TAGteach Certification FAQ

Here are answers to frequently asked questions about the TAGteach certification process. If your question is not answered here or you need additional information, please send an email to Joan Orr joan@tagteach.com

1. How long do I have to submit my certification information after finishing the course?
   
   There is no time limit and you will not lose access to the course. If you wait to submit, it is your responsibility to make sure that you have the most up to date information on the certification requirements. These may change and if they do, you will be subject to the requirements that exist at the time you submit and not at the time you started the course.
   
   
2. I earned my Primary (now Level 1) certification before the new video requirements. Do I still have to submit the TAGteach Fundamentals and TAGteach Session Script videos in order to get my Level 2?
   
   Yes, everyone at some point will need to submit those videos to move to the next level.
   
   
3. How do I pay the certification fee?
   
   You can pay it at the link from the certification page for your level.
   
   
4. How do I submit my worksheets and journal?
   
   Please send an email to Anne annew@tagteach.com for upload instructions. Please don't send them by email or dropbox or any other cloud storage except Google Drive. Anne will provide you with a link to a Google Drive folder to which you can upload everything.
   
   
5. Can I type my worksheet  and journal entries directly into a document?
   
   Yes, please type everything. If you have done some parts by hand, please transcribe them. We are not able to accept hand-written scanned documents.
   
   
6. Can I send in scans of hand written documents for the journal and worksheets?
   
   No, please transcribe your handwritten notes into the Word or PDF documents provided in the course.
   
   
7. How long does it take for you to assess my videos, journal and worksheets?
   
   Please give us 2 weeks to get back to you after you submit your materials. Then give us another day or two for you to receive your login to our membership site, where you will be able to download your certification badge and certificate.
   
   
8. What is the format for the Level 2 journal?
   

   Click here for a sample that you can follow. All entries must be typed.
   
   

9. How should I document my 10 hours for Level 2 and 25 hours for Level 3?
   

   Click here for a template with sample documentation
   
   

10. Do you accept submissions in other languages?
    

    Yes, we accept submissions in French, German, Swedish and Italian.
    
    

11. What are the requirements for the Level 3 presentation?

The Level 3 presentation must show current best practices for TAGteach. If you haven't been to a seminar since before 2016, then you can take the Fundamentals of TAGteach course online to make sure you are up to date. The course shows our new script. You don't have to use every part of this in your lessons, but you do need to use the language. Please see the video requirements page for the list of allowable (and not allowable phrases). Your presentation should be about 15 minutes long. You can use PowerPoint and/or videos or you can just talk. We prefer if you have a video. Your presentation must contain the following elements:

1) description of the population and the teaching goal

2) description of the tag points that you used

3) description of the results of your teaching

4) comments on what went well and what could be improved

Questions About Video Submissions

1. Can I edit clips to be within the 5-8 minute time frame or do I need to conduct a complete session to meet the time requirement?
   
   You may edit or send in a complete session.
   
   
2. Do the videos have to be in English?
   
   No, they can be in any language. There is so little talking in a TAGteach session, that it should be self explanatory in any language. We'll ask for a translation if we have questions. Be sure to follow the rules for TAGteach language as listed in the Video Criteria page when you translate from English. We'd love to have videos that we can share in other languages!
   
   
3. How do I submit my videos since the files are so large?
   
   We will set up a Google Drive folder to which you can upload your videos and all other materials. Please send an email to Anne annew@tagteach.com for instructions. If you use gmail, you can submit them as email attachments. If you use other email services, please upload to Google Drive once you receive the upload information.
   
   
4. Can I submit my worksheets, journal and videos by email, Dropbox or other file storage system?
   
   No, please submit them only by upload to Google Drive,  see question 3 above.
   
   
5. Do all my teaching videos need to follow the TAGteach Script exactly?
   
   No, the script is a guideline and is designed to let you practice all the possible parts of a TAGteach session. In your actual teaching, you should use the parts of the script that are appropriate for your learner. For example it may not be possible to demonstrate the skill yourself, or you may have a learner so advanced they don't need a demonstration, or a learner that would pay no attention to a demonstration. In these cases you would not use the "Let me demonstrate", part of the script. You should use your judgement to decide which parts of the script work best with your learner. You can modify the language as well if this would benefit your learner. Please refer to the Video Submissions page for details of the language requirements. If you use any of the crossed out phrases you will be asked to resubmit your videos.
   
   You do need to submit at least one video for Level 2 that does show you delivering the full TAGteach Session Script in an actual teaching situation. If this is not appropriate for the learners you normally work with you'll need to find a learner that you can use the full script with.
   
   
6. Can I use the same TAGteach teaching video(s) for different levels?
   
   Yes. For example, if you earned Level 1 through the online course, you will have already have submitted one video. This video will also count towards Level 2 and Level 3, provided the video requirements haven't changed since your first submission. Be sure to review the Video Submissions page and review your video to make sure it meets the requirement. You will need to submit only two additional videos for Level 2. Regardless of prior certification or video submissions you must submit 3 videos in total for Level 2 that meet the current submission requirements. At least one of them must show you using all the parts of the TAGteach Session Script.
   
   If you have earned Level 2 since the video requirements came into effect, you will have already submitted 3 videos. For Level 2 the videos can all be with the same learner in the same discipline. In this case, only one of the videos will count toward Level 3. For Level 3 you need to submit videos in 3 different disciplines and at least one of them must show you using all the parts of the TAGteach Session Script. If your Level 2 videos were in 3 different applications with 3 different learners and one used the full script, then they will count towards your Level 3 as well. In other words, if you can meet the Level 3 video requirements with your Level 2 videos, you will not have to submit additional videos for Level 3.
   
   
7. What do you mean by different applications for the video submissions?
   
   For the videos to count toward Level 3, they must show you teaching in 3 different applications.
   
   If you are teaching learners with learning disabilities, you may submit 2 videos showing you teaching with this population. They must show 2 different teaching disciplines. For example one could show some kind of schoolwork and the other could show a physical skill or a social skill. Your third video must be with someone with no learning disability and must show a skill not taught in either of your other videos.
   
   If you are teaching people without learning disabilities, you must submit 3 videos showing different disciplines. Two of these can be within the same category. For example you could submit videos showing 2 different sports, but the third one must be something outside of sports. If you are a music teacher you could show teaching of 2 different instruments, but the third video must be outside music instruction.