Language for Learning

teacher showing young students a chemistry set

Supporting multilingual students' academic success through language-focused instruction

As children grow and transition from early care and education (ECE) settings into K-12 classrooms – as well as between educational and home (or community) settings – they expand their language knowledge and use language in new ways. WIDA supports educators and administrators in creating meaningful opportunities for multilingual children and youth to participate in learning.

From early childhood through grade 12, it is essential for multilingual students’ success that they have consistent opportunities to deepen their content-area understanding at the same time as they further develop their language competencies. WIDA has designed the resources below to support multilingual students’ academic success.

Language for Learning in the Early Years

WIDA Early Years is a system that supports ECE practitioners in planning instruction and creating language-rich environments that support the learning and development of young multilingual children.

The WIDA Early Years comprehensive system of products and services is informed by:

The WIDA Early Years Guiding Principles of Language Development

Outline theoretical foundations related to language use as children grow and develop
Emphasize the importance of play and interaction in language development
Highlight factors influencing language development

The Can Do Philosophy

Describes our belief that multilingual learners, their educators and their families possess unique and valuable assets that can support individual student learning as well as the learning of classroom and school communities
Represents a resource educators can use to advocate on behalf of multilingual children and youth

Language for Learning in K-12

As part of its commitment to the academic achievement of multilingual learners, WIDA offers a comprehensive system of standards and assessments to support educators in designing instruction that advances multilingual learners’ language development and engagement in content-area learning.

WIDA's comprehensive system of standards and assessments is informed by:

The WIDA Guiding Principles

Describe the theoretical foundations related to language use
Foreground the importance of context in language development
Outline the process of language development and some of the factors that influence it

The Can Do Philosophy

Describes our belief that multilingual learners, their educators and their families possess unique and valuable assets that can support individual student learning as well as the learning of classroom and school communities
Represents a resource educators can use to advocate on behalf of multilingual children and youth

For more information about the theories and approaches that reflect WIDA’s stance on language development, see Appendix F in the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020 Edition.