Changes in the organization as a result of the professional development program Professional development activities link theory and practice. Participants learn about language development and effective research-based instruction for LEP students. They learn to create challenging learning environments for LEP students and practice instructional techniques with guidance. Experienced bilingual teachers are paired with teacher-learners and serve as models and mentors, using such strategies as modeling practice, feedback and coaching. Participants learn about a variety of useful assessment methods and how they can be used to interpret student progress and to evaluate the effectiveness of instruction.
Participants learn how to communicate student progress in meaningful ways to parents.
Professional development activities provide opportunities for collegial interaction among teachers, administrators, and other staff. Joint work such as investigating an instructional problem or conducting action research focuses on improving teaching and learning. Evaluation Measures Improved Practices, Improved Student Achievement Evaluation measures impact in improved teaching practices, improved student achievement, changes in the organization as a result of the professional development program. Professional Development process is well documented. Multiple measures and assessment tools, such as performance-based assessments, peer observations, teacher portfolios, and standardized tests provide quantitative and qualitative information about program effectiveness.