So… WIDA? So What?
John WolfeMultilingual Program Facilitator
http://www.mplsesl.wikispaces.comJune 15, 2012
or, Now That You Got All That WIDA ACCESS Data, What Do You Do
With It.
Toda
y (J
une
15, 2
012) 1. The Essence of WIDA
2. The DNA of WIDA» The WIDA Criteria» “Manifest Destiny,” Standards & the WIDA Criteria
3. WIDA in a Nutshell» 3 ½ Steps» The Curriculum Writing Project
4. But there’s more … EL’s need TWO things!Support for Content Learning & ELD (English Lang Development)
» Analogy: Firefighter Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
5. WIDA ≠ MAP (WIDA measures Language Proficiency, which is related to but different from Academic Achievement.)
6. Stoop vs. Stretch: » Stoop for Content Instruction; Stretch ‘em for ELD
7. Your Data & Planning Time
About taking
notes …
Relax … Everything (and more) is on The Wikihttp://www.mplsesl.wikispaces.com/
Prologue: Not Here To Make Your Life Easy
The task of psychoanalysis:
To transform neurotic misery to ordinary human unhappiness …
In the same way, supporting a kid’s meaningful access to grade-level instruction …
Doesn’t make me happy …
The Essence of WIDA
WIDA gives you key info about the language that an English Learner can handle for
grade-level learning.
The Essence of WIDA
WIDA gives you key info about the language that an English Learner can handle
for grade-level learning.
How hard – how difficult, how
challenging – can that language be?
In other words, Essence of WIDA …What kind of language can
the kid handle?
What can I reasonably expect from
him?
How do I know I’m not
lowering my expectations?
He should be able to do this,
right?
WIDA Proficiency Levels (Nutshell Perspective)
WIDA Levels describe the
difficulty of the language we can
reasonably expect a student to be able to use for grade-level content learning.
Toda
y (J
une
15, 2
012) 1. The Essence of WIDA: WIDA Levels describe the difficulty of the language we
can reasonably expect a student to be able to use for grade-level content learning.
2. The DNA of WIDA» The WIDA Criteria» “Manifest Destiny,” Standards & the WIDA Criteria
3. WIDA in a Nutshell» 3 ½ Steps» The Curriculum Writing Project
4. But there’s more … EL’s need TWO things!Support for Content Learning & ELD (English Lang Development)
» Analogy: Firefighter Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
5. WIDA ≠ MAP (WIDA measures Language Proficiency, which is related to but different from Academic Achievement.)
6. Stoop vs. Stretch: 1. Stoop for Content Instruction; Stretch ‘em for ELD
7. Your Data & Planning Time
Remember! language serves content learning
What students can do with language BROADLY
But what might that look like in a particular lesson in a particular unit?
But what does that look like at different grades? With different language domains? (Speak/Listen/ Read/Write)
WIDA is a Complex
System but …
WIDA Criteria = WIDA DNA
WIDA CVC Criteria: Your New Best Friend
1 – Entering 2 – Emerging 3 – Developing 4 – Expanding 5 – Bridging
Linguistic Complexity
Single words Phrases, short sentences
Series of related sentences
Moderate discourse
Complex discourse
Vocabulary Usage
Most common vocabulary
High frequency vocabulary
General and some specific vocabulary
Specialized & some technical vocabulary
Specialized & technical vocabulary
Language Control
Memorized language
Errors inhibiting communication
Meaning overrides errors
Language w/minimal errors
Language comparable to English peers
… and the Can-Do Descriptors would then answer the question:
“What does ‘a series of related sentences’ look like in terms of Kindergarten?”
WIDA Criteria in
Action: Modify the Demands
Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies 2011
7.4.4.18.2 Identify new technologies and innovations that transformed the United States' economy and society; explain how they influenced political and regional development. (Expansion and Reform: 1792-1861)
For example: Cotton gin, power loom, steam engine, railroad.
Reading Benchmarks: Literacy in History/Social Studies 6–12)
6.12.1.1 Cite specific textual, visual or physical evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources
The WIDA Criteria in Action! Using the WIDA Criteria chart, respond to this question at the various WIDA Levels: Describe how John Gast’s 1872 painting, “American Progress or Manifest Destiny” shows the relationship between technological change and the Westerward Expansion.
1 – Entering
Linguistic Complexity Single words
Vocabulary Usage Most common vocabulary
Language Control Memorized language
Describe how John Gast’s 1872 painting, “American Progress or Manifest Destiny” shows the relationship between technological change and the Westerward Expansion.
Social Studies 7.4.4.18.2 Identify new technologies and innovations that transformed the United States' economy and society; explain how they influenced political and regional development. (Expansion and Reform: 1792-1861)
Reading/Literacy in History/SS: 6.12.1.1 Cite specific textual, visual or physical evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources
2 – Emerging
Linguistic Complexity Phrases, short sentences
Vocabulary Usage High frequency vocabulary
Language Control Errors inhibiting communication
Describe how John Gast’s 1872 painting, “American Progress or Manifest Destiny” shows the relationship between technological change and the Westerward Expansion.
