Teaching Vocabulary in All Classrooms, Bry, Spring 2026

Course Number:	EDX 5710 S4
Instructor:	Ashley Bry, M.Ed.
Location:	Asynchronous Online
Dates and Times:	Mar 09, 2026 - Apr 20, 2026
Credits:	3 Graduate Credits
Tuition:	$1,195

Course Description

Participants in this course will build a deeper understanding of research-based practices and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles that support academic vocabulary development for all learners in all classrooms. The course presents a comprehensive framework for effectively incorporating vocabulary into everyday instruction across content areas while proactively anticipating and addressing barriers to learning.

Through exploration of best practices and classroom-tested strategies, both beginning and experienced teachers will learn how to design flexible, accessible vocabulary instruction that provides multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression—ensuring that every student can access the curriculum and demonstrate their understanding in meaningful ways.

Audience: K-12 educators who have a Bachelor's Degree

Course Goals & Objectives

Course Goals:

To implement vocabulary instruction to help students access course content and curriculum.
To identify important vocabulary.
To intentionally teach vocabulary
To scaffold vocabulary instruction
To create assessments using vocabulary.

Course Objectives:

To understand how to identify important academic vocabulary at the beginning of each unit.
To learn techniques for effective vocabulary instruction.
To explore techniques that encourage students to practice targeted vocabulary and use it in context.
To learn strategies for developing and facilitating assessments that include targeted vocabulary.
To develop scaffolds to help students with lower literacy levels, special education students and multilingual students access the curriculum.

Course Schedule

Weeks 1-5:

Identifying Vocabulary
Vocabulary Instruction
Teaching Vocabulary in Context
Scaffolding Vocabulary Instruction
Creating Assessments

Readings:

Online articles, websites, blogs, videos and podcasts

Assignments:

Discussion Posts (Due Thursdays) and Responses to classmates (Due Mondays)

Week 6: Final Project

Instructor

Ashley Bry, M.Ed. in Teaching English Learners

Ashley has taught English and Spanish Language for the past 18 years. Ashley currently teaches Multilingual students and Spanish at Essex High School. She spends a lot of the school day supporting English language students to access mainstream curriculum and she knows that vocabulary instruction is a key component to helping all students find success in all classrooms. Her experience in world language instruction and teaching language acquisition helps to recognize essential vocabulary across contents that students need to be able to access to be able to show what they know.

Required Texts

Readings provided by the instructor.

Sampling of readings and podcasts

“IRIS | Page 3: Selecting Essential Words.” Iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu, iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/sec-rdng/cresource/q2/p03/.

‌Corujo, Jennifer. “What Is Academic Vocabulary?” Www.hmhco.com, 25 Mar. 2024, www.hmhco.com/blog/what-is-academic-vocabulary.

‌Stratford, Dianne. “4 Ways to Teach Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension.” Edutopia, 29 June 2023, www.edutopia.org/article/4-ways-to-teach-vocabulary-and-reading-comprehension.

Wilfong, Lori G. Vocabulary Strategies That Work. Routledge, 24 Mar. 2021.

For additional course information

Ashley Bry
(802) 779-3867

For additional registration information

Center for Schools Team

(802) 468-1325