Welcome to the official page for WIDA in New York: A Complete Beginner’s Guide — the essential resource for anyone working with multilingual learners in New York State. Whether you’re an ENL teacher, content-area teacher, administrator, college student, or educator preparing for the WIDA transition, this guide is designed to make everything clear, simple, and practical.
A Book Written for Real New York Classrooms
New York’s shift to WIDA brings huge opportunities — but also many questions. This book breaks everything down into plain language, so you don’t need to read dozens of memos or navigate complex PDFs just to understand what’s changing.
Inside the book, you’ll find:
✔ Clear explanations of WIDA
Learn what WIDA is, why New York adopted it, and what every educator needs to understand about the framework.
✔ Beginner-friendly walkthrough of the five WIDA ELD Standards
Each standard is explained in simple, practical terms with classroom-friendly examples across subjects.
✔ How to use WIDA tools in your daily teaching
Can Do Descriptors, Language Expectations, ALDs, Performance Definitions — explained so you always know when and how to use them.
✔ Assessments made simple
ACCESS, Alternate ACCESS, WIDA Screeners, score reports, and state expectations — all in a straightforward, easy-to-understand format.
✔ Proficiency levels (1–6) clearly explained
Finally understand what students can do at each level and what teachers should expect in real classrooms.
✔ Practical instructional strategies
Visual supports, sentence frames, modeling strategies, language objectives, small-group routines, partner talk, scaffolding — everything you need to support ELLs and MLLs without lowering rigor.
✔ Ready-to-use checklists and templates
Perfect for planning, collaboration, family communication, and supporting school-wide systems.
Who This Book Is For
This guide was created specifically for:
- New ENL teachers learning WIDA for the first time
- Experienced ENL teachers who want practical tools and clarity
- Math, Science, ELA, and Social Studies teachers who support MLLs
- Administrators who need a simple, accurate reference
- College students in teacher preparation programs
- Anyone providing ENL services in New York schools
If you’ve ever said, “I wish someone could just explain WIDA in plain English,” — this book was written for you.
Why Educators Love This Guide
- Easy to read
- No jargon
- Practical examples
- Accurate information based on NY guidance and WIDA documents
- Designed for immediate classroom use
- Perfect for PD, PLCs, and schoolwide WIDA onboarding
- Supports both beginners and experienced educators
Ready to Get Your Copy?
Your journey to teaching multilingual learners with clarity and confidence begins here.
Order on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2L8VR1C
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