WIDA has elaborated on these standards by creating the WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework , 2020 Edition.  According to WIDA, "The 2020 Edition serves as a resource for planning and implementing language instruction and assessment for multilingual learners as they learn academic content."

Click here to learn more about the 2020 Edition and download the resource.

South Carolina uses three assessments to assess students.  These include:

• WIDA Screener: used to determine an initial English proficiency level

• WIDA Model: used to determine a student's English proficiency level after a lapse in annual assessment (may not be used by all districts...)

• ACCESS: used as an annual assessment to determine progress of Multilingual Learners' language acquisition.

WIDA offers continuous professional development courses and webinars for educators of MLs throughout the school year.  To browse current offerings, log in to WIDA's Secure Portal and click on "Professional Learning" and "Webinars."  There are also recordings from prior webinars available.

Article: Everything you've ever wanted to know: ACCESS for ELLs (quick refresher on training, test prep, communication with families, state requirements, and contact information). Click here.

* Upcoming webinars:

• Alternate ACCESS for ELLs Field Test 2022-23: December 1, 2:00-3:30 PM

• During Testing: Managing Test Sessions-ACCESS online:  December 6, 2:00-3:00 PM

*The recordings for WIDA Q&A Webinars are posted to the WIDA Secure Portal on the Webinars page within a week of the presentation.

*On-going self-paced professional learning courses:

• Home Languages in the Classroom

• Classroom Teachers: Engaging Multilingual Newcomers

• Leading Through Equity: Classroom Walkthrough

• Developing Language for Learning in Mathematics

• And several others!