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Nilsa Thorsos, Ph.D.

Chair, Department of Special Education, Associate Professor of Education
Phone: (626) 815-5425
Email: nthorsos@apu.edu
Fax: (626) 815-5416
Nilsa J. Thorsos serves as chair of the Department of Special Education. She brings 31 years of teaching experience, professional development, and mentoring in public, private k-12 classrooms in addition to teaching in higher education. Her experience in k-12 settings includes teaching all grade levels, including pre-school and professional development. Thorsos’ tenure encompasses an extensive multicultural background and experience as a classroom teacher in public schools throughout New Mexico, Northern California, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In New Mexico, she coordinated the bilingual program for the special education students and developed a model for inclusion. In Northern California, she implemented a Montessori Inclusion program and was designated the master teacher for the San Jose State University Teacher Education Program. In addition to her interest in foreign languages, she is fluent in Spanish and holds a BCLAD.

Thorsos also serves as a consultant for nonpublic schools in areas of professional development for teachers serving diverse or disabled students. She specializes in language acquisition, Bilingual Special Education, the referral process, Response to Intervention, and Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act and its implementation. Her areas of academic interest include sociocultural linguistic studies, teacher education, professional development, minority overrepresentation in special education, and Montessori philosophy.

Education

Ph.D. - University of New Mexico, 2005
M.S. - Fordham University, 1984
B.A. - University of Puerto Rico, 1980
Credentials/CertificationsMild to Moderate Special Education Credential (California and New Mexico)
Multi-Subject Teaching Credential (New Mexico)
Early Childhood teaching credential (New Mexico)
Montessori Advance Teaching Certificate AMA

Expertise

  • IDEA Law
  • Special Education
  • Studies in Diversity

Courses Taught

EDUC 504 – Teaching and Cultural Diversity
SPED 530 – Introduction to Individual Differences and Strengths-based Education
SPED 531 – Tests, Measurements, and Instructional Planning
SPED 535 – Counseling, Collaboration, and Consultation
SPED 537 – Theories and Interventions in Behavior Disorders
SPED 540 – Rtl/Brain-based Teaching and Learning: Math Disorders

Professional/Scholarly Presentations

Presentations
Thorsos, N., Ruiz, L., Goodwin, K. (2009, January). Integration of Response to Intervention with Neuropsychology: A Brain-Based Model for Identification and Intervention with Students. Workshop presented at the Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, HI.

Thorsos, N., & Cheung, G. (2009, January). Effective Use of Web 2.0 in the Classroom from a Practitionary's viewpoint: Going Beyond Podcasting and implementing VMSCasting, Screencasting, and Instant Messaging. Paper presented at the 7th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, HI.

Thorsos, N., & Gilbreath, J. (2008, December). Where does technology live in your life? Shifting practices in the ivory tower for full integration of technology-enhanced instruction. Poster presented at WACE 7th Annual International Symposium on Work Integrated Learning in Conjunction with the Compostela Group of Universities, Madrid, Spain.

Thorsos, N., & Cotto-Silva, R. (2008, December). The impact of Puerto Rico’s political status on the implementation of special education services. Paper presented at the World Association for Cooperative Education, an international organization devoted to promoting Work Integrated Learning (WIL). 7th Annual International Symposium on Work Integrated Learning in Conjunction with the Compostela Group of Universities, Madrid, Spain.

Thorsos, N., Cheung, G., Nworie, B., Richardson, G.D. (2008, July). Assistive Technology in Special Education Credential Program. Paper presented at the Education & Information Systems, Technologies & Applications) Conference, Orlando, FL.

View All Professional/Scholarly Presentations

Professional Involvement and Accomplishments

The Teacher’s Choice Award: Azusa Unified School District, 2004

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