WIDA
Academic language has three features; they are1. Functions (Cognitive Tasks)
2. Forms (Academic Language)
3. Fluency (Proficiency)
Language Vs. Content
Language proficiency involves the language associated with the content areas.
Academic achievement reflects the knowledge and skills associated with the content
WIDA is an acronym for:
- World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment
Language Proficiency:
- Encompasses both social contexts associated with language acquisition and academic contexts
English Language Proficiency Standards:
- Guide the development of test blueprints
- Reflect the social and academic language expectations of ELLs in grades Pre-K-12
English Language Proficiency Standards and NCLB:
- NCLB mandates that states administer a standards-based English language proficiency test annually
Title I and Title III Requirements:
- Title I:
1. Academic Content Standards
2. Academic Achievement Standards
3. Annual Measureable Achievement Objectives (Academic)
- Title III:
1. English Language Proficiency Standards
2. Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (English Language Proficiency)
- Both:
- Increase ELP & Academic Development
English Language Proficiency Standard Address:
1. Pedagogy
2. Assessment
3. Educational Policy
The English Language Proficiency Standards and their Abbreviations
See Figure 2A (RG10)
Standard / Abbreviation
English Language Proficiency Standard 1 / English language learners communicate for Social and Instructional purposes within the school setting. / Social and Instructional language
English Language Proficiency Standard 2 / English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Language Arts / The language of Language Arts
English Language Proficiency Standard 3 / English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Mathematics / The language of Mathematics
English Language Proficiency Standard 4 / English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Science / The language of Science
English Language Proficiency Standard 5 / English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Social Studies / The language of Social Studies
The Language Domains:
1. Listening (receptive) -process, understand, interpret, and evaluate spoken language in a variety of settings
2. Speaking (productive) - engage in oral communication in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes and audiences
3. Reading (receptive) – process , understand, interpret, and evaluate written language, symbols and texts with understanding and fluency
4. Writing (productive) – engage in written communication for a variety of situations for a variety of purposes and audiences
English Language Proficiency Links and Alignment:
- Link language learning with state academic standards (Illinois Content Standards)
Source: www.ode.state.or.us/opportunities/grants/nclb/title.../overview.ppt
WIDA 2007:
- Formative and Summative Frameworks for Assessment and Instruction
- 5 grade level clusters: PreK-K, 1-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12
- Arranged by language domain: listening and speaking, reading and writing
- 6 levels of English language proficiency: 1.Entering, 2. Beginning, 3. Developing, 4.Expanding, 5. Bridging and 6. Reaching
- Example topics, drawn from state and national academic content standards, listed for each language domain and presented in the left-hand column of the matrices
- Example genre strands of model performance indicators, drawn from state and national academic content standards, listed for each language domain and presented in the left-hand column of the matrices, alternate
with topic strands in Standard 2
- Sensory, graphic and/or interactive support present in model performance indicators through language proficiency level 4
Frameworks:
Formative: continuous, ongoing, informal, Continually gather data about how well students are understanding during instruction
Focus: to guide student learning and teacher instruction on an ongoing basis
Summative: final, formal, evaluative
Focus: to identify the range of MPI’s that describe the outcomes of learning
Common Elements:
- ELP standards
- Language Domains
- Grade-level clusters
- Language proficiency levels
Source: Castro, M., 2006
Linguistic Complexity
Linguistic complexity refers to the amount of discourse (oral or written), the types and variety of
grammatical structures, the organization and cohesion of ideas and, at the higher levels of language
proficiency, the use of text structures in specific genres. For example, expository essays often include
the use of language to foreshadow, argue and summarize (Schleppegrell, 2004). As ELLs gain
proficiency in English, their processing abilities and use of complex structures increase accordingly.
Vocabulary Usage
The role of vocabulary, in particular, the use of academic language associated with content-based
instruction, has been documented as critical in the literacy development of second language learners.
In fact, “mastery of academic language is arguably the single most important determinant of
academic success; to be successful academically, students need to develop the specialized language of
academic discourse that is distinct from conversational language” (Francis, Rivera, Lesaux, & Rivera,
2006, p.7). In the Performance Definitions, as students progress from the Entering to Reaching
levels of proficiency, we witness change in vocabulary use from general language to specific language
to specialized or technical language that is required in processing or responding to a task.
