English Language Development

As California implements this ELA/ELD Framework, standards for professional learning provide
a useful tool for evaluating efforts to organize and facilitate professional learning for teachers
and others. In 2011 the professional organization, Learning Forward (formerly the National Staff
Development Council), revised its standards. The seven standards that follow in figure 11.2 describe
the characteristics and conditions of effective, high-quality professional learning. The standards and
related resources available at the Learning Forward Web site (http://learningforward.org/) should be
consulted when designing programs of professional learning.

Figure 11.2. Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning

Learning

Communities

Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness

and results for all students occurs within learning communities

committed to continuous improvement, collective responsibility, and

goal alignment.

Leadership Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and

results for all students requires skillful leaders who develop capacity,

advocate, and create support systems for professional learning.

Resources Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and

results for all students requires prioritizing, monitoring, and

coordinating resources for educator learning.

Data Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and

results for all students uses a variety of sources and types of

student, educator, and system data to plan, assess, and evaluate

professional learning.

Learning

Designs

Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and

results for all students integrates theories, research, and models of

human learning to achieve its intended outcomes.

Implementation Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and

results for all students applies research on change and sustains

support for implementation of professional learning for long term

change.

Outcomes Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness

and results for all students aligns its outcomes with educator

performance and student curriculum standards.

Source

Learning Forward. 2011. Standards for Professional Learning. Oxford, OH: Learning Forward.

The qualities of effective professional learning are clear; the challenge for California educators
is to create, disseminate, and implement programs of professional learning for the CA CCSS for
ELA/Literacy, CA ELD Standards, and this ELA/ELD Framework that reflect these qualities. Ultimately,
effective professional learning should mirror effective classroom instruction. The same kinds of active
engagement with critical thinking and problem posing; collaborative discussions about intellectually
stimulating and relevant topics; use of rigorous and appropriate texts; respect for diversity of cultures,
languages, and perspectives; and other features found in effective classrooms should be found in
professional learning sessions.

978 | Chapter 11 Implementing Instruction