PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR EDUCATORS OF MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS

Functional Language Academy

Turn language theory into instruction you can use tomorrow.

The Functional Language Academy is a school year-long coaching and collaboration experience that makes a Systemic Functional Linguistics approach to ELD instruction practical, accessible, and immediately useful for educators.

Learn how to identify the language students need, plan explicit instruction, and build stronger speaking and writing across the curriculum.

The tips, strategies, and new learning are asynchronous so you can log in anytime. We meet live via Zoom for 1 hour a month to discuss the content, share examples, and brainstorm around the realities of our classrooms.

The program includes a 30-minute one-on-one coaching session with Kelly each month, scheduled at your convenience.

Enroll — One Payment of $397  Enroll — 6 Payments of $66.50

Professional learning that connects language theory to classroom practice

The Functional Language Academy helps educators move beyond assignment support and toward intentional language instruction. Each month builds the knowledge and planning habits needed to teach language explicitly within meaningful content.

Inside the Academy, you will learn to:

• Identify the language functions and demands embedded in grade-level tasks
• Plan explicit instruction using student data, writing, and proficiency information
• Teach expanded noun groups, verb groups, sentence development, and cohesion
• Connect oral language to literacy and academic writing
• Design manageable mini-lessons and scaffolds that move learners toward independence
• Collaborate, coach, apply, and reflect with a community of educators

Designed for: ELD and ESL teachers, classroom teachers, instructional coaches, specialists, and school or district leaders serving multilingual learners.

A yearlong pathway for stronger language instruction

September: Foundations of Functional Language Planning
October: Language Functions and Academic Language
November: Analyzing Content and Language Demands
December: Expanded Noun Groups
January: Verb Groups
February: Cohesion and Coherent Text
March: Language Mini-Lessons and Scaffolds
April: Oral Language to Literacy
May: Collaboration, Coaching, and Application
June: Final Application, Reflection, and Certification

The sequence is designed to help you build understanding over time, apply each idea to authentic instruction, and leave with tools you can continue using across grades and content areas.

The monthly collaboration and coaching calls allow you to truly process the ideas and brainstorm with peers!

What changes when language becomes the focus?

Instead of asking only what students need help completing today, you learn to identify what they need to say and write next. Functional language planning helps you notice patterns in student language, connect instruction to meaningful content, and choose manageable moves toward greater proficiency.

This is not a one-size-fits-all curriculum. It is a practical way of thinking, planning, and teaching that you can adapt across grade levels, disciplines, and program models.

By the end of the Academy, you will have:

• A repeatable process for analyzing language demands
• A stronger repertoire of explicit language-teaching strategies
• Planning tools and classroom-ready resources
• Applied work that reflects your students and instructional context
• A clear framework for continuing your own professional growth

Ready to make language visible, teachable, and transferable?

Choose the enrollment option that works for you and begin building a practical framework for intentional language instruction throughout the school year.

One payment: $397   |   Payment plan: 6 monthly payments of $66.50

Enroll with One Payment  Choose the Payment Plan

Want to review the full program first? Download the 2026–2027 Functional Language Academy syllabus below.