A tool to help you meet students where they are in their language development

The Can Do Descriptors highlight what language learners can do at various stages of language development as they engage in the following contexts:

• Bilingual and English-immersion early care and education programs
• Bilingual, Spanish-immersion and English-immersion K-12 language programs
• Bilingual, Spanish-immersion and English-immersion K-12 content-area classrooms

Similar to the WIDA English Language Development Standards Statements, the Can Do Descriptors describe what learners can do with language across different content areas. Although the Can Do Descriptors relate to the ELD Standards Statements, they don’t replace them but are used to supplement the standards statements during instruction.

Educators and early childhood practitioners can use the Can Do Descriptors to

• Better understand what students at different levels of language proficiency can do with language
• Expand their understanding of what the process of language development can look like
• Collaborate around scaffolding that students need to engage in content-area learning and develop language at the same time
• Differentiate instruction and classroom assessment for language
• Interpret ACCESS for ELLs test scores

Can Do Descriptors and the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020 Edition

The Can Do Descriptors have not yet been updated to reflect the 2020 Edition; however, they remain available as a valuable tool for communicating with stakeholders about what students can do at each language proficiency level. WIDA is monitoring educator use to help inform the timing for updating the materials.

K-12 Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition

This edition is organized around four overarching communicative purposes called Key Uses: Recount, Explain, Argue, Discuss.

The Descriptors are organized by the following grade level clusters, corresponding with ACCESS for ELLs and WIDA Screener.

To purchase copies of the K-12 Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition that are color printed and bound, visit the WIDA Store.

Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition Kindergarten

Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition Grade 1

Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition Grades 2-3

Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition Grades 4-5

Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition Grades 6-8

Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition Grades 9-12

Can Do Descriptors Name Charts, Grades K-12

Can Do Descriptors Name Charts, Kindergarten

Can Do Descriptors Name Charts, Grade 1

Can Do Descriptors Name Charts, Grades 2-3

Can Do Descriptors Name Charts, Grades 4-5

Can Do Descriptors Name Charts, Grades 6-8

Can Do Descriptors Name Charts, Grade 9-12

Alternate Can Do Descriptors

The Alternate Can Do Descriptors (Alt Can Dos) are the first-ever Can Do Descriptors for multilingual learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities. The Alt Can Dos exemplify what students can do with communication and language at various stages of English language development.

The Alt Can Dos are arranged into the same grade-level clusters (K–2, 3–5, 6–8 and 9–12) as WIDA Alternate ACCESS. Within each grade-level cluster, the Alt Can Dos are organized by interpretive (listening and reading) and expressive (speaking and writing) communication modes for each WIDA ELD Standard and the five levels of English language development.

Early Years Can Do Descriptors

The Early Years Can Do Descriptors provide examples of language use for three overarching communicative purposes: Express Self, Recount, Inquire (for receptive and expressive language domains).

They are organized by the following age clusters: 2.5-3.5, 3.5-4.5, 4.5-5.5

To purchase copies of the Early Years Can Do Descriptors that are color printed and bound, visit the WIDA Store.

Can Do Descriptors, Early Years (includes all age clusters)

Los descriptores Podemos: Educación temprana

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August 12, 2024

Welcome back, WIDA educators!

As you head back to school, keep in mind that our client services specialists are just a phone call or email away. We know that sometimes you don’t have time to find where you put that test administrator manual, and you just need a simple question answered. Reach out to us. All of us at WIDA appreciate you and want to make sure you have what you need to best support students and their families.  

Here, we walk you through a list of what’s new with WIDA Screener, ACCESS for ELLs and WIDA MODEL. We’ll highlight a resource you may have missed in each section – look for ICYMI (In Case You Missed It). Plus, we tell you what you can do to make sure testing counts and how to stay in the know about all things WIDA.  

What’s new (topics are in alphabetical order)

To get the following updates in webinar form, attend the Welcome Back: What’s New in 2024? webinar on September 10 at 1:00pm CT. Find more info on this webinar and all other assessment webinars on the Webinars page in the WIDA Secure Portal.

Accessibility and accommodations

The Accessibility and Accommodations Manual is updated for 2024-25 and includes

• Clarification about the use of electronic devices for medical purposes in the test environment
• Revised guidance on scribing related to the use of augmentative/alternative communication (AAC) devices and to remove requirements around spelling, punctuation and grammar

We released new guidance on administering WIDA Screener to students who are blind or have low vision and/or who are deaf or hard of hearing. Find this resource in the WIDA Secure Portal when filtering by Accessibility and Accommodations.

ICYMI: The Advancing ALTELLA team published the Assessing English Learners with Disabilities: A Glossary of Terms. This glossary demystifies the terms, acronyms and jargon that are used by those who support multilingual learners with disabilities. Browse the online glossary or download and print the PDF version.