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WIDA's Featured Educator is a bi-monthly feature article that highlights classroom, district, or state-level educators who are making a difference in the lives of multilingual learners. Nominate an outstanding colleague today!

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What is a cognitive lab and how does it work? WIDA Researcher Mark Chapman explains

March 4, 2024

Cognitive labs are an important component of the test development process. They allow researchers to gather detailed information about students’ test-taking experiences. Read on to learn about how they work, with a recent one in Colorado as an example.

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Five strategies to welcome newcomers into your classroom

March 1, 2024

Learn five ways you can help welcome newcomers into your classroom and how you can dive deeper with WIDA’s virtual, self-paced workshop — Newcomers: Promoting Success through Strengthening Practice.

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Additional Speaking content added to WIDA MODEL Online

February 19, 2024

The latest WIDA MODEL Online update provides some additional Speaking test content variation for students taking the same grade-level cluster test more than once. This article explains how the MODEL Online platform provides Speaking content variation for students, and how to prepare to administer the Speaking test.

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Conversaciones con educadores: Eva Gonzalez Heredia discute la capacitación profesional que apoya el desarrollo del español

February 14, 2024

En esta edición de Conversaciones con educadores, que antes se titulaba Conversaciones con Tim, Eva Gonzalez Heredia discute su experiencia en el desarrollo y la enseñanza del español. Ella ofrece consejos y recursos para otros educadores.

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Conversations with Educators: Eva Gonzalez Heredia on professional learning to support Spanish language development

February 14, 2024

In this edition of Conversations with Educators, formerly known as Conversations with Tim, Eva Gonzalez Heredia discusses her expertise in Spanish language development and instruction. She offers advice and resources for fellow educators.

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Everything you’ve ever wanted to know: ACCESS test development

January 24, 2024

Wondering how test items are created? Or would you like to know how WIDA ensures test items are accessible and unbiased? Read on for answers to frequently asked questions about test development.

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Featured Educator: 2023 WIDA Fellows at the WIDA Annual Conference

January 12, 2024

The WIDA Fellows program, launched in 2019, brings expert educators and WIDA staff together in a collaborative effort to enhance the development of WIDA products and services. Some of the fellows spoke during a session at the 2023 WIDA Annual Conference.

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Introducing: WIDA Webinars

January 9, 2024

We’re offering a new, free virtual learning opportunity: WIDA Webinars. Four webinars are scheduled for 2024. Read about them and register.

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Kick 2024 off with this advice from your fellow educators

January 3, 2024

We asked educators at the 2023 WIDA Annual Conference what their number one piece of advice was for other educators. Here’s what they said!

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WIDA MODEL Online scale scores linked to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)

December 8, 2023

WIDA researchers and international school educators collaborated to link WIDA MODEL Online scale scores to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The CEFR is an international standard for describing language proficiency and is used by schools and organizations around the world. Now that MODEL Online and the CEFR have been linked, educators can understand their students’ MODEL Online scale scores in terms of the CEFR levels, which are meaningful worldwide.

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