ICYMI: Bridging Language and Content to Support Multilingual Learners

By Jenna Maneri, NJTESOL/NJBE Elementary ESL Representative
Kathryn Tepedino, NJTESOL/NJBE Secretary and PLC Chair

Every teacher is a teacher of language. This shapes how ESL programs across New Jersey integrate language instruction into content areas. This is a principle grounded in research that is one of WIDA’s Big Ideas in the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework, 2020 Edition (WIDA, 2020). Even more importantly, it is written into the Federal Legislature through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) signed by President Obama in December of 2015. The law clearly states the need for “identifying and implementing effective language instruction educational programs and curricula for teaching English learners; helping English learners meet the same challenging State academic standards that all children are expected to meet” (Every Student Succeeds Act, sec. 3003).

WIDA’s standards framework aligns four Key Language Uses—narrate, inform, explain, and argue—with the core content areas. These connections help multilingual learners build academic language and content knowledge simultaneously.

However, connecting the WIDA standards framework to New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) is challenging. We created Key Language Use Anchor Charts—to support teachers in making language instruction part of everyday content teaching.At the NJTESOL/NJBE Spring Conference in May 2025, we shared these charts designed to practically connect WIDA’s framework with NJSLS standards.

• To begin, we selected, considering the WIDA grade band, Grades 4-5 in the area of Math which as “Explain” is the most prominent key language use.
• We then examined WIDA’s Language Expectations and Functions to craft a targeted anchor chart. Focusing on expressive language domains allows students to demonstrate understanding while giving educators measurable data. See ELD-MA.4-5.Explain.Expressive.
• Using the Math standard 5.NF.B.4, we created the language objective: “Using academic math talk stems, explain the strategy you used to solve multiplying a fraction by a whole number.”

After gathering and talking about this information we created an Explain Anchor Chart to address this KLU through speaking. (Note: In blue are samples of how you can apply this chart to this math standard. However, the headings/subheadings in black can be applied to any math standard.)

For a larger version in Canva, click here.

Our charts offer multilingual learners concrete language models to meet content and language goals. As supported by research and the WIDA Framework, when all teachers embrace their role as language teachers, multilingual learners truly thrive.

References

“Every Student Succeeds Act.” Public Law 114–95, 10 Dec. 2015, 129 Stat. 1802.
Congress.gov, https://www.congress.gov/114/plaws/publ95/PLAW-114publ95.pdf

WIDA. (2020). WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework, 2020 Edition: Kindergarten–Grade 12. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. https://wida.wisc.edu/teach/standards/eld