WIDA News October 2019
Advancing ALTELLA: Alternate ACCESS Redesign Project
WIDA is pleased to announce that the Advancing ALTELLA: Alternate ACCESS Redesign Project was fully funded by a grant through the U.S. Department of Education. This $3.998 million grant will be a four-year collaboration between WIDA partners, Texas, national experts, and key external groups. Minnesota is the lead state on the grant.
The project will result in updated Alternate ACCESS forms, an alternate kindergarten assessment, and an alternate screener. The Advancing ALTELLA project will continue to further our collective commitment to improve outcomes for multilingual learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
Meet ESL Teacher Sheila Hickman from New Jersey
From business major to Peace Corps volunteer and now ESL teacher, Sheila Hickman has followed her path with a desire to make a difference in the lives of children. She always wants to be the teacher the students know as someone who cares about their futures. Sheila says she is thankful for help from WIDA. "Every day that I enter my classroom, I give 100% to my students. WIDA has helped me do that with the abundance of resources they provide. From the invaluable data from ACCESS for ELLs, to the webinars, to the CAN DO Descriptors, WIDA has given me the tools I need to..."
WIDA Professional Learning Needs Assessment
WIDA is looking for educators to help inform the design of specific future WIDA Professional Learning offerings! Please encourage your educators to share their ideas on or before October 18, 2019.
WIDA Early Years Keeps Growing
Last month, we told you about two new states in the WIDA Early Years Network. This month, another state joins the growing list. Please help us welcome Michigan as the newest WIDA Early Years Member State!
See the Making Science Multilingual Program in action!
WIDA and the National Science Teaching Association have combined forces to create the Making Science Multilingual Program. Join program experts to learn innovative approaches to simultaneously strengthen language and science reasoning, and engage our nation's most rapidly growing group of students in the exciting world of science!
Explore WIDA CareersWIDA is hiring! We offer career opportunities across the organization, all of which are united around one vision: being the most trusted resource for the education of multilingual learners. Check out our current openings!
Making Science Multilingual Program experts David Crowther, Rita MacDonald, and Jennifer Wilfrid will present at each of the following NSTA Conferences:
- NSTA Area 1 Salt Lake City, Oct. 24-26
- NSTA Area 2 Cincinnati, Nov. 14-16
- NSTA Area 3 Seattle, Dec. 12-14
In Case You Missed It: The WIDA School Improvement System
Developed in collaboration with WIDA leaders, content experts, and the research team behind the Comprehensive Assessment of Leadership for Learning (CALL), the WIDA School Improvement System (WIDA SIS) is a school-wide assessment and feedback system that measures key instructional leadership practices that enhance instruction for English learners. Rather than focusing on specific individuals, WIDA SIS uses a comprehensive assessment to measure core leadership practices that are distributed across the school. Upon completion of the survey, school and district leaders receive immediate targeted data and feedback designed to support school improvement and decisions about professional growth essential for the instruction of ELLs.
Attending the 2019 WIDA Annual Conference and want to learn more about WIDA SIS? Visit the WIDA Store at booth #309 in the Exhibit Hall. Learn more and schedule a live demo of the WIDA School Improvement System on the Leadership for Learning website.
Missed WIDA MODEL Webinar and Awareness Week?
The WIDA MODEL Topical webinar video and digest version of WIDA MODEL Awareness Week messages are both now available in the WIDA Secure Portal (login required). Learn more about this interim, on-demand English language development assessment on the WIDA website.
Explore WIDA Careers
WIDA is hiring! We offer career opportunities across the organization, all of which are united around one vision: being the most trusted resource for the education of multilingual learners. Check out our current openings.
Upcoming WIDA Workshop Events
Learn more and register now to secure seats for you and your team.
Educator Collaboration to Support Multilingual Learners (2-day): Joliet, IL | November 14-15, 2019
Differentiation for Linguistically Diverse Students (1-day): Madison, WI | March 17, 2020
Purposeful Lesson Planning for Language Learners (2-day): Madison, WI | March 18-19, 2020
Differentiation for Linguistically Diverse Students (1-day): Baltimore, MD | April 21, 2020
Educator Collaboration to Support Multilingual Learners (2-day): Baltimore, MD | April 22-23, 2020
Formative Language Assessment (2-day): Madison, WI | April 22-23, 2020
Interpreting ACCESS for ELLs Score Reports for Instruction (1-day): Platteville, WI | May 4, 2020
Differentiation for Linguistically Diverse Students (1-day): Madison, WI | May 19, 2020
Educator Collaboration to Support Multilingual Learners (2-day): Madison, WI | May 20-21, 2020
Differentiation for Linguistically Diverse Students (1-day): Madison, WI | July 14, 2020
Formative Language Assessment (2-day): Madison, WI | July 15-16, 2020
Register to attend or bring WIDA Workshops to your school. Contact wida.pl@wceps.org to schedule your school-based workshop today!
Connect with WIDA
Learn about the latest resources, exchange ideas and in engage in discussion.
Nominate an Educator
WIDA's Featured Educator is a 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!