Resources/Recursos

This concept tool provides an overview for adopting a language-focused approach to play for multilingual children in PreK- third grade. This is the first of five resources intended to support PreK-3 educators to advocate for and incorporate joyful learning with multilingual children in their setting.

Released June 2023

The WIDA Early Years Guiding Principles of Language Development provide practitioners with a broad perspective on key concepts related to the language development of young children learning multiple languages. To further clarify the guiding principles, these research highlights provide practitioners with research-based descriptions and examples of effective practices.

Released June 2023

What should PreK educators consider as they adopt a language-focused approach to planning equitable learning opportunities for multilingual children? Use this Annotated Guide to explore guiding questions designed to help you use the Language-Focused Planning Tool.

Released June 2023

This guide provides a set of actions PreK-3 educators, administrators and staff can take to support a language-focused approach to family and community engagement, and teaching and learning practices.

Released June 2023

The WIDA Early Language Development Standards, available for English and Spanish language development, are designed for use with children ages 2.5–5.5 years old and correspond to five domains of children’s development and learning: approaches to learning, language and communication development, cognition and general knowledge, physical well-being and motor development, and social and emotional development.

Released April 2023

Making Connections: Using the Michigan Early Learning and Development Standards and WIDA Early Years Resources to Plan Instruction for Young Multilingual Children is a comprehensive resource that offers suggestions, tools, and sample plans for teachers who use the Michigan Early Learning and Development Standards and WIDA resources to plan equitable learning opportunities for young multilingual children.​​

Released February 2023

This comprehensive document explains the types of scores reported by ACCESS for ELLs for students in kindergarten through grade 12.

Released February 2023

Use this flyer in intake centers or at parent-teacher conferences as you explain the process of screening students and identifying them as ELLs. This flyer, available in several languages, explains how ELLs are identified and what that status means for students. Use it to help parents understand the purpose of screening and language testing.

Released January 2023

This concept tool provides an overview of equitable, language-focused approaches to multilingual children’s transitions across programs, districts, schools and grade levels (PreK-K, K-1, 1-2 and 2-3).

See the Teaching in PreK-3 page for context.

Released January 2023

In this Focus Bulletin, WIDA revisits landmark legislation and policies that shaped language education in the U.S. It presents unintended consequences on programming and instruction of bi/multilingual students; showcases how field practitioners address language policy and its consequences; and includes tools for reflection, collaboration, professional learning and community engagement.

Vea y descargue en español

Published November 2022
Author: Mariana Castro

Released November 2022

This WIDA Snapshot focuses on how you can gather information and reflect on the language and cultural goals families have for their children.

Released November 2022

Making Connections: Using the Washington State Early Learning and Development Guidelines and WIDA Early Years Resources to Plan Instruction for Young Multilingual Children is a comprehensive resource that offers suggestions, tools, and sample plans for teachers who use the Washington State Early Learning and Development Guidelines and WIDA resources to plan equitable learning opportunities for young multilingual children.

Released September 2022

This WIDA Snapshot is grounded in WIDA’s ABCs of Family Engagement and can be used to initiate reflection and conversation on local efforts to engage with families of multilingual children.

Released August 2022

Activities to start conversations with children about their family, what they like to play, how they feel, what sounds they hear in their home or community, and the weather.

Released July 2022

This Ukrainian-language flyer provides educators with information on how home languages play an important role in maintaining communication and relationships with family.​

Released July 2022

In this study, completed for the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning, we explore the perceptions, experiences and decision-making of 13 parents of young multilingual children, ages birth to 5 years. The focus revolves around children’s language learning and development, family engagement practices and children’s participation in early care and education (ECE) programs.

Published 2020

Released May 2022

In early care and education (ECE) settings, planning for multilingual children includes fostering the many ways we use language to make meaning of our environments, experiences, and learning. This WIDA Snapshot includes ideas for gathering information from families, community members, and classroom observations to use while planning.

Released April 2022

This WIDA Snapshot provides an overview of who multilingual children are, the benefits of promoting home language(s), and initial ideas for developing reciprocal partnerships with multilingual families.

Released February 2022

These posters bring each of the 10 WIDA Guiding Principles of Language Development to life and can be used by educators in classrooms and with parents, families and community members. Each illustrated guiding principle is set up for printing on a color laser printer. The finished printed size is 8.5x11 inches.

Released January 2022

Making Connections: Using the Virginia Early Learning and Development Standards and WIDA Early Years Resources to Plan Instruction for Young Multilingual Children is a comprehensive resource that offers suggestions, tools and sample plans for teachers who use the Virginia Early Learning and Development Standards and WIDA resources to plan equitable learning opportunities for young multilingual children.

Released December 2021