Figure 5C gives example sets of general, specific and technical terms associated with ELP standards
2-5 for a given grade level cluster. These examples illustrate ELLs’ second language acquisition;
they are not to be confused with the three tiers of general vocabulary development described by
McKeown, Beck, & Kucan (2002) as high frequency words, rich words and low-frequency words.
There are many high-frequency words in English, for example, that have multiple meanings used in a
variety of contexts which make them difficult for ELLs.
See RG-46
MPI (Model Performance Indicators)
A model performance indicator (MPI) is a single cell within the standards’ matrices that describes a
specific level of English language proficiency (ELP) for a language domain. An MPI is the smallest
unit of a topical strand. Figure 3A shows the three essential elements of an MPI, and an example
(“e.g.”), which is not essential. Each of these elements is discussed in further detail starting with
Section 3.2.
The first word of an MPI is its language function; that is, how English language learners (ELLs)
process or use language to communicate in a variety of situations. The example topic relates the
context or backdrop for language interaction within school. The language focus for the content
related to the topic may be social, instructional or academic, depending on the standard. Finally,
there is some form of support (sensory, graphic or interactive) for ELLs through language
proficiency level 4, as it provides a necessary avenue for ELLs to access meaning. You will learn more
about the optional element of MPIs, the example (“e.g.”), in section 3.5.
Castro, M., 2006
See RG-14 for Elements of a MPI and RG15 and RG21
Performance Definitions: See RG-45
At the given level of English language proficiency, English language learners will process, understand,
produce or use:
6- Reaching
• specialized or technical language reflective of the content areas at grade level
• a variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in extended oral
or written discourse as required by the specified grade level
• oral or written communication in English comparable to proficient English
peers
5- Bridging
• specialized or technical language of the content areas
• a variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in extended oral
or written discourse, including stories, essays or reports
• oral or written language approaching comparability to that of proficient
English peers when presented with grade level material
4- Expanding
• specific and some technical language of the content areas
• a variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in oral discourse
or multiple, related sentences or paragraphs
• oral or written language with minimal phonological, syntactic or semantic
errors that do not impede the overall meaning of the communication when
presented with oral or written connected discourse with sensory, graphic or
interactive support
3- Developing
• general and some specific language of the content areas
• expanded sentences in oral interaction or written paragraphs
• oral or written language with phonological, syntactic or semantic errors that
may impede the communication, but retain much of its meaning, when
presented with oral or written, narrative or expository descriptions with
sensory, graphic or interactive support
2- Beginning
• general language related to the content areas
• phrases or short sentences
• oral or written language with phonological, syntactic, or semantic errors that
often impede the meaning of the communication when presented with one to
multiple-step commands, directions, questions, or a series of statements with
sensory, graphic or interactive support
1- Entering
• pictorial or graphic representation of the language of the content areas
• words, phrases or chunks of language when presented with one-step
commands, directions,
WH-, choice or yes/no questions, or statements with sensory, graphic or
interactive support
Lesson Planning should encompass the following:
1. Illinois Standards
2. WIDA Standards
3. English Language Proficiency Standard
4. Cognitive Academic Language
5. Four Language Domains (thinking is embedded)
6. Multiple Intelligences
7. Bloom’s Taxonomy
8. Big Ideas
9. Essential Questions
10. Target Vocabulary
11. Formative Assessments
12. Summative Assessments
13. Instructional Strategies/Scaffolding
References
Castro, M. (2006). WIDA: Working with English language learners. Retrieved July, 2008 from
wida.org.
Dutro, S. & Moran, C. (2003). Rethinking English Language Instruction: An Architectural Approach in
Garcia, G. (Ed), English Learners: Reaching the Highest Level of English Literacy. Newark, DE:
International Reading Association.
Gottlieb, M., Cranley, M. E., & Oliver, A. R. (2007). WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards and
Resource Guide: Pre-kindergarten through Grade 12. Madison: University of Wisconsin-Madison,
WIDA Consortium.
©Elizabeth Kotis, 2010 Page 1