Projects
Culture and Language in Education at WestEd strives to enhance the capacity of educational systems to provide excellent educational resources for traditionally underserved students. Many of these students are members of non-dominant cultural, linguistic, and racial groups. CLE's project areas encompass curriculum and instruction, policy and evaluation, and assessment. By working with community and school leaders, as well as with university faculty, administrators, teachers, and educational researchers, CLE builds on the knowledge and resources of the schools and communities we serve.
Curriculum and Instruction
Culture and Language in Education staff provide resources, consulting, and professional development assistance to local school districts and teachers as they make decisions about effective instruction and curricula for their diverse student populations.
- Bridging Cultures Project
- Bridging Cultures was a long-term collaborative action research project involving teachers from the Los Angeles Unified School District, university researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles and the California State University, Northridge, and WestEd staff. Over a period of several years, teachers and professional researchers have documented teaching and parent involvement strategies that have been successful with immigrant Latino students and families. These innovations arose from initial professional development on culture and the collegial work of participating teachers and staff researchers. The Bridging Cultures Advisory committee, comprising representatives from higher education, county offices of education, teacher professional development consortia, and school personnel, met twice yearly to advise on expansion and development. Bridging Cultures now extends its professional development to Early Childhood Education.
Policy and Evaluation
Culture and Language in Education staff collaborate with state and local education agencies, as well as with community groups, to develop and implement evaluation and accountability policies and systems. CLE staff conduct English-language policy and program evaluations and are regularly invited to present to and consult with state legislators and policymakers on research findings and best practices related to fostering the academic success of English language learners. Additionally, staff design and conduct evaluations for community-based organizations.
Assessment
CLE designs and directs research and development projects that address the assessment of linguistic and culturally diverse students. These projects include original research on new models of assessment development as well as the application of existing research to the development of multiple forms of assessment in a range of cultural communities.