WIDA Summer Research Internship

WIDA offers summer research internships in language assessment to graduate students. Interns will participate in WIDA Assessment research projects and collaborate with WIDA researchers on projects that address academic language development in the K-12 context.

About the Assessment Team

The WIDA Assessment Team pursues a validation research agenda that supports the WIDA suite of language assessments, including ACCESS for ELLs, WIDA Screener and WIDA MODEL. Interns may contribute to various aspects of this research agenda, such as study design, data collection and analyses, manuscript/report authoring and review, and presentation of findings. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods projects may be assigned to interns, depending on the background of qualified applicants. Interested applicants may also participate in test development activities, such as content reviews. Specific projects will be assigned to each intern, based on individual interests and strengths at the beginning of the internship. Interns have enjoyed opportunities to co-present with WIDA researchers at conferences and to co-publish their work in the field.

In some cases, depending on the needs of specific research projects, interns may be invited to continue contributing to their assigned project after the completion of the summer internship. Such opportunities for extended compensated work are optional for interns and shall not extend beyond the end of the same calendar year nor exceed a total of 100 hours.

Important Dates for Summer 2025

Application Submission Opening: December 16, 2024
Application Deadline: February 7, 2025 
Notification of Decision: March 31, 2025
Internship Dates: June 9 – August 15, 2025 (dates are somewhat flexible)
Compensation: Paid internship with a competitive hourly salary (interns typically work 30 hours per week)

Eligibility

• Full-time enrollment in a doctoral program related to language assessment in a U.S. institution.
• Completion of a minimum of two years of coursework toward a doctoral degree, prior to beginning the internship

Application Procedure

To apply, submit the following via email to widainternships@wcer.wisc.edu:

• Statement of purpose (1-2 pages maximum)
• Curriculum vitae
• Unofficial or official copies of graduate transcripts
• Contact information of two academic/professional references

Selection

Interns will be selected based on their scholarship and alignment of research interests with the current WIDA assessment research agenda. Finalists will be invited to Zoom interviews.

Contact

For more information, contact widainternships@wcer.wisc.edu.

Previous Internship Projects

2024 Project: Automated writing scoring for young multilingual learners

Jieun Kim, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

2024 Project: Dual Language Immersion Program Research

Kerry Pusey, University of Pennsylvania

2024 Project: Developing assessments that are accessible for students who are blind or who have low vision

Melinda Rossi, University of Colorado

2023 Project: Promoting “Standards-to-Assessment Literacy” for U.S. K-12 educators of multilingual learners 

Lorena Alarcon, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Conference Presentations:

Kemp, J. A., Kim, A. A., & Alarcón, L. (2024). Exploring the Impact of the 2020 Standards on ACCESS. Paper presented at the meeting of WIDA Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.

Kim, A. A., Alarcón, L., Kemp, J. A., & MacMillan, F. (2024). Communicating ELP Assessment Changes to K-12 Educators. Paper presented at the meeting of Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Innsbruck, Austria. 

Kim, A., Alarcon, L., Kemp, J. A., & MacMillan, F. (2024). Promoting K-12 educators’ understanding of the impact of English Language Development Standards on language assessments. Poster presented at the meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), Houston, TX.

Publication:

Alarcon, L. (2024). Learning and assessment of First Nations languages: Overview and annotated bibliography (WCER Working Paper No. 2024-1). University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research. https://wcer.wisc.edu/docs/working-papers/WCER_Working_Paper_No._2024-1a_.pdf

2023 Project: Validating a new writing scoring scale using multi-faceted Rasch analyses

Ping-Lin Chuang, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Publication:

Chuang, P.-L., Chapman, M., Bishop, K, & Kim, A. (2024). Validating a new writing scoring scale using multi-faceted Rasch analyses. (WIDA Technical Report 2024-1). University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research. https://wida.wisc.edu/sites/default/files/resource/TechnicalReport-Validating-New-Writing-Scoring-Scale-Using-Multi-faceted-Rasch-Analyses.pdf

2022 Project: English learner identification of kindergarten children

Jeanne Beck, Iowa State University

Conference Presentations:

West, G. B., & Beck, J. (2024, March). Exploring the multimodality of emerging writing by multilingual kindergarteners. Paper presented at the American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Conference, Houston, TX. 

