Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners

Jana Echevarría is a Professor Emerita at California State University, Long Beach. She has taught in elementary, middle, and high schools in general education, special education, ESL, and bilingual programs. She has lived in Taiwan, Spain and Mexico. An internationally known expert on second language learners, Dr. Echevarría is a Fulbright Specialist. Her research and publications focus on effective instruction for English learners, including those with learning disabilities. Currently, she is Co-Principal Investigator with the Center for Research on the Educational Achievement and Teaching of English Language Learners (CREATE) funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES). In 2005, Dr. Echevarría was selected as Outstanding Professor at CSULB.   MaryEllen Vogt, Ed.D., is a Professor Emerita of Education at California State University, Long Beach.  Dr. Vogt has been a classroom teacher, reading specialist, special education specialist, curriculum coordinator, and university teacher educator. She received her doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, and is a co-author of fifteen books, including Reading Specialists and Literacy Coaches in the Real World (3rd ed., 2011) and the SIOP® book series. Her research interests include improving comprehension in the content areas, teacher change and development, and content literacy and language acquisition for English learners. She was inducted into the California Reading Hall of Fame, received her university’s Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award, and served as President of the International Reading Association in 2004–2005.   Deborah J. Short is a professional development consultant and a senior research associate at the Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, DC. She co-developed the SIOP® Model for sheltered instruction and has directed national research studies on English language learners funded by the Carnegie Corporation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the U.S. Dept. of Education. She chaired an expert panel on adolescent ELL literacy that produced a policy report. As the director of Academic Language Research & Training, Dr. Short provides professional development on sheltered instruction and academic literacy around the U.S. and abroad. She has numerous publications, including the SIOP® book series and five ESL textbook series for National Geographic/Hampton-Brown. She has taught English as a second/foreign language in New York, California, Virginia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  

Preface and Acknowledgments 

 

1    Introducing the SIOP Model         

      Content and Language Objectives  

      Background on English Learners

                        Demographic Trends   

            Diverse Characteristics

            Achievement Gaps

      School Reform, Standards and Accountability

            Preparing English Learners to be College and Career Ready

      Academic Language and Literacy   

            Relationship to Second Language Learning

            Role in Schooling

            Research on Academic Language and Literacy

      Effective Instructional Practice for English Learners: The SIOP® Model      

            Content-based ESL and Sheltered Content Instruction

            Research and Development of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model

            Effective SIOP Model Instruction

      Implementing the SIOP® Model      

      Summary   

      Discussion Questions        

 

2    Lesson Preparation          

      Content and Language Objectives              

      Background           

      SIOP® Feature 1: Content Objectives Clearly Defined, Displayed, and Reviewed with Students

      SIOP® Feature 2: Language Objectives Clearly Defined, Displayed, and Reviewed with Students 

      Writing Content and Language Objectives  

      SIOP® Feature 3: Content Concepts Appropriate for Age and Educational Background        

      SIOP® Feature 4: Supplementary Materials Used to a High Degree 

      SIOP® Feature 5: Adaptation of Content to All Levels of Student Proficiency

      SIOP® Feature 6: Meaningful Activities That Integrate Lesson Concepts with Language Practice Opportunities   

      Teaching Ideas for Lesson Preparation

      Differentiating Ideas for Multi-Level Classes

      Rating Lessons with the SIOP® Protocol

      The Lesson

            The Gold Rush (Fourth Grade) 

      Teaching Scenarios           

      Discussion of Lessons       

      Summary   

      Discussion Questions        

 

3    Building Background       

      Content and Language Objectives  

      Background           

      SIOP® Feature 7: Concepts Explicitly Linked to Students’ Background Experiences

      Instructional Implications    

      SIOP® Feature 8: Links Explicitly Made between Past Learning and New Concepts 

      SIOP® Feature 9: Key Vocabulary Emphasized (e.g., introduced, written, repeated, and highlighted for students to see)   

            Academic Language    

            Academic Word List     

            Vocabulary Instruction 

      Teaching Ideas for Building Background

      Differentiating Ideas for Multi-Level Classes

      The Lesson

            Two Were Left (Sixth Grade)    

      Teaching Scenarios           

      Discussion of Lessons       

      Summary   

      Discussion Questions        

 

4    Comprehensible Input      

      Content and Language Objectives  

      Background           

      SIOP® Feature 10: Speech Appropriate for Students’ Proficiency Levels     

      SIOP® Feature 11: Clear Explanation of Academic Tasks   

      SIOP® Feature 12: A Variety of Techniques Used to Make Content Concepts Clear 

      Teaching Ideas for Comprehensible Input

      Differentiating Ideas for Multi-Level Classes

      The Lesson

            Buoyancy (Ninth Grade)           

      Teaching Scenarios           

      Discussion of Lessons       

      Summary   

      Discussion Questions        

 

