Sheltering Instruction to Benefit ELLs and ALL Learners

Students who are language learners need more than just a guided time filling in a worksheet. For many classrooms without language learners, teachers do not have the necessity to implement structures like sheltered instruction (even though the SIOP model is sound teaching for all learners). Teachers who use this model are implementing these key strategies: preparation, building background knowledge, comprehensible output, explicitly teaching strategies, student interaction, practice and application, excellent pacing and lesson delivery, and assessment with feedback (Haynes, 2004). 

In the module (Grassi, 2005), the teacher fully implemented a SIOP lesson. The teacher specifically prepared a reading lesson for the book Esperanza Rising. The teacher carefully selected this book because of the cultural ties to the ELLs in her classroom. She could have picked a different text, but because she is instructing her students in a sheltered way to help their comprehension, this text can help students to access their background knowledge more easily because of a shared culture between students and the character. Also before reading, she selected several vocabulary words to help widen the base of knowledge before reading text. While reading, she solicited information (comprehensible output) from the students by having them think of connections. After reading, the teacher used sticky notes for hands on application. Students were engaged in the lesson because it was instructed at a good pace. Students had adequate time to discuss with each other without behaviors becoming an issue, which often happens when the activity is not engaging or the pacing is not too slow (or too quick that students feel hopelessly lost). It was obvious students felt comfortable with the teacher because they were asking questions and interacting with the text, even in their own language. 

References:

Grassi, E. (2015). EDRG 604 Video Module. 

Haynes, J. (2014). SIOP: Making content comprehensible for ells. Accessed through http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/using_siop_model_08621.php