Professional Development

State Activities: Georgia

Georgia is focusing on 1) developing teachers’ content knowledge and instructional strategies for working with adults learning English and 2) understanding what professional development opportunities adult ESL teachers need by analyzing data about teachers’ backgrounds and the learner populations they work with.

Professional Development Activities

Develop workshop modules and training for trainers and teachers on the following topics:
- Identifying learner needs
- Managing the multicultural classroom
- Components of a lesson plan
- Effective lesson planning for teaching multilevel adult ESL classes
- Methods and materials for use in adult ESL classes
- Using graphic organizers to teach reading concepts
- Incorporating ESL into civics classes
- Teaching reading to adult English language learners
- Teaching writing to adult English language learners
Develop observation tools to determine effectiveness of trainings by trainers and use of best practices by teachers in lesson plans and instructional strategies
Collect and analyze learner and teacher characteristics and needs in all parts of the state to guide professional development planning
Distribute to teachers papers on best practices in teaching adults learning English and on using data to improve program and classroom effectiveness

Desired Outcomes

By the end of the training sessions trainers and teachers will be familiar with the content and strategies taught to help them deliver trainings and instruction in line with evidence-based practices.
Observation tools will be developed and used to identify quality training by trainers and effective lesson planning and use of instructional strategies by teachers.
Characteristics and professional development needs of all teachers in the state working with adult English language learners will be identified, and professional development will be responsive to those needs.
Teachers will have access to easy-to-use research-to-practice papers that describe best practices in instruction and use of data to inform instruction.

State contacts

Carla R. DeBose Director of Instructional Services Cdebose@tcsg.edu Phone: (404)679-5257	Glynis Terrell ESL Literacy/EL Civics Coordinator Gterrell@tcsg.edu Phone: (404)679-1628
Technical College System of Georgia Office of Adult Education 1800 Century Place, NE, Suite 300 Atlanta, GA 30345-4304

Resources and Tools

Professional Development

State Activities: Georgia

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