Overview

Virginia is part of the WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment) Consortium. Pulaski County Public Schools’ EL program therefore uses WIDA’s English Language Development (ELD) Standards at the core of its instruction.

English Language Development (ELD) Standards

The WIDA Consortium's English Language Development Standards for English Learners (ELs) in Kindergarten through Grade 12 encompass:

• Social and Instructional language
• the language of Language Arts
• the language of Mathematics
• the language of Science
• the language of Social Studies

Further Resources About The ELD Standards Essential Actions Handbook

Click here for handbook

Defining Features of Academic Language and Performance Definitions

The Features of Academic Language in WIDA's Standards

English Language Proficiency Levels

There are six levels of English language proficiency within the WIDA framework.

WIDA’S Can Do Descriptors

WIDA’s CAN DO Descriptors demonstrate what an EL may be expected to do across the four primary language domains (Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing) at his/her current English language proficiency level. The CAN DO Descriptors are clustered by grade level. These descriptors also provide concrete information as to what the EL may be expected to do as s/he works toward the next level of English language proficiency.