West, G. B. &  Beck, J. (2023). Meaning versus mechanics: Finding a balance in defining features of kindergarten writing. Paper presented at the Language Testing Research Colloquium, New York, NY.

West, G. B., & Beck, J. (2023, April). What’s in a name? Examining the construct of name writing in assessing emerging writing of multilingual kindergartners. Paper presented virtually at the Association of Language Testers of Europe (ALTE) 8th International Conference, Madrid, Spain. 

2022 Project: Speaking Contrasting Groups Study

Wenyue (Melody) Ma, Michigan State University

Conference Presentations:

MacGregor, D. & Ma, W.  (2023). Exploring the Relationship Between Student Scores and Teacher Perceptions of Speaking Proficiency. Paper presented at the Language Testing Research Colloquium, New York, NY.

MacGregor, D. & Ma, W.  (2022). Exploring the Relationship Between Student Scores and Teacher Perceptions of Speaking Proficiency. Poster presented at the Language Assessment Research Conference, Chicago, IL.

2021 Project: English learner identification of kindergarten children

Haeun (Hannah) Kim , Iowa State University

Conference Presentations:

Kim, H., & West, G. B. (2023, September). Measuring complexity features in young learner spoken language: Human versus contextually applied automated coding. Paper presented at the Midwest Association of Language Testing (MwALT) Conference, Urbana-Champaign, IL. 

West, G. B., Kim, H., Kemp, J. (2022, September). Rethinking and Recalibrating Approaches to Coding Young Multilingual Learners’ Spoken Responses. Paper presented at the meeting of the Language Assessment Research Conference (LARC), Chicago, IL.

Publication:

Kim, A. A., Ho, P., Beck, J., Kim, H., Chapman, M., & Glick, A. (2023). English Learner Identification of Kindergarten Learners: Implementing WIDA Screener for Kindergarten. (WIDA Working Paper No. WP-2023-1). Wisconsin Center for Education Research. https://wida.wisc.edu/sites/default/files/resource/English-Learner-Identification-Kindergarten-Learners.pdf

2021 Project: Examining the difficulty of ACCESS listening items

Monique Yoder, Michigan State University

Conference Presentations:

Yoder, M. (2023). Visual Complexity in Item and Response Option Images of a Listening Test for Young Learners. Paper presented at the Language Testing Research Colloquium, New York, NY.

O’Connell, S., Yoder, M., Kim, A., & Feldmann, J. (2022, March). Developing a Coding Scheme to Explore Listening Item Difficulty for Young Multilingual Learners. Poster presented at the virtual meeting of the Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC).

2020 Project: Complexity and fluency of English learners' responses on ACCESS speaking test

Soohye Yeom, New York University

Conference Presentations:

Kemp, J. A., Yeom, S., West, G. B., Kim, A. A., & Chapman, M.  (2023). Task Effects on a Computer-based Speaking Assessment for Young Learners: Looking across Two Grade Levels. Paper presented at the Language Testing Research Colloquium, New York, NY.

Chapman, M., Montee, M., Yeom, S., West, G. B., Kemp, J. A., & Kim, A. (2023, March). Can fluency discriminate between young language learners on a technology-mediated speaking test? Paper presented at the meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), Portland, OR.

Yeom, S., West, G. B., Kemp, J. A., Kim, A., & Chapman, M. (2022, September). Spoken academic language development of young English learners: Effects of proficiency levels and standards on complexity and fluency features. Paper presented at the Language Assessment Research Conference (LARC), Chicago, IL.

Yeom, S., West, G. B., Kemp, J. A., & Kim, A. (2022, March). Effects of Proficiency Levels and Standards on Features of Young English Learners’ Speaking Task Responses. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), Pittsburgh, PA.

2020 Project: Educator Friendly Assessment Use Argument

Shireen Baghestani, Iowa State University

Publication:

Kim, A., Baghastani, S., MacGregor, D., & Ho, P. (accepted). Supporting K-12 educators’ language assessment literacy via resources informed by validation frameworks.

Conference Presentation:

Kim, A., Baghastani, S., MacGregor, D., & Ho, P. (2021, Oct.). Developing an Educator-Friendly Assessment Use Argument to Enhance Educators’ Language Assessment Literacy. Poster presented at the virtual meeting of the Midwest Association of Language Testers (MwALT).

