UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA-VANCOUVER
Faculty of Education
Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education
Summer 2026 GTA Positions
EPSE 317: Development and Exceptionality in the Regular Classroom (Summer Term 2)
Posted on February 20, 2026 | Application Deadline: Sunday, Mar 22, 2026
Course Information
EPSE 317 is a required course in the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) program that introduces teacher candidates to inclusive education and disability. The course is framed by the principles of Disability Justice and recognizes disability as a valued social identity rather than a deficit. The course prepares future educators to critically examine ableism in schooling and to design inclusive classroom environments.
EPSE 317 runs from July 2–24 and is delivered through a community of practice model. This model requires close collaboration between the lecturer instructors, course coordinator, and Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs). All instructional staff work from a common syllabus and shared pedagogical framework. Each instructional day includes:
- A large-group lecture delivered by lecture instructors
- GTA-led pre-planned seminar sessions that extend, apply, and critically engage lecture content
GTAs are required to:
- Attend all lectures with their section
- Deliver pre-planned seminar sessions aligned with the lecture content
- Facilitate collaborative discussions and experiential learning activities
- Assess student assignments using common rubrics
- Record attendance
- Monitor and report student engagement and progress
- Meet regularly with the lecturer instructors and course coordinator
Instructional staff will participate in an orientation day prior to the start of the course and engage in ongoing coordination meetings to ensure consistency, equity, and alignment across sections.
Preference is given to candidates with strong knowledge and/or teaching experience in disability studies, school-based teams, ableism, Universal Design for Learning (UDL 3.0), disability rights, inclusive teaching strategies, inclusive assessment, BC k-12 curriculum, restorative justice, Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and equitable classroom design.
Required Qualifications:
- Teaching experience within K-12 educational settings
- Knowledge and/or experience supporting disabled learners within inclusive classrooms
- Ability to work effectively as part of an instructional team
- Experience facilitating experiential learning and leading collaborative discussions
- Experience creating and maintaining safe, inclusive learning environments
Preferred Qualifications:
- Understanding of the BC curriculum in planning and assessment.
- Understanding of non-deficit approaches to disability and classroom applications
- Experience and/or knowledge of backward design and UDL 3.0
- Experience with IEP development and implementation
- Knowledge of how understandings of disability inform educational practice
Eligibility:
- Graduate students in master’s or doctoral programs meeting the qualifications are encouraged to apply.
- Successful student applicants must have the approval of their research supervisor (based on making satisfactory progress in their program).
- Non-students with the appropriate qualifications are also welcome to apply.
Important: Instructors/Teaching Assistants will be expected to participate in five paid hours of training, attend all lectures, and meet with the lecturers and course coordinator as needed.
Course Schedule and Timetables:
Below are the Lectures that GTAs will need to attend before leading assigned Seminar(s) – These Lectures are to be taught by our faculty and Sessional Lecturers. Please Do Not Apply for teaching of these Lectures. It’s for your information only, however GTA will need to attend corresponding lectures.
| Subject | Course | Group | Sec No | Creds | Term | Act Type | Mode of Delivery | Attend Cd | Days Met | Start Time | End time | Meeting Start Date | Meeting End Date |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary
Secondary |
1 | 3 | S2 | LEC | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | 2024-07-02 | 2024-07-26 |
| EPSE | 317 | Secondary | 2 | 3 | S2 | LEC | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 2024-07-02 | 2024-07-26 |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary Middle
Secondary |
301 | 3 | S2 | LEC | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 8:00 AM | 9:00 AM | 2024-07-02 | 2024-07-26 |
Below are the Seminars that will be led/taught by GTAs. Please apply one or more of these seminars as appropriate.
| Subject | Course | Group | Sec No | Creds | Term | Act Type | Mode of Delivery | Attend Cd | Days Met | Start Time | End time | Meeting Start Date | Meeting End Date | |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary
Secondary |
920 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary
Secondary |
921 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary
Secondary |
922 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary
Secondary |
925 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary
Secondary |
926 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary
Secondary |
927 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 11:00 AM | 12:00 AM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary
Secondary |
928 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 11:00 AM | 12:00 AM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Secondary | 929 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary
Secondary |
970 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary
Secondary |
971 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary Secondary | 972 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary Secondary | 973 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Secondary | 974 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Secondary | 975 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Secondary | 976 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Secondary | 977 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary Secondary | 979 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | Yes | MTWTF | 9:00 Am | 10:00 AM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 | |
| EPSE | 317 | Middle Years/SRL | 923* | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 2026-07-08 | 2026-07-24 | |
*Section 923 will run from July 8-24. These students previously completed the first part of the course within a research pilot. GTAs assigned to this section will be compensated for equivalent of ¾ the course duration.
French Immersion Sections (2 Seminars to be led/taught by GTA)
EPSE 317 includes 2 designated French Immersion sections within the B.Ed. program. These 2 sections follow the same community of practice model and shared syllabus as the English sections, while ensuring linguistic and pedagogical alignment with the French Immersion context.
For French Immersion sections:
- Seminars will be delivered bilingually, with primary instruction in French.
- GTA seminar PowerPoints, lesson plans, and supporting materials will be translated into French.
- Assessment and feedback must be provided in the language of student submission (French or English).
Applicants for French Immersion sections must demonstrate strong proficiency in French (oral and written) and experience working in French-language or French Immersion educational settings is strongly preferred.
| Subject | Course | Group | Sec No | Creds | Term | Act Type | Delivery Mode | Attend Cd | Day Met | Start time | End time | Meeting start | Meeting end |
| EPSE | 317 | Elementary-French | 924 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 |
| EPSE | 317 | Secondary-
French |
978 | 3 | S2 | SEM | In-Person | YES | MTWRF | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 2026-07-02 | 2026-07-24 |
Application Process
To apply, please download and complete the GTA Application Cover Letter Template (see attached) and submit it to ecps.administration@ubc.ca. Applications that do not use the required template will not be reviewed.
Application Deadline: Sunday, March 22, 2026
This position provides a unique opportunity to contribute to an innovative, equity-centered course that prepares future educators to create inclusive, anti-ableist classrooms. We look forward to receiving your application!