Is your ELD curriculum aligned to the 2020 WIDA Standards Framework?
Now is the time to act!
By Maggie Churchill, WIDA Representative for NJTESOL/NJBE
NJTESOL/NJBE, in its commitment to supporting equitable instruction of multilingual learners, has called on county and local superintendents in New Jersey to review and update their district’s English as a Second Language (ESL) curriculum to align with the 2020 WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Framework (as outlined in the August 5th memorandum from the New Jersey Department of Education).
If needed, the following talking-points can help facilitate the conversation in your setting:
The 2020 WIDA ELD Standards Framework emphasizes the integration of language development with academic content, ensuring that multilingual learners build both the linguistic and cognitive skills necessary for success in college, career, and civic life. This alignment will:
- Strengthen connections between language objectives and core content areas.
- Support differentiated instruction that meets the diverse needs of multilingual learners.
- Provide educators with clear, research-based guidance for lesson planning and assessment.
Each district should review its current ESL curriculum and instructional practices to ensure it reflects the updated standards, as mandated in New Jersey Bilingual Code, N.J.A.C. 6A:15. This update must include:
- Embedding language development goals into content instruction.
- Incorporating the WIDA Key Language Uses (Narrate, Inform, Explain, Argue) into unit plans and lesson design.
- Ensuring instructional faculty are trained in the 2020 WIDA ELD Standards Framework.
These WIDA resources can be used to support curriculum alignment and revision:
- Focus Bulletin: Taking a Genre-Based Approach to Curricular Development: WIDA Curriculum Amplification Guide
- WIDA Curriculum Amplification Template
- WIDA ELD Standards Implementation Guide
- NJTESOL-NJBE Bergen Chapter meeting video: Teaching Multilingual Learners Using the WIDA Standards Framework, NJTESOL/NJBE 2025
Remember that equity is the first Big Idea named in the 2020 WIDA Standards Framework- and equity begins with access to ELD standards for all multilingual learners and teachers.
Thank you for your advocacy!
