Resources/Recursos

This flyer shows how WIDA English language development resources fit together. This resource is intended to serve as an entry point for teachers, administrators, state staff, etc. who are new to WIDA’s ELD system of support.

Released November 2023

This Snapshot will give K-12 educators ideas on how to apply the Proficiency Level Descriptors as they consider scaffolding practices that support multilingual students in meeting grade level content learning goals.

Released November 2023

The Marco de los estándares del desarrollo auténtico del lenguaje español de WIDA (Marco DALE) is a Spanish language development standards framework with Language Functions and sample Language Features designed to guide Spanish language development. Este documento guía el desarrollo del lenguaje español de forma auténtica a ese lenguaje y a contextos bilingües mediante expectativas del lenguaje que contienen funciones del lenguaje y ejemplos de recursos lingüísticos.

Written in Spanish with English summaries

Released October 2023

Learn how WIDA is more than a test! Mr. Vega is a 6^th grade EAL (English as an Additional Language) teacher at an international school who works with colleagues and families to support multilingual learners. Follow Mr. Vega all year long, as he focuses on what his students can do, using WIDA resources to collaborate and plan effective learning activities throughout the school year.

Released September 2023

The Alternate Proficiency Level Descriptors (Alternate PLDs) are an extension of the PLDs found in the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards, 2020 Edition, and describe the continuum of language development for ELs with the most significant cognitive disabilities. The Alternate PLDs are organized into five levels of English language proficiency for two communication modes: interpretive and expressive. Refer to the Glossary and Text Examples section for definitions of terms and examples of student responses. WIDA, with the help of classroom educators, created these proficiency levels to be unique to WIDA Alternate ACCESS.

Released August 2023

The Administrator Supplement is a companion piece to the Implementation Guide. Whereas the Implementation Guide explores ways to apply the ELD Standards Framework into curriculum and instruction at the classroom level, this Administrator Supplement focuses on strategic and programmatic aspects of standards implementation. Its audiences are superintendents, principals, directors, coordinators, coaches and those with similar responsibilities and roles.

Released June 2023

This guide offers practical ways to apply the ELD Standards Framework into curriculum and instruction at the classroom level. Its primary audiences are content and language teachers, specialists, coaches and instructional leaders. This guide is accompanied by the Administrator Supplement that focuses on programmatic aspects of standards implementation.

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 version of the report is for educators and provides information about a student’s scores on the Alternate ACCESS English language proficiency test. This test is based on the WIDA Alternate English Language Development Standards and is used to measure students’ progress in learning English. Scores are reported as Language Proficiency Levels and as Scale Scores.

Released February 2023

​This Focus Bulletin illustrates how teachers and students can use language development portfolios to interpret and document language growth. The bulletin follows the story of how a grade-level team introduced portfolios to their practice, posing several questions the team asked as they refined their usage. It closes by offering two sample tools that teachers can use and adapt to capture multilingual learners’ language growth using modified Proficiency Level Descriptors (PLDs) from the WIDA English Language Development Framework, 2020 Edition.

Published: December 2022 
Authors: Fernanda Marinho Kray, Margo Gottlieb, Lynn Shafer Willner

Released December 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 website serves as a digital database of the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework. It categorizes Language Expectations in two ways: by ELD standard statement and grade-level cluster, and by Key Language Use and communication mode. Proficiency Level Descriptors (PLDs) can be explored by grade-level cluster and communication mode.

Released August 2022

This Focus Bulletin emphasizes how multilingual learners' everyday language can be an asset to science teachers in their efforts to promote classroom engagement. It provides educators with real-world examples and guiding questions to help create learning spaces where sensemaking, co-construction, language development and equity can flourish simultaneously.

Published June 2022
Authors: Rita MacDonald, David Crowther, Jennifer Wilfrid

Released June 2022

​​Complete list of references cited in the WIDA Guiding Principles of Language Development.

Released June 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

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

Making Connections: Using the New Mexico Early Learning 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 New Mexico Early Learning Guidelines and WIDA resources to plan equitable learning opportunities for young multilingual children.

Released November 2021

Making Connections: Using the Early Childhood Indicators of Progress: Minnesota’s Early Learning 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 Early Childhood Indicators of Progress: Minnesota’s Early Learning Standards and WIDA resources to plan equitable learning opportunities for young multilingual children.

Released November 2021

This resource includes the Kindergarten materials that are part of the WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework, 2020 Edition. The materials specific to this grade level have been pulled together to provide educators of students in Kindergarten with a smaller, more manageable booklet to support their implementation of the WIDA ELD Standards Framework in their classroom.

Released October 2021