WIDA at Conferences
Find WIDA staff at conferences across the country
In addition to hosting the WIDA Annual Conference, WIDA staff participate in many other regional, national and international conferences throughout the year.
Look for us at these upcoming conferences:
- Literacy Research Association (LRA) Conference - December 2025
December 3-6, 2025
Las Vegas, Nevada"We only focus on writing, no pictures today”: Navigating Challenges to Foster a Multimodal Literacy Learning Space in Elementary English Language Development (ELD) Classrooms
Hannah ParkExploring bilingual/ESL pre-service teachers’ emotioned learning and sensemaking in their knowledge co-construction as enacted during computer-mediated classroom discussion
Hannah ParkLearn more about LRA.
- Hawaii International Conference on Education - January 2026
January 8-11, 2026
Honolulu, HawaiiRooted in Respect: Culturally Sustaining Practices and Resources for Indigenous Student Success
Jenni Monie de Torres, Vitaliy Shyyan, Jamie Shanley (Sealaska Heritage Institute) and Gayle Miller (Lower Kuskokwim School District)English Language Growth Trajectories of ("Long-Term") English Learners: Trends Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Glenn Poole and Narék SahakyanLearn more about the Hawaii International Conference on Education.
- National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) Conference - February 2026
February 9-13, 2026
Chicago, IllinoisUtilizing Language Development Standards Frameworks: Integrating Content and Language in Instructional Units
Maya Martinez-Hart and Edith NavaLearn more about NABE.
- American Association For Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Conference - March 2026
March 21-24, 2026
Chicago, IllinoisImplementing English Language Development Standards and Transformative Practices in a Rural School District—A Case Study Approach
Hannah ParkGoals and Motivational Orientations of Multilingual International Students in English-Speaking Universities
Hannah ParkValidating language development with responsible AI: Using LLMs to support WIDA Can Do Descriptor updates
Lynn Shafer WillnerLearner-Centered Approaches in Language Assessment Research: Methodological Lessons from a K–12 Pilot Study
Fabiana MacMillan, Jason Kemp and David MacGregorLearn more about AAAL.
- National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) Annual Meeting - April 2026
April 8-11, 2026
Los Angeles, CaliforniaExamining Variation in Alternate English Language Proficiency and Alternate Content Assessment Outcomes
Glenn Poole and Narék SahakyanLearn more about NCME.
- American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting - April 2026
April 8-12, 2026
Los Angeles, CaliforniaImplementing English Language Development Standards and Transformative Practices in a Rural School District—A Case Study Approach
Hannah ParkA Space for Translanguaging: Secondary Students’ Agency and Identity Construction in Multilingual Online Classroom Discussions
Hannah ParkMultimodal literacy in secondary language arts classes: High school youths’ genre appropriation through multimodal composing
Hannah ParkFostering a Co-constructed Multimodal Learning Space Through Digital Multimodal Compositions in Elementary Multilingual Classrooms
Hannah ParkProficiency Outcomes of English Leaners with Significant Cognitive Disabilities Before, During, and After the Pandemic
Glenn Poole and Narék SahakyanFrom Confusion to Clarity: Improving a K-12 ELP Assessment Score Report for Parents (roundtable)
Jason A. Kemp, Alicia Kim, Fabiana MacMillan and Daisy Chang (former WIDA project assistant)Learn more about AERA.
WIDA researcher wins award for work in New Jersey

Lynn Shafer Willner, a researcher at WIDA, has been awarded the 2024 NJTESOL/NJBE President’s Award. This award is given annually to an individual whose work has significantly advanced the needs of multilingual learners in New Jersey, serving as a catalyst for change and excellence in education. Read the article about Lynn's work advancing the understanding and application of the WIDA ELD Standards Framework.