The North Carolina English Language Development (ELD) Standards are grounded in the WIDA Standards Framework. Along with providing assessments, WIDA provides Standards to guide the instruction of Multilingual Learners to access content-rich curriculum and navigate daily encounters with peers and adults in the school setting.
The work of WIDA is grounded in the Can-Do Philosophy-the belief that Multilingual Learners bring knowledge and experiences to the classroom in multiple languages that enhance learning. Most importantly, the Can-Do Philosophy reminds us that Multilingual Learner performance should always be viewed by what they "can-do" with the language they are learning and acquiring and how that existing knowledge can foster new learning.
The Guiding Principles of Language Development acknowledge the different skills and abilities that Multilingual Learners bring to the classroom. These principles outline the belief that multilingualism is a benefit to leverage learning and language acquisition. Learn more about the Guiding Principles below.
The resources below are developed by WIDA-University of Wisconsin -Madison.