Professional Development for Bilingual Faculty at a Dual Language (English-Spanish) Institution in Higher Education: Conceptualizing the TPL Design

In this article the authors analyze the synergy of the theoretical, practical, and linguistic (TPL) design and its impact on the effectiveness of professional development in a dual language university setting. The theoretical, practical, and linguistic components of the TPL design are explained and the workshops given within each component are briefly analyzed. In addition, we look at the opportunities bilingual faculty members have to become mentors after successfully completing the required training within each of the three components. The TPL design is addressed in this article as a professional development tool that shapes bilingual faculty's skills and helps them sharpen their pedagogical approaches to effectively teach a bilingual, bicultural, and biliterate student population. Lastly, in this paper, on the premise that professional development is a foundational condition for effective dual language/bilingual programs, we reflect on how the TPL design could be implemented in other dual language programs in higher education.