Sheltered Instruction

Strategies to Make Content Comprehensible

for English Learners

What is SIOP?

“Approach for teaching content to English learners in strategic ways that make the subject matter concepts comprehensible while promoting the students’ English language development” (p. Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2008, p. 5)

What is SIOP?

● Methods for teaching English Learners in the regular classroom.

● SIOP Model = lesson planning and delivery

How Should I Begin?

● One component at a time● Add other components gradually● Use SIOP model as a lesson plan

template once you become familiar with all components and features

Lesson Preparation

Content Objectives● Identify what students should know

and be able to do● Simply stated, orally and in writing● Tied to grade level standards● One or two per lesson

Recognize that the earth is part of a system called the solar system that includes the sun (a star), planets, and many moons and the earth is the third planet from the sun in our solar system.

Language Objectives

● Give students a chance to explore and practice before demonstrating mastery

● Must be observable● ELs develop receptive skills faster

than productive skills

Draw and label a diagram of the solar system.

Supplementary Materials

● Real-life context● Bridge prior experiences with new

learning● Hands-on manipulatives, realia,

pictures, visuals, multimedia, demonstrations, literature, adapted text

Adaptation of Content

● Adapt materials, do NOT diminish content

● Lessen the gap between what students know and what they must learn

● Jump-start mini-lesson, role play, peer tutorsGraphic organizers

Outlines Leveled study guide

Highlighted text Taped text Adapted text

Jigsaw readings Marginal notes L1 texts

Building Background

Link Concepts to Background Experiences and to Prior

Learning● Make explicit connections● Provide meaningful experiences● Teach students to build background

themselves● Build a bridge from previous lessons

to today’s lesson● Review graphic organizers, notes,

student work samples

Key Vocabulary Emphasized

● Students are active in developing their understanding of words● Semantic maps, word sorts

● Students personalize word learning● Self-selection, personal dictionaries

● Students are immersed in words● Students build on multiple sources of

information

Comprehensible Input

Speech Appropriate for Proficiency

● Adjust rate of speech and enunciation

● Avoid idioms● Use language that is

straightforward and clear● Paraphrase and repeat often● Simple sentence structures

Clear Explanation of Academic Tasks

● Step-by-step instructions

● Model with a finished product

● Oral and written directions

Strategies

Continuum of Strategies● Teacher-centered to Student-centered ● Goal = Students develop independence

in self-monitoring of strategy use● Explicit instruction and modeling● Substantial support in the early stages

of teaching a new concept● Gradually decrease amount of support● Teach > Model > Practice > Apply

Example: Note-taking strategy

Variety of Question Types

● Focus on higher-order thinking skills

● Carefully plan questions before lesson delivery

● Of 80,000 questions, 80% are knowledge level questions

● Ask HOQs while reducing language demands

Interaction

Frequent Opportunities for Interaction

● It’s tempting for teachers to do most of the talking, but these students are the ones who need more opportunities to practice using English.

Opportunities for Interaction● Literature circles

● Think-pair-share

● Jigsaw readings

● Debates

● Dialogue journals

● Expert Stay Stray

● Dinner Party

Grouping Configurations

● Whole class - introducing new information

● Small groups - encourage collaboration● Partners - provide scaffolding and

practice opportunities● At least two grouping configurations

during a lesson

Sufficient Wait Time

● Els need additional time to formulate the phrasings of their thoughts

● Impatient students can write down their responses while waiting

● 50-50 and Phone a Friend

Practice/Application

Practice/Application

● Aim for practice of all four language skills

● Students must have opportunities for comprehensible input and output

● ELs are more likely to use language that was used during lesson delivery

Integrate All Language Skills

● We move through the processes naturally

● ELs don’t need to be proficient speakers before they start to read and write

● Language processes are supportive - practice in one promotes development in the others

Lesson Delivery

Students Engaged 90 - 100 % of the Time

● Engaged = paying attention and on task

● Students are following the lesson, responding to teacher, performing activities as expected

● ELs can’t afford to waste learning time

● 5 minutes wasted daily = 15 hours a year

Review and Assessment

Review and Assessment

● ELs are less able to evaluate which pieces of input are important to remember

● Teacher must pause to review and summarize throughout a lesson

● Provide constructive feedback

Review of Key Concepts

● Outcome Sentences● I wonder…● I discovered…● I still want to know…● I learned…● I still don’t understand…● I still have a question about…● I will ask a friend about…

Regular Feedback to Students on Their Output

● Clarify and correct misconceptions

● Develop students’ proficiency by modeling correct English usage when restating a student’s response

Assessment of Comprehension and Learning

of All Objectives● Students need to know how they will be

assessed● Informal - conversations, quick-writes,

brainstorming● Authentic - applies to real life● Multiple indicators● Assess content AND language

objectives

Group Responses

● Thumbs up/thumbs down● Response boards● Number 1 to 3 for self-assessment

Assessment Adaptations

● Number of items● Time● Level of support/scaffolding● Difficulty/skill level● Product type● Participation

ReferencesEchevarria, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. J. (2004). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP model. 2nd ed. Boston: Pearson.

Echevarria, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. J. (2006). Administrators' resource guide for the SIOP model. Glenview, IL: Pearson.

Echevarria, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. J. (2008). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP model. 3rd ed. Boston: Pearson.

Vogt, M., & Echevarria, J. (2008). 99 ideas and activities for teaching English learners with the SIOP model. Boston: Pearson.

Vogt, M., & Echevarria, J. (2006). Teaching ideas for implementing the SIOP model. Glenview, IL: Pearson.