What is the WIDA SCREENER?
By Adasa Jorgenson
The WIDA Screener is an English language proficiency assessment given to incoming students in Grades 1–12 to assist educators with the identification of students as English language learners (ELLs). The purpose of this assessment is to help educators make decisions about whether a student is a candidate for English language support services. As a flexible, on-demand language proficiency assessment, WIDA Screener can be administered at any time during the school year, depending on the needs of the district, school, teacher, or student.
The WIDA Screener is available as either a paper-based or online assessment. Both WIDA Screener Paper and WIDA Screener Online assess the four language domains of Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.
How to interpret the scores?
The WIDA Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition, Grades K–12 the WIDA Can Do Descriptors provide examples of what language learners can do at various stages of English language development in listening, speaking, reading and writing. The WIDA Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition is one component of the WIDA Standards Framework (shown at right). The framework, as a whole, supports the implementation of the WIDA English Language Development Standards in the instruction and assessment of language learners. We encourage educators to use the WIDA Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition in conjunction with the other components of the framework, along with the previous edition of the Can Do Descriptors. For more information on the WIDA Standards Framework, visit www.wida.us.
The WIDA Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition provides examples of academic language use for four specific communicative purposes. These purposes, referred to as Key Uses, were identified based on reviews of literature and a language analysis of college and career readiness standards:
Recount: To display knowledge or narrate experiences or events. Example tasks for the Key Use of Recount include telling or summarizing stories, producing information reports, and sharing past experiences.
Explain: To clarify the “why” or the “how” of ideas, actions, or phenomena. Example tasks for the Key Use of Explain include describing life cycles, sharing why or how things work, stating causes and effects, and sharing results of experiments.
Argue: To persuade by making claims supported by evidence. Example tasks for the Key Use of Argue include stating preferences or opinions and constructing arguments with evidence.
Discuss: To interact with others to build meaning and share knowledge. Example tasks for the Key Use of Discuss include participating in small or large group activities and projects.
The WIDA Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition and the example descriptors are not exhaustive but are meant to help guide the planning and conversation around meaningful participation of language learners in standards-based contest curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
If you have any questions or concern please feel free to contact me at:
Adasa Jorgenson
AMES ELL Coordinator
(801) 278-9460 ext. 103 or email me at [email protected]
For more information on WIDA you can go to WWW.WIDA.US