State education agencies across the country are responsible for ensuring that all educators and school staff, including administrators and non-instructional personnel, understand and support multilingual learners of English (MLEs).
But how can SEAs do this in a scalable, effective, and flexible way without adding burden to SEA staff?
The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) found the solution: partnering with TESOL International Association to create MLE Basics: Building Foundational Understanding for All Educators, a fundamentals course for all educators in the state.
Now we’re offering this course to all states with customization options to adapt it to your state’s specific needs.
The Challenge
School leaders consistently tell us:
- “We need consistent MLE awareness across all educators.”
- “We don’t have the capacity to build a full course in-house.”
- “Districts want flexibility, but we need alignment.”
- “Professional learning must be practical, credible, and scalable.”
When RIDE partnered with TESOL, they were looking for a professional development solution that addressed these challenges in a format that worked for their educators and staff.
The Solution
TESOL created a custom course titled MLE Basics: Building Foundational Understanding for All Educators. This course is on-demand, self-paced, and designed to give all educators and staff a clear and practical understanding of how to support multilingual learners.
To adapt this course to RIDE’s specific needs, TESOL:
- Built the course directly in the state’s LMS (Canvas)
- Provided communication-ready language and graphics for statewide rollout
- Collaborated closely with education department staff throughout development
- Managed and maintained the course post-launch at no additional cost
This customization resulted in a version of the course that was state-branded and state-aligned, not an external product educators had to adapt on their own.
Why It Works
TESOL International Association is the professional home for thousands of English language professionals worldwide. Just as our experts created a custom version of the MLE Basics course to meet RIDE’s specific goals, regulatory requirements, and learning management systems, we can do the same for your state.
About the MLE Basics Course
The MLE Basics course was co-developed by TESOL and RIDE to provide educational professionals with a clear, practical understanding of multilingual learners of English.
The course is:
- Adaptable for your state’s needs, requirements, and learning management system
- Fully online and self-paced (no live facilitation required)
- Designed for statewide rollout
- Grounded in research-based MLE competencies
- Practical, classroom-connected learning activities
- Flexible enough for individual or group use
The course supports Rhode Island educators in meeting state MLE awareness requirements while ensuring consistent quality across districts.
Course Modules
The course is organized into concise, modular learning experiences (15 hours or fewer total), aligned to five core competency areas:
- Language and Literacy Learning
- Sociocultural Context
- High-Quality Instruction and Support for MLEs
- Assessment and Evaluation
- Collaboration and Leadership
Participants complete foundational activities in each module, building both understanding and confidence in supporting MLEs.
Upon completion, participants receive a downloadable certificate of completion.
An optional facilitator guide is also included for states or districts that want to blend online learning with in-person professional development.
Customize MLE Basics For Your State
Go beyond “off-the-shelf” PD.
While the version of MLE Basics developed with RIDE provides a strong, research-based foundation, each state partnership is customized to reflect local context, policy, and priorities.
TESOL works collaboratively with state education agencies to ensure the course:
- Aligned with state-specific MLE regulations and guidance
- Reflected local terminology, frameworks, and initiatives
- Incorporated state-approved resources and examples
- Was built directly within the state’s learning management system
- Adjusted scope, pacing, and emphasis based on state needs and educator audiences
This approach ensures that the final course feels state-owned, state-aligned, and immediately relevant—not like a generic, off-the-shelf product—while maintaining consistency with nationally recognized MLE competencies and best practices.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access
TESOL is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) in all professional learning. This commitment is embedded in both course design and partnership practices.
View TESOL’s official policy and initiatives about DEIA.
When TESOL develops a version of MLE Basics or any other program for your state, you can be confident that the learning experience reflects inclusive perspectives on multilingualism and aligns with your state’s policy on DEIA.
We have the solutions your state needs.
Let TESOL be your trusted partner in supporting multilingual learners. Learn how we can save your team time and resources by developing a version of MLE Basics that fits your specific needs.