5    Strategies 

      Content and Language Objectives  

      Background           

      SIOP® Feature 13: Ample Opportunities Provided for Students to Use Learning Strategies  

      SIOP® Feature 14: Scaffolding Techniques Consistently Used, Assisting and Supporting Student Understanding    

      SIOP® Feature 15: A Variety of Questions or Tasks That Promote Higher-Order Thinking Skills  

      Teaching Ideas for Strategies

      Differentiating Ideas for Multi-Level Classes

      The Lesson

            The Rain Forest (Seventh Grade)         

      Teaching Scenarios           

      Discussion of Lessons       

      Summary   

      Discussion Questions        

 

6    Interaction

      Content and Language Objectives  

      Background           

            Mainstream Lesson      

            SIOP® Model  

      SIOP® Feature 16: Frequent Opportunities for Interaction and Discussion   

            Oral Language Development    

            Other Opportunities for Interaction        

      SIOP® Feature 17: Grouping Configurations Support Language and Content Objectives of the Lesson   

      SIOP® Feature 18: Sufficient Wait Time for Student Responses Consistently Provided        

      SIOP® Feature 19: Ample Opportunity for Students to Clarify Key Concepts in L1

      Teaching Ideas for Interaction

      Differentiating Ideas for Multi-Level Classes

      The Lesson

            Addition and Subtraction (First Grade)  

      Teaching Scenarios           

      Discussion of Lessons       

      Summary   

      Discussion Questions        

 

7    Practice & Application                 

      Content and Language Objectives  

      Background           

      SIOP® Feature 20: Hands-On Materials and/or Manipulatives Provided for Students to Practice Using New Content Knowledge    

      SIOP® Feature 21: Activities Provided for Students to Apply Content and Language Knowledge  

      SIOP® Feature 22: Activities That Integrate All Language Skills      

      Teaching Ideas for Practice & Application

      Differentiating Ideas for Multi-Level Classes

      The Lesson

            The Solar System (Ninth Grade Newcomers, aged 15-18)         

      Teaching Scenarios           

      Discussion of Lessons       

      Summary   

      Discussion Questions        

 

8    Lesson Delivery    

      Content and Language Objectives  

      Background           

      SIOP® Feature 23: Content Objectives Clearly Supported by Lesson Delivery         

      SIOP® Feature 24: Language Objectives Clearly Supported by Lesson Delivery      

            Meeting Content and Language Objectives       

      SIOP® Feature 25: Student Engaged Approximately 90% to 100% of the Period      

      SIOP® Feature 26: Pacing of the Lesson Appropriate to Students’ Ability Levels      

      Teaching Ideas for Lesson Delivery

      Differentiating Ideas for Multi-Level Classes

      The Lesson

            The Gold Rush (Fourth Grade) 

      Teaching Scenarios           

      Discussion of Lessons       

      Summary   

      Discussion Questions        

 

9    Review & Assessment      

      Content and Language Objectives  

      Background           

      SIOP® Feature 27: Comprehensive Review of Key Vocabulary        

      SIOP® Feature 28: Comprehensive Review of Key Content Concepts          

      SIOP® Feature 29: Regular Feedback Provided to Students on Their Output

      SIOP® Feature 30: Assessment of Student Comprehension and Learning of All Lesson Objectives throughout the Lesson

      Teaching Ideas for Review & Assessment

      Differentiating Ideas for Multi-Level Classes

      The Lesson

            Egyptian Mummies (Eighth Grade)       

      Teaching Scenarios           

      Discussion of Lessons       

      Summary   

      Discussion Questions        

 

10  Issues of Reading, RTI and Special Education for English Learners       

      Content and Language Objectives  

      Issues of Reading and Assessment

      Assisting Struggling Learners: Response to Intervention

      Issues Related to Special Education           

      Special Education Services: When Are They Appropriate?   

            Search for Intervention Rather than Disability

      Teaching Ideas for Students with Special Needs

      Summary   

      Discussion Questions        

 

11  Effective Use of the SIOP® Protocol        

      Content and Language Objectives  

      Best Practice in Using the SIOP® Protocol 

      Scoring and Interpreting the SIOP® Protocol          

            Assigning Scores        

            Not Applicable (NA) Category   

            Calculating Scores       

      Sample Lesson      

      Using SIOP® Scores and Comments         

      Ideas for Using the SIOP protocol

      Reliability and Validity of the SIOP®           

      Summary   

      Discussion Questions        

 

12 Frequently Asked Questions about Getting Started with the SIOP® Model

      Content and Language Objectives

      General SIOP Questions

      Questions about Getting Started with the SIOP® Model in the Classroom

      Questions About School-wide Implementation of the SIOP Model

      Conclusion

 

Appendix A: The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP®)           

Appendix B:  Lesson Plans       

Appendix C: Research on the SIOP® Model 

Appendix D: SIOP Professional Development Books and Resources

Glossary         

References      

Index