YOU CAN DO IT!!! Using WIDA Standards and the CAN DO Descriptors to raise your learning to the next level.

YOU CAN DO IT!!! WIDA CAN DO Descriptors tell us what students Can Do! The WIDA CAN DO Descriptors (2009) align language proficiency level to both interpersonal and academic language skills. Simply put, it identifies what students at specific language proficiency levels can do in various content areas and social language development.

How do Language Proficiency Levels align with CAN DO Descriptors? Language Proficiency levels are delineated according to how students process information and how they can express their learning. It is imperative to know student’s language proficiency levels in order to effectively differentiate instruction. CAN DO Descriptors describe what students can do in concert to determined language proficiency level.

Students identified as L1: Entering pictorial or graphic representation of the language of the content areas words, phrases, or chunks of language when presented with one-step commands, directions, WH-, choice, or yes/no questions, or statements with sensory, graphic, or interactive support oral language with phonological, syntactic, or semantic errors that often impede

Students at L2: Beginning general language related to the content areas phrases or short sentences oral or written language with phonological, syntactic, or semantic errors that often impede the meaning of the communication when presented with one- to multiple-step commands, directions, questions, or a series of statements with sensory, graphic, or interactive support

Students at L3:Developing general and some specific language of the content areas expanded sentences in oral interaction or written paragraphs oral or written language with phonological, syntactic, or semantic errors that may impede the communication, but retain much of its meaning, when presented with oral or written, narrative, or expository descriptions with sensory, graphic, or interactive support

Students at L4: Expanding specific and some technical language of the content areas a variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in oral discourse or multiple, related sentences, or paragraphs oral or written language with minimal phonological, syntactic, or semantic errors that do not impede the overall meaning of the communication when presented with oral or written connected discourse with sensory, graphic, or interactive support

Students at L5: Bridging specialized or technical language of the content areas a variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in extended oral or written discourse, including stories, essays, or reports oral or written language approaching comparability to that of English-proficient peers when presented with grade-level material

Students at L6: Reaching specialized or technical language reflective of the content areas at grade level a variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in extended oral or written discourse as required by the specified grade level oral or written communication in English comparable to English-proficient peers *After students have mastered the above CANDO Descriptors, students no longer receive differentiated instruction in congruence to language proficiency level.

So, how do we determine student’s language proficiency levels? An assessment tool that determines student’s language proficiency level, WIDA W-APT is a standardized test that teachers administer to students in order to identify proficiency. The test covers proficiency in the content areas of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. It also measures social language, or as Cummins (2000) would term Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS). You can also assess yourself to determine your proficiency level and then work to reach the next level!

Resources WIDA CAN DO Descriptors divided by language domain and grade level can be found at the following address:

References Cummins, J. (2000). Academic language learning, transformative pedagogy, and information technology: Towards a critical balance. TESOL Quarterly, 34(3), 537–547. World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment. Retrieved from