WOODLAND – This year, Woodland Middle School’s dedicated multi-language learner team helped a record number of students demonstrate their English fluency by passing a standardized test. WIDA, the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment, is known for its rigorous standards in assessing English language proficiency. Passing the test has become a formidable challenge for students in several states which use the model.
At Woodland Middle School, teacher Pamela Dietrich and paraeducator Amy Booker led their students to their unprecedented success on the WIDA exam.
To ensure each of the group’s 90 students receives the proper attention, Dietrich meets with the multi-language teachers from both of Woodland’s elementary schools at the start of the year to review each student’s status.
Analyzing past WIDA scores allows Dietrich to tailor her teaching strategies to meet the diverse needs of her students, categorized as newcomers, mid-level bilinguals or advanced learners.
In addition to classroom lessons, the entire staff works as a team to demonstrate inclusivity. All documents are provided in both English and Spanish. The middle school has a bilingual office worker, who has made a huge difference for Spanish-speaking families.
