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Multilingual Students Celebrate Success in Special WIDA Graduation
Description
They have worked hard learning the English language trying to be the best they can be, making change in their own lives and the lives of generations to come.
On this episode of the Supercast, we take you to a very emotional WIDA graduation. WIDA stands for World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment. Listen as we talk to graduates about the great pride they take in their achievement, becoming proficient in the English language; listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Find out what the milestone means to the multilingual students and their families now and well into the future.
Audio Transcription
Zaidi Aleman:
Learning English is really a bridge that you can cross over and you can realize your dreams, your biggest dreams, you can do it.
Anthony Godfrey:
I love how you describe that. Learning English is a bridge to your dreams.
Zaidi Aleman:
Yes.
Anthony Godfrey:
And really at that point then knowing two languages at that deep level becomes a huge asset.
Zaidi Aleman:
Absolutely it is a huge asset.
Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. They have worked hard learning the English language trying to be the best they can be, making changes in their own lives and the lives of generations to come. On this episode of the Supercast, we take you to a very emotional WIDA graduation. WIDA stands for World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment. Listen as we talk with graduates about the great pride they take in their achievement, becoming proficient in the English language, listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Find out what this milestone means to the multilingual students and their families now and well into the future.
Anthony Godfrey:
We are here at West Jordan Middle School to talk with Michelle Love-Day, the Director of Language and Culture Services, about the event that's scheduled for tonight. Michelle, introduce yourself and talk to us about what's happening.
Michelle Love-Day:
I'm Michelle Love-Day, Director of Language and Culture Services, and tonight we're hosting our second annual Multilingual Family Night. However, this is more than just a family night. It's a celebration of our students who have passed the WIDA, which is showing linguistic aptitude and a celebration of their English learning skills.
Anthony Godfrey:
What level do students need to achieve to graduate? Because a lot of people might see language skills in different ways. This is a deep level of language acquisition.
Michelle Love-Day:
Exactly. So language skills are not by grade level that we would think they are. So in the WIDA it is scored levels one through five. And so in order to reach aptitude and language acquisition you have to have a 4.2 composite score and a 3.5 on their written and speaking. So some of these students can pass the scores and be qualified and linguistically proficient by sixth grade. However, some students, if they've arrived and come to our country new in seventh grade, they may not be proficient till 10th and 11th grade. So everyone is different.
Anthony Godfrey:
It's not about the grade level. It's about the WIDA level, one through five.
Michelle Love-Day:|
Exactly.
Anthony Godfrey:
And what does a one represent and what does a five represent?
Michelle Love-Day:
A one means that students can communicate with simple vocabulary words and words that will help them go to the bathroom or go to the lunchroom and play with friends on the playground. A level five means they're proficient and they have the content area vocabulary that will allow them to be successful in science, math, social studies classes.
Anthony Godfrey:
So someone who's able to carry on conversatio