Using the WIDA Framework and NJSLS to Plan for Multilingual Learners in English Language Arts

This workshop equips administrators and educators with strategies to align the WIDA English Language Development Standards with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) in English Language Arts. Participants will explore the WIDA Can Do Philosophy, key language uses, and proficiency levels to design equitable instruction. Through interactive activities, attendees will practice identifying language demands, scaffolding tasks, and monitoring student growth. The goal is to build a student-centered environment where multilingual learners (MLs) can access rigorous ELA content while developing language proficiency.

• MLs’ unique language needs are often overlooked when planning ELA instruction.
  
  
• Teachers may conflate English proficiency with content mastery, leading to inequitable assessment practices.
  
  
• Lack of systematic scaffolding results in MLs being excluded from rigorous, grade-level learning opportunities.

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• Integrating Standards: Participants will learn how to align WIDA standards, Can Do Descriptors, and key language uses with NJSLS ELA expectations to ensure language and content goals are addressed together.
  
• Designing Scaffolds & Supports: Administrators will gain tools to coach teachers in using visuals, sentence frames, cooperative structures, and differentiated questioning to support MLs at all proficiency levels.‍
• Monitoring Growth: Participants will explore multiple modalities of assessment and develop strategies for observing, documenting, and celebrating both content mastery and language development in MLs.