A monitoring and evaluation plan helps communities to track progress by measuring the indicators identified in their language plan. This will help to identify successes and learn from experiences. A monitoring and evaluation plan helps indicate whether a community is achieving the goals set out in their language plan.
To create a monitoring and evaluation plan, review the indicators in the plan and determine the following:
What tools will we use to measure the indicator?
What information source or tool will help track the indicators of success? If the indicator is the number of people enrolled in a program, the tool might be an enrollment tracking list/spreadsheet. If the indicator is the level of language fluency, then a self-assessment tool for participants might help. The proper tracking and data collection tools ensure the team can monitor the language plan’s success.
Who will measure it?
Identify who will be responsible for monitoring the language plan and/or collecting and managing information.
When will they measure it?
How often will the strategy be reviewed to make sure it is working and staying on track? Depending on the strategy, this could be semi-annually, annually, bi-annually or some other frequency.
What do we hope to achieve over what period of time?
What is the target? By when do you want to achieve it? Set specific targets for each indicator. If the indicator is the number of people enrolled in the program, how many people do you hope to have enrolled in the first year?
Specific targets provide a goal to work towards. It might seem challenging to set targets for some strategies in the first year, but keep in mind that targets can be updated and adjusted each time you evaluate whether the strategy is working.
Use the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Example and Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Template to complete your own monitoring and evaluation plan.