6. Practice and Application

Feature #20: Hands on Materials and/or Manipulatives Provided for Students to Practicing Using New Content Knowledge in the Classroom

Manipulating learning materials is important for English learners because it helps them connect abstract concepts with concrete experiences. Furthermore, manipulatives and other hands-on materials reduce the language load for students, as students with beginning proficiency in English can still participate and demonstrate what they are learning.

Ideas for hands-on materials and manipulatives include:

• Word or concept sorts

• Math manipulatives (base-10 pieces, shapes, chips, etc.)

• Students using their bodies to model a concept (example - a timeline)

• Foldables and flip charts

• Reader's Theater or Role Plays

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

For students acquiring a new language, it is critically important that they have opportunities to apply the new information because discussion and "doing" make the abstract concepts more concrete. We learn best by involving ourselves in relevant, meaningful application of what we are learning.

Ideas for application include:

• Students organize new information on a graphic organizer

• Students generate solutions to a real-world problem, giving multicultural viewpoints

• Students write their opinion about a topic in a journal after participating in a discussion

• Students retell or act out a story or concept

• Students explain their process to a math word problem

• Students represent vocabulary words with visuals, pictures, other word relationships

Feature #22: Activities Integrate All Language Skills

Reading, writing, listening, and speaking are complex cognitive language processes that are interrelated and integrated. Effective SIOP lessons create many opportunities for English learners to practice and use all four language processes in an integrated manner.

• • Link oral discussions of essential questions to reading selections

  • Structure interaction with peers and have a set purpose

  • Guide students to use sentence starters and signal words

  • Provide the opportunity for students to listen and react to peers' ideas

  • Ask students to write about what is being learned

  • Have students orally summarize or paraphrase what a peer has shared

  • Consider the four language processes when creating and planning lessons