First Look at the Early Language Development Standards

Have you heard?  WIDA is creating Early Language Development Standards for children who are 2.5 - 5.5 years old.  On November 29, 2012, practitioners from several states gathered in a Chicago suburb to preview these new standards.   Similar to the K-12 English Language Development Standards, the Early Language Standards will contain the following components:

•    Six Early Language Development Standards
•    Two language domains (receptive and productive)
•    Three early language development levels in English
•    Three age groups
•    Two features of developmentally appropriate academic language
•    Performance definitions that define each level in each age group
•    Model Performance Indicators (MPIs)

Early in the day each table was asked to create a visual that would represent the relationship between the various components.  Here are two examples:

The Puma table visualized a tree with two trunks.  One trunk represents the receptive language
domain and the other trunk is the productive domain.  The red and orange branches are the early language development levels (1-Entering, 3-Developing, 5-Bridging).  The blue branches represent the two features of developmentally appropriate academic language (language usage and linguistic complexity). The leaves are the performance definitions and the swing is a MPI.  The grass represents the six standards.

The Rhinoceros group envisioned the components as translucent layers stacked one on top of the other.  The large purple circle represents the Early Language Development Standards.  The pink circle is the language domains.  The blue circle is representing the levels.  The red circle is the features of developmentally appropriate academic language, and the orange circle shows the performance definitions.  The small yellow circle is labeled MPIs.

And a drum roll, please...

Here are the six Early Language Development Standards for children between the ages of 2.5-5.5 years (30-66 months):

1.    Dual language  learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for success in the area of Social-Emotional Development
2.    Dual language  learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for success in the area of Language Arts
3.    Dual language  learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for success in the area of Mathematics
4.    Dual language  learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for success in the area of Science
5.    Dual language  learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for success in the area of Social Studies
6.    Dual language  learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for success in the area of Physical Development

Stay tuned for more on the Early Language Development Standards.

Looking for a quick read on young English language learners/dual language learners?  Click here.

Wondering how to use the CAN DO Descriptors in a preschool class?  Click here.

Written by: Tammy King

Images: Tammy King, November 2012