The SABES ESOL Curriculum & Instruction Professional Development Team provides relevant, innovative, high-quality professional development led by local and national subject matter experts and aligned to the Massachusetts Professional Standards for Teachers of Adult Speakers of Other Languages. Housed at EDC in Waltham, MA, we share their commitment to guiding our work "by evidence, empathy, and experience."

To see dates and register for PD events, visit the SABES Calendar.

Have a question or idea? Need a coach? We would love to hear from you!

• Dorothy McCormack, Director (dmccormack@edc.org)
• Kate Anderson, Assistant Director (kateanderson@edc.org)
• Cynthia Faulkner, Adult ESOL and Professional Development Specialist (cfaulkner@edc.org)

What we provide...

Workshops

• Synchronous and asynchronous courses on a range of topics important to ESOL practitioners.
• Professional development designed and delivered by a team of ESOL Subject Matter Experts.
• Information and current offerings on our SABES Calendar (filter by PD Team: ESOL).

Coaching

• Tailored to you and/ or your program’s needs.
• Available to:
  • Individual or small cohorts of practitioners
  • Instructional Leaders
  • Program Directors
• Information available on the SABES Coaching Hub

Program-based PD

• Topics can include those in our current list of offerings or designed to fit your specific program needs.
• Sessions can be held in-person at your site or remotely.
• Together we will develop a plan.

Resources

• Check out our carefully curated and comprehensive list of resources.
• Our resources range from Professional Standards to curriculum planning tools, sample lesson plans, instructional videos, and the latest research.
• Looking for a topic and can't find a resource? Let us know! We are always happy to assist!

Featured Resources:

• Year-at-a-Glance FY26: Here is a one-page listing of all the professional development offerings that the SABES ESOL PD Team will be delivering this year.
   
• ESOL PD Menu for ESOL Professional Standards: Visit our Google site to learn more about each standard, including introductory videos. Then, link to the ACLS interactive ESOL Professional Standards website, access the ESOL Professional Standards document, and take the ESOL Self-Assessment to help you determine your next steps. There is so much to see and learn!
   
• ESOL Professional Development Pathways: This resource provides practitioners with a suggested pathway through our core ESOL offerings. 
   
• Massachusetts English Language Proficiency Standards (MA ELPS)-Document and Overview Videos: This resource consists of the MA ELPS document and three overview videos explaining how and why the standards were developed, how they are organized, and how to use them for rigorous English language instruction.