Social Studies 7.4.4.18.2 Identify new technologies and innovations that transformed the United States' economy and society; explain how they influenced political and regional development. (Expansion and Reform: 1792-1861)
Reading/Literacy in History/SS: 6.12.1.1 Cite specific textual, visual or physical evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources
3 – Developing
Linguistic Complexity Series of related sentences
Vocabulary Usage General and some specific vocabulary
Language Control Meaning overrides errors
Describe how John Gast’s 1872 painting, “American Progress or Manifest Destiny” shows the relationship between technological change and the Westerward Expansion.
Social Studies 7.4.4.18.2 Identify new technologies and innovations that transformed the United States' economy and society; explain how they influenced political and regional development. (Expansion and Reform: 1792-1861)
Reading/Literacy in History/SS: 6.12.1.1 Cite specific textual, visual or physical evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources
4 – Expanding
Linguistic Complexity Moderate discourse
Vocabulary Usage Specialized & some technical vocabulary
Language Control Language w/minimal errors
Describe how John Gast’s 1872 painting, “American Progress or Manifest Destiny” shows the relationship between technological change and the Westerward Expansion.
Social Studies 7.4.4.18.2 Identify new technologies and innovations that transformed the United States' economy and society; explain how they influenced political and regional development. (Expansion and Reform: 1792-1861)
Reading/Literacy in History/SS: 6.12.1.1 Cite specific textual, visual or physical evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources
5 – Bridging
Linguistic Complexity Complex discourse
Vocabulary Usage Specialized & technical vocabulary
Language Control Language comparable to English peers
Describe how John Gast’s 1872 painting, “American Progress or Manifest Destiny” shows the relationship between technological change and the Westerward Expansion.
Social Studies 7.4.4.18.2 Identify new technologies and innovations that transformed the United States' economy and society; explain how they influenced political and regional development. (Expansion and Reform: 1792-1861)
Reading/Literacy in History/SS: 6.12.1.1 Cite specific textual, visual or physical evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources
Toda
y (J
une
15, 2
012) 1. The Essence of WIDA: WIDA Levels describe the difficulty of the language we
can reasonably expect a student to be able to use for grade-level content learning.
2. The DNA of WIDA» The WIDA Criteria» “Manifest Destiny,” Standards & the WIDA Criteria
3. WIDA in a Nutshell» 3 ½ Steps» The Curriculum Writing Project
4. But there’s more … EL’s need TWO things!Support for Content Learning & ELD (English Lang Development)
» Analogy: Firefighter Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
5. WIDA ≠ MAP (WIDA measures Language Proficiency, which is related to but different from Academic Achievement.)
6. Stoop vs. Stretch: 1. Stoop for Content Instruction; Stretch ‘em for ELD
7. Your Data & Planning Time
WIDA Philosophy in a Nutshell
WIDA: The Bigger Nutshell1. Language is the tool for learning! 2. LEP’s are in mainstream classrooms. (95% of the
time in MPS.)
3. LEP’s use their Limited English to learn in 5 basic contexts (Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Math, Social & Amplification.)
4. EL’s English -- no matter how limited – is an asset for learning. You work with what you’ve got!
5. WIDA is designed to help all teachers modify the language demands of instruction to provide LEP students with meaningful access to content.
Modifying the Language
Demands to Match the Learner’s
Language Proficiency:
The 3 ½-Step
Process
For every activity in a
learning sequence…
3 ½ Steps Towards Differentiating Learning Activities with WIDA
1. Identify
five key features of the activity … in order to clarify the activity’s language demands
For the activity, identify the following:
(a) primary Language Domain, Is it primarily a speaking, listening, reading or writing activity?
(b) the Language Function, See the list at http://mplsesl.wikispaces.com/file/view/langfunc.pdf.
(c) the Content Ffocus, to determine needed content vocabulary & comprehension support
(d) the Standards-Related Learning Target What essential learning is the activity in the service of?
(e) the Language Supports See the list at the bottom of the page.
2. Determine the WIDA Proficiency Levels the activity is “pitched” to… using the WIDA CVC Criteria. In other words, what’s the lowest WIDA Proficiency that could meaningfully participate?
Criteria for Performance Definitions Linguistic Complexity: The amount and quality of speech or writing for a given situation Vocabulary Usage: The specificity of words or phrases for a given context Language Control: The comprehensibility of the communication based on the amount and type of errors
1 – Entering 2 – Emerging 3 – Developing 4 – Expanding 5 – Bridging Linguistic
Complexity Single words Phrases, short
sentences Series of related
sentences Moderate discourse Complex discourse
Vocabulary Usage
Most common vocabulary
High frequency vocabulary
General and some specific vocabulary
Specialized & some technical vocab
Specialized & technical vocab
Language Control
Memorized language
Errors inhibiting communication
Meaning overrides errors
Language w/minimal errors
Language comparable to English peers
3. Figure out an analogous activity for lower proficiency levels.…
How can the learning goal be furthered with less demanding language?
