IntroductionThis study evaluated the impact of professional development programs on the instructional performance of teachers instructing in Arabic within private schools in Sharjah.MethodsAdopting a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, the research utilized a survey of 280 teachers and in-depth interviews with 14 participants.ResultsThe findings indicated a “High” overall perceived impact (Mean = 4.18), with the highest rating for the “Objectives” domain (4.31) and the lowest for “Application and Implementation” (4.10), highlighting a distinct gap between theoretical training and classroom practice. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were found in the perceived impact regarding years of experience, educational qualification, or gender. Teachers identified modern teaching technologies (including AI), differentiated instruction, and the renewal of classroom practices as their primary future development priorities.DiscussionThe findings highlight the need to bridge the theory-practice gap in professional development. Consequently, the study recommends designing participatory, specialized training tracks and integrating digital skills into a comprehensive and sustainable instructional system.