; (C) acquires effective teaching skills; and (D) prior to completion of the program, attains full State teacher certification or licensure, and, with respect to special education teachers, meets the qualifications described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. (21) Teaching skills The term teaching skills means skills that enable a teacher to— (A) increase student learning, achievement, and the ability to apply knowledge, which may include through the use of data, including data from interim, formative, and summative assessments, and student growth data, attendance, behavior, course grades, and other measures of school quality or student success to improve student achievement and to improve classroom instruction; (B) effectively convey and explain academic subject matter; (C) effectively teach higher-order analytical, evaluation, problem-solving, and communication skills; (D) employ strategies grounded in the disciplines of teaching and learning that— (i) are based on empirically based practice and evidence-based research, where applicable, related to teaching and learning; (ii) are specific to academic subject matter; and (iii) focus on the identification of students’ specific learning needs, particularly students with disabilities, students who are English learners, students who are gifted and talented, and students with low literacy levels, and the tailoring of academic instruction to such needs; (E) conduct an ongoing assessment of student learning, which may include the use of formative assessments, performance-based assessments, project-based assessments, or portfolio assessments, that measures higher-order thinking skills (including application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation); (F) effectively manage a classroom, including the ability to implement positive behavioral interventions and support strategies; (G) communicate and work with parents, and involve parents in their children’s education