WIDA Can Do Descriptors

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The WIDA Can Do Descriptors are commonly used by ESL teachers in coaching general education teachers about differentiated instruction for English language learners (ELLs). They can also be used to plan lessons or observe students' progress.  Grade level Can Do Descriptors can be located on https://www.wida.us/standards/CAN_DOs/ .  The following is a research brief provided by the WIDA Consortium. 


WIDA’s Grade Level Cluster CAN DO Descriptors
The Results of Survey Research Fall 2008


What are CAN DO Descriptors?
The five grade level cluster CAN DO Descriptors- PreK-K, 1-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12- are examples of expectations of English language learners for each of the four language domains—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—and five levels of English language proficiency—Entering, Beginning, Developing, Expanding, and Bridging. The CAN DO Descriptors are a collective representation of WIDA’s five English language proficiency standards—social and instructional language, the language of language arts, the language of mathematics, the language of science, and the language of social studies. The Descriptors are a standards-based resource tool—an extension of, not a substitute for, the English language proficiency standards.

Why were grade level cluster CAN DO Descriptors created?
The original K-12 CAN DO Descriptors were expanded into grade level cluster descriptors at the request of administrators and teachers serving English language learners within the Consortium. Grade level cluster descriptors more accurately communicate the performance of English language learners within a specified age range. As a result, the Descriptors can be more closely synchronized to language and content instruction.

How were the CAN DO Descriptors developed?
WIDA, in collaboration with the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), underwent a multi-step process from November 2007 through August 2008 to maximize the involvement of educators across Consortium states. The following is a partial listing of the steps related to the development, refinement, and validation of the Descriptors: we
1. conducted a full day professional development workshop for select teachers of English language learners to draft initial sets of grade level cluster descriptors;
2. sought input from WIDA consultants and prior WIDA course participants to evaluate the descriptors and give suggestions for expanding the sets (Round 1);
3. analyzed survey data and edited grade level cluster sets to produce Draft 2;
4. devised a checklist from the draft descriptors to offer to all Consortium states
5. collected survey data on Draft 2 from educators across WIDA states (Round 2);
6. analyzed data on individual grade level cluster descriptors;
7. devised a system based on the results (percentage of acceptability) for dealing with each descriptor to produce Draft 3; and
8. vetted, edited, and produced final grade level cluster CAN DO Descriptors.

What research was involved in the validation of the CAN DO Descriptors?
What was our overall goal?
Our primary intent of this project was to validate a series of CAN DO Descriptors as a means of confirming the meaning of the WIDA English language proficiency levels and language domains. This information, used in conjunction with our analysis of data from our large-scale English language proficiency test, ACCESS for ELLs®, and our English language proficiency standards provides a fuller understanding of the construct of academic language proficiency.

Who was involved in the project?
Initially, groups of educators, corresponding to the five grade level clusters, created draft CAN DO Descriptors as a product of a professional development workshop. For round 1 of data collection, 63 educators who had preciously participated in WIDA professional development activities and were highly familiar with the English language proficiency standards were selected to take an on-line survey. In round 2 of the validation process, a total of 835 educators, primarily teachers and ESL Coordinators from 13 WIDA states, responded to a shortened on-line survey.

How were the data collected and analyzed?
Demographic data provided insight into the characteristics of the survey takers. In round 1, using the web-based tool Survey Monkey, consultants answered yes/no questions for four criteria on each proposed CAN DO Descriptor:
• Is this descriptor clear?
• Is this descriptor appropriate for grade cluster (PreK-K, 1-2, 3-5, 6-8, or 9-12)?
• Is this descriptor appropriate for the language domain of (listening, speaking, reading, writing)?
• Is this descriptor appropriate for proficiency level (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)?
A fifth question, "If you answered no to any question, how can this descriptor be improved?" enabled the participants to modify or add descriptors, thereby, producing an expanded set.
In round 2, again using Survey Monkey, teachers and coordinators across Consortium states accepted or rejected each CAN DO Descriptor for the selected grade level cluster generated from round 1 and had an opportunity to offer comments.

What were the findings?
For Round 1, overall means were calculated for the four questions for each draft CAN DO Descriptor. Qualitative data from comments and suggestions for additional descriptors helped informed creating Draft 2 of the CAN DO Descriptors.
For Round 2, Draft 2 of the CAN DO Descriptors was validated by teachers and coordinators. Tables were produced with the percentage of acceptability for each CAN DO Descriptor by grade level cluster and language domain. The results were then color-coded: descriptors which fell below 70% acceptability were eliminated, those within the 70-74% acceptability range were edited, and those with 75% acceptability and above were generally accepted. From Draft 3, individual descriptors were tweaked for clarity, and examples were added, to produce the final five sets of grade level cluster CAN DO Descriptors.

How might the grade level cluster CAN DO Descriptors be used?
What assumptions underlie the Descriptors?
The CAN DO Descriptors do not function like Model Performance Indicators, the basic component of the English language proficiency standards’ matrix. Figure 1 highlights the differences between these two.