News

In this edition of Featured Educator, we share highlights from the 2021 WIDA eConference session, “Creating Powerful Learning Environments: A WIDA Fellows Panel Discussion.” During the session, some of the WIDA Fellows talked about the important lessons they learned this year and how they find and create joy in the classroom.

As this calendar year ends, let’s take a quick peek at the WIDA topics, resources or pieces of research that you and your colleagues clicked on most in 2021.

Are you new to ACCESS for ELLs? Have you administered an ACCESS for ELLs test before but can’t remember where to find things like training, test prep and test materials? Look no further than this brief reference to all things ACCESS for ELLs (and, seriously, we will try to keep it brief because we know you don’t have time to look at one more thing).

In this edition of Conversations with Tim, Tim talks to Anton Treuer, an author and professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University. Together, Tim and Anton discuss the importance of preserving indigenous languages and cultures.

In case you missed it (ICYMI) live, we highlight some of the themes, chat box happenings and TIL (today I learned) takeaways from a selection of 2021 WIDA eConference sessions. Plus, we tell you how to find the session recordings.

In this edition of WIDA Featured Student, we spotlight Nallely Gonzalez, a high school senior in Wisconsin and recent WIDA intern. Learn about what makes Nallely such a fabulous leader, and the things that excite her – like helping others and social justice.

In this edition of Voices from the Field, guest authors and ESL and ELA educators Martha Boisselle and Kristen Leathers discuss how they use the WIDA ELD Standards Framework to bring the Big Idea of Collaboration to life. The article contains a sample unit map and conversation outline to illuminate the collaborative planning process.

WIDA announces that the Virginia Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood Care and Education has joined the WIDA Early Years member state network.

WIDA announces that the Minnesota Department of Educations’ Division of Early Learning Services has renewed its membership with the WIDA Early Years member state network.

Leaders from the Maryland State Department of Education and Maryland state-approved trainers share the process they engaged in to design, develop, deliver and evaluate a series of state-approved trainings around the WIDA Early Years Essential Actions.