All students in the classroom should be “always learning”. In order for students to be always learning, the teachers need to create ways to make sure every different kind of student in their classroom is learning. The SIOP Model gives students with learning barriers, access to learning.
The SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) Model offers a validated approach to teaching that helps prepare all students to become college and career ready.
Charlotte Daniel facilitated the three-day training that involved over 200 Thompson educators. When asked what the most important thing to take from this training was, Charlotte instantly answered, without hesitation, “ I found that using the SIOP Model to develop my lesson plans was the best organizational tool to tie everything together.” Planning for English Language Learners can sometimes seem daunting, but with the guidance of the SIOP Model, teachers will be able to create lesson plans in all content areas that are clear and comprehensible to everyone. Another thing Charlotte thought was most important about the SIOP Model training was how essential the after training support is. Between ELA Administrator Karen Hanford and ELA TOSA Clint Richards, Charlotte feels very confident the teachers will get the support they need to really implement the SIOP Model into their teaching strategies.
One of the instructional coaches at Lincoln Elementary, Jeannie Sponheim, took this three-day training, to support her learning as a teacher of teachers. Jeannie found new ways to teach and connect with every student because of the SIOP Model. For example, she is now using non-linguistic approaches in the classroom; she reveals the objective of a lesson before it begins; using rubrics really help motivate her students to achieve better scores, and she always gives examples of what she is trying to teach. Jeannie explained, “When the students know what they need to learn, it reduces their anxiety.” Reducing the students’ anxiety will help them concentrate just on the content, not on wondering what they are supposed to learn. It’s very clear from the beginning of the lesson what they are going to learn, why they are going to learn it and how they are going to learn.
Jill Date, another instructional coach in the district, also attended this training. She explained that lesson plans at Sarah Milner Elementary now include meaningful activities that integrate lesson concepts with language practice opportunities for each student involving reading, writing, listening and speaking. Because Jeannie took this training this summer, she is just now starting to implement the SIOP Model into the classroom. Jill said, “The other components of SIOP that teachers will focus on refining this year are: building background, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction, practice and application, lesson delivery, and review and assessment.” Focusing on these very important components of the SIOP Model will advance student achievement.
The title of the SIOP Model book states it all, Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners- The SIOP Model. It’s just that. Being able to make all learning content more comprehensible for all students, especially English learners. As a framework for organizing instruction, the SIOP Model supports teachers in planning and delivering high-quality instruction for all students with eight interrelated components to follow.
The Eight Components:
1) Lesson Preparation
2) Building Background
3) Comprehensive Input
4) Strategies
5) Interaction
6) Practice and Application
7) Lesson Delivery
8) Review and Assessment
Training the Thompson School District staff on the SIOP Model is intended to produce increased levels of student learning, lead to higher test scores, stronger results in the classroom and a better understanding of content all together for all types of students.
