What are Professional Development Levels Courses?
Professional Development Levels Courses (PDLC) differ from workshops. Students who enroll in a PDLC program have an active role. They are responsible for learning the material offered, for teaching with a high degree of competence, and for demonstrating their understanding of the methods by peer teaching and writing lesson plans. GIML offers PDLCs in the following areas:
Interested in taking a PDLC?
REGISTER FOR A 2026 COUSE TODAY!
Who Should Attend?
Early childhood, elementary, middle and high school music teachers, piano teachers, professional performers, and music education students who are interested in furthering their understanding of audiation and enhancing their teaching through an audiation approach. The framework for all classes in the PDLCs will be provided by music learning theory, developed by Dr. Edwin E. Gordon. Unique practical application of the theory and its use in early childhood, general and instrumental music, and piano will be presented by faculty who are experienced in teaching classes based on music learning theory.
Are you a college/university faculty member interested in learning more about Dr. Gordon's Music Learning Theory and incorporating it into your teaching of future music educators? Are you interested in attending one of our summer Professional Development Learning Courses (PDLCs) for free, paying only travel/housing/food costs? See below for information about The Carol Gordon Gordon Professional Development Scholarship, a great opportunity to learn more about MLT, and share it with your music education students.
Do I Need to Prepare?
Advance preparation is absolutely necessary to complete the PDLCs. Before enrolling for Level 1, participants should be able to sing rote songs in a variety of tonalities and meters and chant in a variety of meters. Participants should also be able to sing tonal patterns in major and minor tonalities with tonal solfege and chant rhythm patterns in usual duple and triple meters with rhythm solfege as demonstrated on the Tonal and Rhythm Skills Development CD available through GIA Publications. It is extremely important that students be familiar with all of the reading and teaching materials prior to arrival at the PDLC; please see the Books and Materials section for a list of publications and ordering information.
Costs to Participate
GIML strives to keep our workshop fees low and commensurate with other professional organizations. You can expect the following financial requirements to attend a PDLC.
Interested in Hosting a PDLC?
GIML is always looking for new places to host PDLCs. If your public school, college or university is interested in hosting a PDLC, please download the Site Manager's Handbook below. When you click on the link, Google will ask you to make a copy of the file in your own Drive. Note: Site plans for PDLCs are due by October 1.
Interested in hosting a PDLC?
FIND OUT HOW
The Carol Gordon Professional Development Scholarship
The Carol Gordon Professional Development Scholarship was created by the Gordon Institute forMusic Learning to honor Carol Goodridge Beccue Gordon’s contributions to Music Learning Theory. The purpose of this scholarship is to advance the mission of GIML through supporting university faculty interested in learning more about Gordon’s Music Learning Theory and incorporating it into their teaching of future music educators.
Ed and Carol Gordon
Eligibility
1. Must be a college/university music faculty teaching general music, instrumental, or choral methods courses within a music education program.
2. Must be a first-time attendee of a GIML Professional Development Course.
3. Must complete application form.
Award
Each scholarship will cover 100% of the course registration and tuition fees (approximately $750). Scholarship recipients are responsible for the cost of housing (if applicable), transportation, meals, required workshop materials, and optional additional tuition for graduate credit. The number of scholarships provided each year will depend on availability of funds and sites.
Selection
Final selection of the scholarship recipients(s) will be decided by the GIML Executive Board on the basis of application clarity and site enrollment availability. No member of the GIML Executive Board or their immediate family is eligible for scholarship assistance during their tenure on the Board.
Process
The Professional Development Commission Chair will notify the scholarship applicants of the Executive Board’s decision. The scholarship payment will be made upon verification of applicant’s attendance at the selected PDLC. Payment will be made to the Gordon Institute for Music Learning. Within 1 month of completing the course, the scholarship recipient is expected to submit to GIML a one-page follow-up statement in which they reflect on their experiences in the course and the impact they expect these experiences will have on their future teaching. Information about GIML PDLCs and specific dates/locations can be found here.
If you have questions or would like more information about GIML PDLCs and/or the scholarship, please contact the GIML Professional Development Commission at professionaldevelopment@giml.org. To be considered for one of these scholarships, please email your completed application form and one-page narrative statement to professionaldevelopment@giml.org by April 1. Recipients will be notified of the GIML Board’s decision by May 1, 2026.
