Act 48 • Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching: Theory, Evidence, and Practice
45 Act 48 Hours + 3 Credits — or — Fast Track with 90 Act 48 Hours! Online & Self-Paced
Welcome, PDE Educators!
Earning your Act 48 Hours can be simple, flexible, and stress-free. Pennsylvania teachers need 180 Act 48 Hours for license renewal — and in many districts, a lane jump begins at 15–18 graduate-level credits. We’re here to make that process as easy and teacher-friendly as possible.
Confirm For Teachers By Teachers in the official PDE PERMS system.
- Choose “View Approved Providers.”
- In Provider Name, type: For Teachers By Teachers.
- Press Search to see our active listing.
You have three flexible options to earn your Act 48 Hours and/or graduate-level semester credits:
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Receive 45 Act 48 Hours — $175 per course
This is our standard option. Once you complete the course, we report your hours directly to PERMS for you — no extra steps. -
Earn 90 Act 48 Hours — Add $190 (paid to UMass Global) for 3 graduate-level semester credits
Replace your 45 Hours with 90 total Act 48 Hours — perfect for fast-tracking Act 48 requirements. Your 3 graduate credits are reported directly to PDE as 90 Hours. -
Earn 45 Act 48 Hours and 3 Graduate-Level Semester Credits — Add $190 (paid to UMass Global)
Ideal if you want 45 Hours reported to PERMS and 3 graduate-level credits to bank toward salary advancement. Your official UMass Global transcript is provided.
Course Description:
Are you ready to teach in ways that truly reach every learner? Through this self-paced, online professional development experience, you’ll gain the knowledge and strategies to make your instruction both culturally and linguistically responsive. You’ll learn how to design lessons that affirm and leverage students’ cultural identities and home languages while applying research-based strategies that foster engagement, equity, and academic success for all learners — including multilingual and ELL students.
Drawing on foundational theory, current research, and best practices from leading scholars in the field, this course helps you move beyond surface-level inclusion toward deep, meaningful responsiveness. You’ll learn how to recognize and interrupt deficit-based mindsets, create linguistically accessible learning environments, and build a classroom culture that celebrates diversity and belonging. Through interactive readings, videos, and real-world case studies, you’ll walk away with concrete tools and frameworks for building a classroom where every student’s background, language, and identity are seen as assets.
What You’ll Learn:
- Foundations of Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching (CLRT ): Discover the key frameworks and principles behind culturally and linguistically responsive teaching — and what they look like in everyday classroom practice.
- Language-Affirming Instruction: Design lessons that are linguistically accessible and inclusive of students’ home languages, using strategies that strengthen comprehension, confidence, and participation.
- Responsive Curriculum Design: Adapt your existing lessons and assessments to be culturally relevant, linguistically supportive, and academically rigorous — without sacrificing standards alignment.
- Building Relationships and Classroom Belonging: Develop routines and interactions that affirm identity, build trust, and promote authentic connections between students and teachers.
Why Educators Love This Course:
- Interactive and Engaging Content: Engaging Multimedia Learning: Learn the latest research through mini-lectures, memorable multimedia resources, and real classroom examples — no written assignments!
- Flexible Learning: Complete the course anytime, anywhere, at your own pace.
- Actionable Strategies: Every module is packed with ready-to-use tools, practical frameworks, and sample lesson ideas designed for immediate classroom impact.
Transform Your Classroom Today:
This course bridges theory and practice to help you build a classroom where all learners — especially multilingual and culturally diverse students — can thrive. Whether you’re new to CLRT or looking to deepen your practice, you’ll gain the confidence, tools, and mindset to make every student feel seen, supported, and academically challenged.
By the end, you’ll have the strategies to cultivate a classroom rooted in respect, belonging, and equity — where students’ languages, cultures, and experiences drive meaningful learning.
Enroll Today:
Earn graduate-level professional development credit while transforming your classroom into a space where every learner’s voice matters. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your culturally responsive teaching practice.
Self-Paced, Quiz-Based, and Completely Online
Forget portfolios or lengthy written assignments — this is stress-free professional learning designed with YOU in mind. With no start dates and no due dates, you can begin and finish the course whenever it’s convenient. You don’t need to be working with students to complete it, and there are no scheduled meetings. The course is 100% self-paced and self-guided — so you can work whenever and wherever it fits your life.
To Enroll in This Course:
Start by completing the $175 registration using the enrollment link at the top of this page. This creates your For Teachers By Teachers (FTBT) account and gives you immediate access to your online classroom.
You can begin anytime, work at your own pace, and complete the course on your schedule.
Your $175 fee includes:
- ✔️ Full access to all course materials
- ✔️ 45 Act 48 Hours reported to PERMS upon completion
✶ Want to Earn 3 Graduate-Level Semester Credits from UMass Global?
After enrolling, you’ll find step-by-step instructions for UMass Global’s optional $190 graduate credit registration inside your online classroom. Choose your preferred path:
- ✔️ 90 Act 48 Hours — Replace your 45 Hours with 90 total Hours, reported to PDE
- ✔️ 45 Act 48 Hours + 3 Graduate-Level Credits — Earn your 45 Hours and 3 credits toward salary advancement
Graduate-level semester credit issued by UMass Global — a regionally accredited university partner.
* Each graduate credit equals 30 Act 48 Hours.
Your Course Instructor
For Teachers By Teachers is a highly dedicated team of licensed educators with professional certifications across grades PK–12. Our areas of expertise include Special Education, Childhood Education, Art Education, and Reading Specialist certifications.
Collectively, our course authors and instructors bring more than 20 years of experience in the field of education. We are passionate about empowering teachers and have contributed meaningfully to school communities in Hawai‘i, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Colorado, Vermont, and Ohio.
Our mission is to support your professional growth with flexible, high-quality online courses designed by teachers—for teachers. If you have any questions or need support, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. We’re here to help!