Must-Have Reads to Prepare for English Learner Certification/Authorization

A couple of weeks ago, Mary Ann Zehr on Ed Week asked her blog readers whether receiving their English learner teaching authorization was a way to keep their job in the pending economic crisis that is affecting many school districts. Over the past couple of weeks, I've seen an increase in teachers preparing to take some of the state tests that will provide authorization to teach English learners. A few teachers have expressed a bit of hesitation regarding taking the state test, because they feel that they are not necessarily prepared for the exam. So I have put together a must-read list of materials that will most definitely prepare you for state EL authorization exams. These books are also must-reads for any teacher of English learners who may already have their English learner teaching authorization!

• The Crosscultural Language and Academic Development Handbook: A Complete K-12 Reference Guide
•  Reading, Writing and Learning in ESL: A Resource Book for Teaching K-12 English Learners
• A Course for Teaching English Learners-(Do you notice the abbreviations on the cover "CTEL"? The CTEL is the state exam for English learner authorization in California-hint, hint!)

As a former classroom teacher and current teacher educator myself, I still continue to use these three books frequently in order to prepare my trainings for teachers. If you study these books, you will most definitely feel prepared for the state tests! 

Coming Soon:

I'm drafting a follow-up post about the SIOP model. I am specifically focusing on the following questions: What are language and content objectives? How can I teach language development when I am teaching Science and/or Social Studies content? 

Stay tuned!!

ELD Strategies Book Review Part Two:Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners-The SIOP Model

In a previous post, we provided an overview of the SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) model of sheltered instruction and English Language Development, or ELD. If you haven't read the first post, you might want to read it here before reading part 2.

In our last post, we provided an overview of the eight SIOP components, and briefly summarized the following components of SIOP:

• Lesson Preparation
• Building Background
• Comprehensible Input

In this post, we'll summarize the remaining five components of the SIOP model of instruction for English learners. 

Strategies

The strategies component emphasizes the following features: 1) metacognitive, cognitive, and social affective learning strategies; 2) verbal and instructional scaffolding techniques; and, 3) higher-order questioning.

Interaction

The interaction component is an essential feature of effective instruction for English learners, because students who are learning a second language need multiple opportunities to practice a second language with peers. The following features of interaction are discussed: 1) multiple opportunities to practice all four language domains (i.e., listening, speaking, reading and writing); 2) various grouping configurations (e.g., whole group, flexible small group, heterogeneous, homogeneous, partners, etc); 3) sufficient wait time; and, 4) clarification of key concepts in students' primary language.

Practice/Application

The practice and application component emphasizes the following features: 1) hands-on practice of learning with manipulatives or meaningful activities; 2) integration of all four language domains; and, 3) application of new learning in multiple ways.

Lesson Delivery

SIOP's lesson delivery component ensures that the following features are present in effective lesson design and delivery: 1) content and language objectives are supported during the lesson; 2) students are actively engaged in the lesson; and, 3) the lesson pacing is appropriate (i.e., not too fast, not too slow).

Review/Assessment

The review and assessment component emphasizes the review of key concepts and vocabulary. In addition, effective review and assessment consists of immediate, corrective feedback to students as well as formative and summative assessment.

If you are a teacher who is just starting out and learning about ELD and sheltered instruction, or if you are a teacher who has been around the block for a while...this book is applicable to you. The book packages all of the effective components of sheltered instruction in order to assist teachers in implementing quality ELD lessons for students. Purchase a copy today-you will not be disappointed!

Chat Hosted By EDWEEK Regarding Assessment and English Learners

Today at 2:00 Eastern Standard Time, EdWeek will be hosting a chat about assessment and English learners. Margo Gottlieb is the director of assessment and evaluation at the Illinois Resource Center, and will be leading the chat. It ought to be interesting-have fun!!

March Giveaway Update

Mikel, please claim your March giveaway prize by sending your name and emailing address to eldstrategies(at)yahoo(dot)com no later than this Sunday. By Sunday evening, we will draw another name if the prize is not claimed! Thanks!!!

ELD Strategies Book Review Part One:Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners-The SIOP Model

Today we'd like to discuss a really great resource for teachers of English learners, the book "Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model". This book is now in it's third edition, and the third edition is the edition to buy!

The SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) model is an instructional model of sheltered instruction and English language development for English learners. Sheltered instruction is a way to make grade-level academic content understandable and comprehensible to English learners while at the same time promoting English language development. There are a variety of instructional techniques that many people label as "SDAIE strategies" in the education community, but what the SIOP book does is package all of the research-based strategies into one instructional model. This book is indispensable for any teacher who is a teacher of English learners and/or English Language Development (ELD)!!

The authors have organized the instructional model into eight distinct components of sheltered instruction. The components are:

1. Lesson Preparation
2. Building Background
3. Comprehensible Input
4. Strategies
5. Interaction
6. Practice/Application
7. Lesson Delivery
8. Review and Assessment

For this article, we will outline the first three components. In a subsequent post the additional SIOP components and the SIOP protocol (i.e., the peer teaching/coaching self-reflective protocol sheet) will also be discussed. 

Lesson Preparation

The lesson preparation component is one of the most important components of effective sheltered instruction and ELD, but it sometimes tends to be the most neglected. Within the SIOP book, teachers will learn about the features that define the lesson preparation component. Such features include: 1) writing, displaying, defining and reviewing content and language objectives; 2) ensuring that lesson concepts are appropriate for the age and the educational background of students; 3) effective use of supplemental materials; 4) adapting content for students at all proficiency levels of language development; and, 5) providing meaningful opportunities for students to practice the language and content. 

In a few upcoming posts, we will specifically answer the following questions: 

• What exactly are content and language objectives? What are some concrete examples? 
• Why should teachers integrate content and language objectives?
• What are some examples of language objectives? How do I know which language objectives to choose when teaching a content lesson?

In a nutshell, teachers need language objectives in order to develop students' language skills during content instruction. In other words, language objectives can help a teacher teach ELD and English literacy through such content areas as Science, Social Studies, etc. Stay tuned for future posts about content and language objectives!

Building Background

Activating prior knowledge and building background are extremely important components of the teaching and learning process. The SIOP book discusses the following features of building background: ) explicitly linking concepts to students background experiences and previous learning; and, 2) developing high levels of academic vocabulary.

Teachers will learn about a variety of instructional strategies designed to build background knowledge and enhance academic language development. In one of our future posts, we are planning on discussing some of the following questions:

• What exactly is "academic language"?
• How is the SIOP building background component similar to Project GLAD's focus and motivation component? How can these two complementary models be used together to increase the academic achievement of English learners? 

Comprehensible Input

We often hear the phrase "comprehensible input", but what exactly does it mean? All English learners need comprehensible input through the use of specific strategies that are designed to make cognitively complex concepts accessible and understandable to students. Teachers sometimes provide comprehensible input through pictures, realia, sketches, total physical response, pictorial input charts (i.e., a Project GLAD strategy), etc. The SIOP book also discusses the following components of comprehensible input: 1) using speech that is appropriate to students at various English proficiency levels; 2) clearly explaining and modeling classrooms tasks; and, 3) using a variety of techniques to make content comprehensible to students at all English proficiency levels. 

Stay tuned in the future for some posts featuring effective comprehensible input strategies. We also plan on outlining the similarities between the SIOP comprehensible input component with Project GLAD's input component. 

If you plan on purchasing the SIOP book, please purchase it through our ELD Strategies Amazon store. All proceeds will be used to purchase additional books for future book reviews!! We appreciate your support!

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