How did professional development help teachers to improve literacy provision?
This study formed part of a federally funded project to provide professional development in language and literacy to 23 preschool teachers in five preschools in a high-poverty US city. The teachers had a range of education levels, were ethnically diverse, and English was the second language of two of the teachers. The study found that a standardised assessment observation tool made an effective contribution to teachers’ professional development in early literacy intervention. The researchers set up a peer-coaching programme and used information from the observation tool to develop goals for the teachers, and guide them as they acquired the new skills and knowledge they needed. The programme included 23 teachers from five American preschools, and found that the standardised observation tool helped to guide materials purchases, to plan coaching sessions, and to plan the professional development workshops.
