SIOP: Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol
What is sheltered English instruction?
Herrera and Murry (2011) defined Sheltered Instruction as “a method for combining philosophies, strategies, and techniques that appropriately recognize the many challenges that ELLs students confront.”. It is a research-based, instructional guideline for teaching content for English language learners (ELLs) while at the same time advancing their English language development. The aim of the SIOP guideline is to enable teachers to incorporate academic language development into their sessions/lectures, promote students to learn and practice English as it is used in the context of school, including the words utilized in books and lectures in each academic subject. This framework also provides a guide to teachers - how to modify their instruction delivery methods so that the language they utilize to explain concepts and information is comprehensible to English language learners (Hanson & Filibert, 2006; Echevarria, Vogt, Short, 2004)
Who benefits from SIOP instruction?
As the number of non-native English speakers or multilinguals increases in schools across the United States (such as, immigrants, native Americans, etc.), teachers are looking for effective research based approaches to enable them to thrive in K-12 classrooms. Research shows that when teachers completely incorporate the SIOP Model, English learners' academic performance improves. In addition, teachers report that this kind of approach not only benefits learners who are learning English as an additional language, it also benefits native English students too (Hanson & Filibert, 2006; Echevarria, Vogt, Short, 2004).
What are the components of sheltered English instruction?
The SIOP model has 8 components and 30 features that teachers should consider when responding to the unique academic and language development needs of ELL students.
Strategies compiled by FUSD Instructional Coaches: Capuchino, Fernandez, Rogers, Streich-Rodgers, Vang
Introduction to SIOP Model
The video below provides an overview of the SIOP Model and discusses how teachers can successfully incorporate language learning strategies in their academic content.
SIOP Lesson Plan Templates and Checklists
Template adapted from Echevarria, Vogt, Short 2008 Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model.
This list of SIOP strategies, created by Sara Brinson at Mountain Island Elementary School, is organized by component and provides descriptors of strategies that teachers can use when planning daily lessons.
This checklist is adopted from Echevarria, J., Vogt, M.E., & Short, D.J. (2007, 3rd ed.). Making Content Comprehensible for ELLs: The SIOP Model. Allyn and Bacon.
Content and Language Objectives Resources
This article is written by Jennifer Himmel for Colorín Colorado and provides information on how to use language objectives in content-area instruction for English learners and offers classroom-based examples from different grade and subject levels.
Building Backgrounds and Vocabulary Resources
This handout provides information about the three tiers of vocabulary.
SIOP Reading Resources
This resource, compiled by Mary Catherine, provides more than 50 free printable books that teachers can use to support the reading/literacy skills of the early readers. Students could take these printable books and practice at home.
This website includes six graphic organizers that teachers can use to improve the reading comprehension of students who struggle with reading. This website is created by the Understanding Team.
This is a great read-aloud resource for elementary teachers. It contains a selection of short illustrated books that are read aloud to students.
SQP2RS is a framework for reading expository texts.
SQP2RS stands for survey, question, predict, read, respond and summarize. SQP2RS allows English language learners to direct their own learning. English language learners can use the survey steps to determine new vocabulary words.
SIOP Assessment Resources
This article from Edutopia offers 53 different activities teachers can use to check for understanding in the classroom.