What's all the fuss about?
OCDE Project GLAD® NTC is a powerful professional development model that helps teachers build academic language and literacy for all students—especially multilingual learners.
Rooted in brain research, second language acquisition, and literacy development, GLAD® strategies ensure equitable access to content while accelerating language development and boosting academic growth, engagement, and confidence.
GLAD® classrooms celebrate student strengths and create inclusive, collaborative learning spaces. Through intentional, language-rich instruction, students build vocabulary, strengthen communication skills, and develop the confidence to express themselves—academically and socially.
Foundations Training is your starting point! This two-part certification equips teachers across all grade levels and content areas with the tools to teach more effectively—because GLAD® isn’t about what you teach, it’s about how you teach so every learner can thrive.
GLAD® brings it all together!
Students and Teachers Thrive with Project GLAD®
Asset-Based Instruction
We value students as assets. GLAD® teachers access the linguistic and cultural gifts students bring into the classroom and build upon them.
Collaborative Learning
GLAD® teachers are laying the foundation for the future. All GLAD® strategies embed college and career readiness skills of collaboration and critical thinking.
Primary Language Support
Teachers who teach with GLAD® strategies utilize students’ primary language to form a foundation for parallel learning in the second language.
Academic Language
GLAD® teachers are equipped to teach academic language. This supports English learners to reach higher expectations by understanding and using academic discourse.
Project GLAD® Foundations
THIS IS WHERE YOU BEGIN...
Leadership Strategic Planning
Onsite or synchronous online
Make GLAD® a District-Wide Success
OCDE Project GLAD® thrives when it’s part of a thoughtful, district-wide plan. With full stakeholder support and a clear implementation strategy, your investment in teachers becomes lasting and impactful.
Our Strategic Planning Session empowers leadership teams to align GLAD® with existing initiatives and design a sustainable rollout that transforms teaching and learning across your district.
PART 1: Research & Theory Workshop
Synchronous online
The first step in GLAD® training, this dynamic workshop dives into the research behind the model—covering language acquisition, brain-based learning, cultural competency, literacy, and primary language support.
Teachers gain a strong foundation in the why behind the strategies, along with practical guidance for aligning strategies with ELD standards, content standards, SEL competencies, and 21st Century Skills.
Register for Part 1 - RESEARCH & THEORY WKSHOP ONLY
PART 2: Classroom Demonstration
Onsite or synchronous online
After the workshop, teachers see GLAD® come to life! Trainers model the strategies in action—either onsite or in a live virtual classroom—showing exactly how to apply them with students.
This interactive experience includes time for debriefing, collaboration, and hands-on planning, so teachers leave ready to implement what they’ve learned right away.
Register for Part 2 - DEMO ONLY
Customized Support
The highest levels of implementation occur in districts where the teachers receive intentional and structured practice and coaching. We created Next Steps to make it easy to customize and structure online support after your Project GLAD® Foundations Training. Let us help you take the Next Steps with OCDE Project GLAD®!
Project GLAD Resource Hub
What your colleagues are saying...
The students are highly engaged - solving problems, making decisions and showing respect.
They are on task and using multi-level thinking skills! They are working cooperatively, too! Wow!
4th grade teacher, Pendleton OR
The best training I've had in 28 years of teaching! Seriously!
1st grade teacher, Wenatchee WA
Excellent! A+! The strategies will help me incorporate language development into what I already do.
The trainers were exceptionally well-spoken and knowledgable and their rapport with each other was a joy to watch. They were great models of expert co-teaching!
5th grade teacher, Boise ID
Foundations Registration 2026
Part 1 and part 2 must be completed in order to receive your official Project GLAD® teacher certificate.
Part 1: Research & Theory Workshop
$450/person
JANUARY 13, 15, 27 & 29, 2026
REGISTRATION COMING SOONEager to share the good news...
"What I found applicable for my AP History students was strategies for using visual images."
- Aimee Gustufson, Social Studies
"I wish GLAD training could have been longer."
- Dave Shusta, ELA
National Training Center
We are proudly affiliated with the official Project GLAD® National Training Center housed at the Orange County Department of Education. OCDE holds the copyright licenses and registered trademarks for the Project GLAD® model.
Our Guarantee
- Your trainers are among the most experienced Project GLAD consultants
- Decades of experience
Participants
Tier I: Foundations training is for educators, instructional coaches and administrators looking for strategies to integrate their content with language development. GLAD® strategies are applicable for all grade levels and all content areas.
