For years, the state of California has been building upon a vision for multilingual and English learner success. From the Common Core State Standards adoption in 2010, to the groundbreaking combined English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework, to the EL Roadmap and the Global California 2030 initiative, state leaders have demonstrated a growing commitment to supporting multilingual learners. 

Along the way, ELSF has worked to bring this vision to life. With the launch of the ELA Guidelines in 2018 and the Spanish Language Arts (SLA) Guidelines in 2024, we’ve helped content developers meet the demand for high-quality instructional materials in California and across the country.

But this work isn’t over. 

ELSF has launched new ELD Guidelines to support content developers during a critical time in California’s push to update the state’s instructional materials.

California will soon embark on an English Language Arts (ELA)/English Language Development (ELD)/Spanish Language Arts (SLA) materials adoption process, presenting a unique opportunity to improve the quality of ELD materials for millions of students.

Historically, districts have worked to uphold California’s ELA/ELD Framework but have struggled without effective materials that meet their needs. Districts were left to create their own “homegrown” lessons, and teachers were forced to make do with materials that didn’t effectively help their students succeed. When this happens, educators have less time to focus on implementation and classroom strategy, inhibiting the opportunity for all students to succeed.

Luckily, state leaders now recognize the importance of a comprehensive approach to supporting our multilingual learners. Now, more than ever, those tasked with adopting and implementing new curriculum materials are prioritizing high-quality materials that promote engagement, align with grade-level content, and help multilingual learners accelerate both their language and content learning. 

With the upcoming ELD materials adoption process, content developers have the chance to answer the call for comprehensive, rigorous ELD materials. ELSF is here to help.

A comprehensive approach to supporting multilingual learners involves both integrated ELD and Designated ELD. 

Integrated ELD includes content-area instruction with supports that provide meaningful access to the grade-level curriculum and opportunities to learn and use English in the context of meaning-making. Many of ELSF’s existing tools and resources have been designed to support integrated ELD instruction including the Math, ELA, and Science Guidelines in 2022.

Designated ELD, meanwhile, consists of explicit instruction to support English language development that builds from content-based texts and tasks. Districts have an obligation to help multilingual learners build English proficiency, but too often these materials have been disconnected from the language and knowledge demands of grade-level content. Multilingual learners deserve designated ELD materials that effectively build English proficiency alongside rigorous content instruction. This means designated ELD materials must be research-based, engaging, rigorous, AND designed to align with grade-level content.

ELSF’s newly released Guidelines for Improving designated ELD Materials focuses on this key aspect of multilingual learner development.

After reviewing the latest ELD research and currently available ELD materials on the market, ELSF embarked on a series of focus groups. We interviewed over 30 researchers, district leaders, and teachers across the country. ELSF then developed a draft of the guidelines, piloting these with a content developer. The materials were also used by a CA County Office for an ELD adoption before undergoing a final round of expert review.

Through this in-depth research and review process, ELSF coalesced the final ELD Guidelines into five areas of focus, each with associated guidelines or features to focus on. Each guideline then consists of a series of specifications that provide additional information on what it can look like to meet those guidelines. 

The ELD Guidelines include the following focus areas:

• 1: Integration of Explicit Language Instruction and Content Learning
• 2: Supports and Structures for Language Learning
• 3: Metalinguistic Awareness
• 4: Students’ Assets and Home Language
• 5: Assessment for Language and Literacy

Materials designed with these Guidelines in mind will build language and knowledge simultaneously to extend and deepen learning of grade-level content, engage students in meaningful social interaction, and support students’ understanding of how language works. The materials will leverage students’ assets for language learning and developing content understandings, and provide meaningful strategies for formative assessments over time.

Taken together, these Guidelines provide a baseline for effective practice across not only California’s schools but the nation as a whole. They allow teachers to focus on what they do best - instruction, strategy, and pedagogy, and they help content developers meet district and state demands for integrated, comprehensive ELD materials.

For content developers interested in answering California’s call for meaningful multilingual support in their upcoming ELA/ELD/SLA adoption process, now is the time to begin developing and refining cohesive, rigorous, and designated ELD materials.

‍Interested in learning more about how ELSF can support you in getting ready for the California ELA/ELD/SLA adoption? Reach out to opportunities@elsuccessforum.org.