Educators across the nation are deciding on the appropriate instructional approach to adopt for the fall 2021 semester. Those that opt for online or blended instruction, whether full-time or supplemental, can make use of VHS Learning semester and full-year courses. Course enrollment is now open at https://go.vhslearning.org/20212022Registration.
“Many offerings we’re seeing right now are emergency remote learning programs, but the VHS Learning program differs because courses are led by teachers who have been thoroughly trained in online teaching best practices. Courses are designed from the start to use effective online tools and techniques, using our 25 years of experience in online learning,” said Carol DeFuria, President & CEO of VHS Learning. “In fact, we contributed to the National Standards for Quality Online Learning, which help educators evaluate and improve online courses, online teaching and online programs.”
VHS Learning offers more than 250 unique online high school courses, which range from core subjects and electives to Advanced Placement® and Honors options. This fall, the nonprofit is offering three new courses: Chinese 1, Chinese 2, and Early Childhood Education 1: Development and Practices.
Chinese 1 will introduce students to Mandarin Chinese, the official language in the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, and Singapore. Course participants will learn the Pinyin pronunciation system for listening and speaking as well as simplified Chinese characters for reading and writing. By the end of the course, students will be able to type short responses and paragraphs in Chinese with proper syntax and sentence patterns. To provide context and make student learning engaging, topics including the arts, literature, customs and the history of Chinese-speaking people, will be introduced throughout the course.
Chinese 2 builds upon the foundation developed in the Chinese 1 online course. Students will learn more complex sentence construction and phrasing, and they will work towards the Intermediate Low proficiency level as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Chinese 2 also continues to build student knowledge, understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture, including the arts, literature, customs, and history of Chinese-speaking people.
In the Early Childhood Education 1: Development and Practices course, students will visit a local early childhood education setting (e.g., pre-school, Kindergarten, childcare center, home childcare, etc.) and make in-person observations. In addition, students will create lesson plans, share lesson plan ideas, and participate in “faculty meeting” discussions with peers. They will also be required to do the following:
· Identify characteristics of various developmental stages in young children;
· Create developmentally appropriate experiences for young children;
· Explain and apply basic protocols, laws, and procedures in the early childhood education setting;
· Identify the various types of early childhood education programs and their purposes; and
· Justify responses to complex hypothetical dilemmas in the early childhood education setting.
“After all the uncertainty and stress they’ve endured over the previous year, engaging students is especially important to a successful learning experience,” said DeFuria. “Going beyond standard curriculum options and allowing students to explore different cultures and career choices is an excellent way to ignite love of learning and help students find their place in our global society. VHS Learning stands ready to help educators use online learning to its full advantage as they navigate their educational options this fall.”
About VHS Learning
VHS Learning is a nonprofit organization with 25 years of experience providing world-class online programs to students and schools everywhere. Offering more than 250 unique online courses, including 24 AP® courses, credit recovery and enrichment courses, and a selection of dual-credit options, VHS Learning is accredited by Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS), Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC), and Cognia. Courses are approved for initial eligibility by NCAA. For more information about VHS Learning please visit https://www.vhslearning.org/ and follow on Twitter at @VHSLearning.
