly through our Service Request Form.