3.2.1. The Standards Performance Continuum: structure, reliability,
and validity
The SPC is a continuum defining each of the dimensions of the
Five Standards by degrees of implementation (Doherty et al., 2002;
Hilberg, Doherty, Epaloose, & Tharp, 2004). That is, Joint Productive
Activity builds on the dimension of collaboration; Language/Literacy
Development builds on language use; Contextualization builds on
meaning making; Challenging Activities builds on cognitive
complexity; and the Instructional Conversation builds on studentteacher
dialog. Levels of implementation for each standard identify
observable actions in moving toward increasingly sociocultural
practices. The degree to which teachers implement the Five Standards
Instructional Model, therefore, is measured using the SPC