2019 Project: Examination of technology-enhanced items in ACCESS reading test

Rurik Lol Tywoniw, Georgia State University

Publications:

Kim, A., Tywoniw, R. L., & Chapman, M. (2022). Technology-Enhanced items in grades 1–12 English language proficiency assessments. Language Assessment Quarterly, (19)4, 343-367. https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2022.2039659

Kim, A., Tywoniw, L., R., Chapman, M. (2020). Performance of technology-enhanced items in Grades 1-12 English language proficiency assessments (WIDA Technical Report No. TR-2020-3). Madison, WI: WIDA at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research.

Conference Presentations:

Kim, A., Tywoniw, R. L., & Chapman, M. (2021, March). Examining Technology-Enhanced Items vs. Multiple-Choice Items on K-12 English Language Proficiency Assessments. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics 2021 Virtual Conference.

Kim, A., Tywoniw, R. L., & Chapman, M. (2019, October). Technology Enhanced Items and Young English Learners: What Construct are We Measuring? Poster presented at the meeting of the Midwest Association of Language Testers (MwALT) Conference, Bloomington, IN.

2019 Project: Complexity and fluency of English learners’ responses on ACCESS speaking test: A pilot study

Yangting "Tina" Wang, University of Texas at San Antonio

Conference Presentation:

Chapman, M., Montee, M., Wang, Y., Kim, A., West, G., & Tywoniw, R. L. (2021, March). Spoken Academic Language Development of K-12 English Learners: relationships between task variables and CAF measures. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) virtual conference.

2018 Project: Grades 1-12 English learners’ use of universal tools, embedded in ACCESS

Meltem Yumsek, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Publications:

Kim, A., Yumsek, M., Kemp, J., Chapman, M., & Cook, H. G. (2023). Universal tools activation in English language proficiency assessments: A comparison of grades 1-12 English learners with and without disabilities. Language Testing.  Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02655322221149009

Kim, A., Yumsek, M., & Chapman, M., Cook, H. G. (2019). Investigating K-12 English learners’ use of universal tools embedded in online language assessments (WIDA Technical Report No. TR-2019-2). Madison, WI: WIDA at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research.

Conference Presentations:

Kim, A., Kemp, J. A., Yumsek, M., Chapman, M., & Cook, H. G. (2023, April). Use of Universal Tools Embedded in Assessments: Grades 4-12 English learners with and without Disabilities. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), Chicago, IL.

Kim, A., Yumsek, M., Chapman, M., & Cook, H. G. (2020, April). How do English learners with and without disabilities use accessibility features in online language assessments? Paper presented at the meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), San Francisco, CA.

Kim, A., Yumsek, M., Chapman, M., & Cook, H. G. (2019, September). Examining How Language Proficiency Affects Grades 1-12 English Learners’ Use of Online Accessibility Features. Paper presented at the meeting of the East Coast Organization of Language Testers (ECOLT), Washington, DC.

Kim, A., Yumsek, M., Chapman, M., & Cook, H. G. (2019, April). Grades 1-12 English Learners’ Use of Accessibility Features, in Online Language Assessments. Paper presented at the meeting of the National Council on Educational Measurement (NCME), Toronto, CA.

Kim, A., Yumsek, M., Chapman, M., & Cook, H. G. (2019, March). Do test accessibility features have the intended effect for K-12 English learners? Paper presented at the meeting of the Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Atlanta, GA.

2017 Project: Effect of writing test mode on Grades 1-3 English learners’ performance

Shinhye Lee, Michigan State University

Publications:

Kim, A., Monroe, M., & Lee, S. (2020). Examining K-12 educators’ perception and instruction of online accessibility features. Computer Assisted Language Learning. 35(3), 437-468. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2019.1705353.

Kim, A., Lee, S., Chapman, M., & Wilmes, C. (2019). The effects of administration and response modes on grade 1-2 students’ writing performance. TESOL Quarterly, 53(2), 482-513. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.495

Conference Presentations:

Kim, A., Lee, S., Chapman, M., & Wilmes, C. (2018, July). The effects of administration and response modes on Grades 1-2 students’ academic writing performance. Paper presented at the meeting of the Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Auckland, New Zealand.

Kim, A., Lee, S., Chapman, M., & Wilmes, C. (2018, March). Examining the fluency, complexity, and accuracy of Grades 1-3 children’s second language writing performance on paper vs. online test modes. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), Chicago, IL.