WIDA Español, a program of UW–Madison’s WIDA, has released Marco de referencia de las artes del lenguaje del español de WIDA (Marco ALE), a Spanish language arts framework.
Marco ALE is the first framework of its kind in the U.S., providing the key elements for developing standards and teaching Spanish language arts in grades K–12.
Marco ALE guides the enhancement and development of the next iteration of Spanish language arts standards in the U.S. It is grounded in current theory and practice, with considerations for the diversity of the Spanish language and the context within which it is taught, including bilingual settings.
To develop Marco ALE, WIDA Español conducted a literature review of language arts and an analysis of Spanish language arts standards and related documents across six countries in the Americas (including existing standards in the U.S.). It also consulted with expert researchers, policymakers, and education administrators at the local and state level, and academic leaders in the field.
As a result, Marco ALE is made up of three “ideologías orientadoras,” seven “prácticas de la disciplina,” and four “conceptos básicos” that serve as the basis for teaching Spanish language arts.
WIDA is an educational services organization within UW–Madison’s School of Education. It advances academic language development and academic achievement for multilingual children by providing resources that ensure an equitable and quality education.
WIDA Español is a WIDA program that offers educators who teach academic content and language development in Spanish a comprehensive system for supporting such instruction and assessment.
Learn more about Marco ALE on WIDA’s website.