CIA instruction is counter to the "old-school," sit and get model of teaching. In a CIA lesson, students are challenged to learn a new way, a new perspective, or to interact and collaborate beyond their comfort zone.
In our model of instruction, students interact constantly in bilingual pairs to negotiate and reinforce language and meaning.
Students are also provided with many authentic (or real-life) examples to engage them in the content.
Teacher as facilitator.
Students are active learners and learn together.
Lesson generates language and inquiry.
Content is comprehensible
Includes visuals, manipulatives, gestures, concrete objects, games, role play, etc.
Lessons are meaningful, interesting, and relevant.
Connects learning to real life.
Activates prior knowledge.
Lessons contain academic opportunities.
Students negotiate the meaning of the content through bilingual pairs/groups.
Lessons contain language opportunities.
Students interact meaningfully through bilingual pairs/groups.
Whole group instruction is kept to no more than 20 minutes.
Lessons promote higher-order thinking.
Activities are challenging and rigorous.