We enjoyed connecting in person with many of you and collaborating to better serve our English learners during WIDA 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. Today, we’d like to share SupportEd’s Top Three Takeaways from the conference.

Takeaway 1 – Newcomers

Teachers are looking for ways to support their newcomers. One great way to address this need for immediate relevancy for newcomers is through interactive/shared writing lessons based on shared experiences.

Takeaway 2 – Leadership

During this time of increased urgency around building on our ELs’ strengths and ensuring their equitable education, the need to develop leadership skills is crucial. In doing so, we should examine who we are as leaders and what we bring to the table to best serve our ELs and their families.

Takeaway 3 – Multilingual Learners and Translanguaging

Identifying students as multilingual learners and incorporating translanguaging pedagogy into instruction highlights a shift in perspective about how we think about language teaching and learning. The goal is to value and build on the linguistic and cultural backgrounds of each student so that all all students self-identify as multicultural and multilingual.

What are your top takeaways from WIDA? We invite you to comment below and share your experience. You can also click here to join us on Twitter and help keep the conversation moving around these important topics. Again, thank you for your collaboration during WIDA 2018; we look forward to connecting again soon!