Can-Do Descriptor for Grade Cluster 3-5 Speaking
Level 2: Expanding Level 3: Developing Level 4: Expanding • Ask simple, everyday questions (e.g., “Who is absent?”)
• Restate content-based facts • Describe pictures, events, objects, or people using phrases or short sentences
• Share basic social information with peers
• Answer simple content-based questions
• Re/tell short stories or events • Make predictions or hypotheses from discourse
• Offer solutions to social conflict • Present content-based information
• Engage in problem-solving
• Answer opinion questions with supporting details
• Discuss stories, issues, and concepts
• Give content-based oral reports • Offer creative solutions to issues/problems
• Compare/contrast content-based functions and relationships
3.5. Consider whether greater levels of scaffolding will be enough to support the less proficient students … but be careful with this!
Figure 3G: Examples of Sensory, Graphic and Interactive Supports Sensory Supports Graphic Supports Interactive Supports
• Real-life objects (realia) • Manipulatives • Pictures & photographs • Illustrations, diagrams & drawings • Magazines & newspapers • Physical activities • Videos & Films • Broadcasts • Models & figures
• Charts • Graphic
organizers • Tables • Graphs • Timelines • Number lines
• In pairs or partners • In triads or small groups • In a whole group • Using cooperative group
structures • With the Internet (Web sites) or
software programs • In the native language (L1) • With mentors
Figure 3G: Examples of Sensory, Graphic and Interactive Supports Sensory Supports Graphic Supports Interactive Supports • Real-life objects (realia) • Manipulatives • Pictures & photographs • Illustrations, diagrams & drawings • Magazines & newspapers • Physical activities • Videos & Films • Broadcasts • Models & figures
• Charts • Graphic organizers • Tables • Graphs • Timelines • Number lines
• In pairs or partners • In triads or small groups • In a whole group • Using cooperative group structures • With the Internet (Web sites) or
software programs • In the native language (L1) • With mentors
Examples of Vocabulary Types
Focused Instruction Curriculum Writing
Toda
y (J
une
15, 2
012) 1. The Essence of WIDA: WIDA Levels describe the difficulty of the language we
can reasonably expect a student to be able to use for grade-level content learning.
2. The DNA of WIDA» The WIDA Criteria» “Manifest Destiny,” Standards & the WIDA Criteria
3. WIDA in a Nutshell» 3 ½ Steps» The Curriculum Writing Project
4. But there’s more … EL’s need TWO things!Support for Content Learning & ELD (English Lang Development)
5. Stoop vs. Stretch: » Stoop for Content Instruction; Stretch ‘em for ELD
6. WIDA ≠ MAP (WIDA measures Language Proficiency, which is related to but different from Academic Achievement.)
1. Analogy: Firefighter Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
7. Your Data & Planning Time
Two Key Roles of the ESL Teacher
English Language Development
Meaningful Access to Grade-Level Learning
Informed by Second Language Acquisition Theory • a communicative focus,
• commitment to Academic language
• intensified practice of academic speaking and listening
• opportunities to focus on FORM (i.e., grammar, correctness of language)
• systematic attention to developmentally appropriate vocabulary & grammatical structures
Informed by WIDA Standards & Tools differentiate instruction based on student
language proficiency,
match the language demands of content instruction to the student’s language abilities,
(and, ultimately) provide learners with supported opportunities to expand proficiency through challenging language tasks (speaking, listening, reading and writing) above their current levels (i+1 or ZPD)
In the service of both goals: Ongoing Progress monitoring of English Language Development
Stoop down for content instruction ….
Make students stretch for language instruction
…
Because you can modify your language to meet your English Learners’ needs – but they can’t modify theirs to meet your demands.
WIDA CVC Criteria: Your New Best Friend
1 – Entering 2 – Emerging 3 – Developing 4 – Expanding 5 – Bridging
Linguistic Complexity
Single words Phrases, short sentences
Series of related sentences
Moderate discourse
Complex discourse
Vocabulary Usage
Most common vocabulary
High frequency vocabulary
General and some specific vocabulary
Specialized & some technical vocabulary
Specialized & technical vocabulary
Language Control
Memorized language
Errors inhibiting communication
Meaning overrides errors
Language w/minimal errors
Language comparable to English peers
… and the Can-Do Descriptors would then answer the question:
“What does ‘a series of related sentences’ look like in terms of Kindergarten?”
Blue Whales and Buttercups = Level N
= 3.0 G/L
The Code = Level 0(a little above 3.0)
Where from here?“What use is a newborn baby?“
(Benjamin Franklin)
1. Look at your student data … their reading levels and English Proficiency levels (WIDA Levels).
2. Look at the CVC Criteria to suggest what type of language a student at that WIDA Level can bring to the task of content learning.
3. Review the language-based learning activities AND the language-based assessments – and keep going back to that key question: How can my student have meaningful interaction OR generate true evidence of learning within the constraints of his or her language?
Let the collaboration begin …
