Author: jechevarria

Educators are well aware of the oft-cited achievement gap experienced by English learners. The term achievement gap implies that some students don’t do as well as others academically because they aren’t trying hard enough, aren’t motivated, or aren’t as capable as higher performing students. However, in the past decade there has been growing awareness – and evidence – that there is a pervasive opportunity gap for these students.

A recent report provides some interesting results regarding the opportunity gap. The authors observed nearly 1,000 schools across five diverse school systems and concluded that there are ways to close the opportunity gap. The report recommends that each day students should have the following four resources:

1. Consistent opportunities to work on grade-appropriate assignments.

The idea that English learners can only be successful if they’re given watered-down materials and assignments has been refuted. Research with the SIOP Model, as well as other studies such as the one linked above, have found that when English learners are provided with appropriate supports, or scaffolds, these learners can be successful in learning grade-level concepts and material and can meet academic standards. Supports are intended to make content comprehensible while at the same time develop students’ English proficiency. Proven supports include:

• Presenting information in chunks, so that students can process both the concepts presented and the language used. Some English learners may be mentally translating the information and need time to do so. After a chunk of information is presented (or read), ask students to do something to actively process the information such as summarizing it with a partner, answering questions, or filling in part of a worksheet. This process makes large amounts of information more manageable.
• Pre-teaching vocabulary. Vocabulary knowledge is key to understanding text, however, vocabulary lists in textbooks are usually created for English-speakers. Be sure to select words and phrases that will support readers’ understanding of the story, text passage, or lesson. For example, a math lesson’s objective might be to divide multi-digit numbers using an efficient strategy. Typically, the teacher would select key vocabulary such as, divide, quotient, multiply, dividend, and divisor. These are essential content vocabulary terms for students to know but English learners would likely also need to learn the meaning of efficient and strategy. It is assumed that students know these general academic words, but they are vocabulary terms English learners need to learn for this lesson and for use across content areas.
• Using graphic organizers. In many content-area lessons there is a lot of information and language for English learners to digest. Graphic organizers provide a visual illustration so that students can better understand the material while also learning its associated vocabulary.

These are but a few of myriad ways to support English learners’ comprehension of grade-level work, and many resources are available to help teachers make grade-level lessons comprehensible for English learners.

2. Strong instruction where students do most of the thinking in a lesson.

The authors define strong instruction as, “instructional practices that allow students to grapple with appropriate material in robust ways.” Some teachers maintain a mindset that students are empty vessels in need of filling. In fact, students come to school with lots of experience and knowledge and use what they bring as a springboard for new learning. Teaching involves more than presenting information, it includes equipping students to think for themselves, to find information, and to be challenged by new ideas. Some of the most effective instruction I’ve observed is found in classrooms where teachers introduce a topic (or story, or math or science procedure), then students work together to think more deeply about the topic, followed by regrouping for review or sharing students’ ideas. Teachers move seamlessly from whole class to small groups or partners, then back to whole group. Small groups may be used for a quick think-pair-share or turn-and-talk, and at other times a group of 3 or 4 students work together to grapple with an idea or topic, research the answer to a question, or problem solve. Grouping is flexible and there may be several grouping configurations in one lesson, each designed to encourage students to do the thinking. Two cautions related to this point:

• Be aware of wasted instructional time. A pet peeve of mine is watching time that could be used productively disappear, never to be reclaimed. For example, designed as a way to get students to think about a topic and interact with peers, teachers frequently ask students comprehension or prediction questions such as, “Based on what we’ve read, where do you think our main character will go next? Turn and talk to your elbow partner.” The answer to this question, and most others teachers ask students to discuss, takes about 15-20 seconds, but it is not unusual to observe three to five minutes of valuable instructional time devoted to answering simple questions. Minimal amount of student thinking occurred in this example and the lost minutes add up to hours over the course of a week, a month, a year. English learners are students who can least afford wasted instructional time.
•  Be careful not to overuse language frames. Used as scaffolds for oral or written expression, sentence frames are effective in helping students communicate ideas using complete sentences and specific vocabulary. Sentence frames are intended to support students in producing language that they wouldn’t be able to produce on their own, but they can be overused which stunts authentic expression as I discuss in this post.

3. Deep engagement in what they’re learning.

Many students go through the motions of participating in lessons without actually being connected cognitively or emotionally. Compliance is not the same as engagement. Student engagement may be easier to see than describe. In this video, you’ll find students across grade levels working together productively.  Some specific ways to encourage student engagement include:

• Grouping students to work collaboratively. As seen in the video, students enjoy working with peers on well-structured assignments. Teachers facilitate productivity by first modeling the tasks and showing an example of the final product, then setting time limits on aspects of the assignment, and circulating amongst students to offer assistance as needed.
• Explicitly linking the topic or assignment to students’ background knowledge and experiences. For example, hook students by asking questions such as, What would you do in that situation? Have you ever had a similar experience? If you were in this situation, what would you advise? Tell us about how your family might react, Based on your own experience, how might you solve this problem? An important aspect of asking probing questions is to really pay attention to what students have to say orally or in writing. Encouraging students to express their thoughts based on their own experiences can be a powerful way to engage with the topic whether it be characterization in a story, an historical event, or a topic in science.
• Capitalizing on the assets students bring to the classroom by providing activities that are meaningful, interesting and relevant to them. Create student agency by allowing English learners to research topics that interest them, on their own or with peers, and offering alternative means for completing assignments based on their interests, e.g., drawing, writing, or filming. When students are given voice and choice in how they learn, they are more likely to take responsibility for their own learning and engage more deeply in assignments.

4. Teachers who have high expectations for all students and believe they can meet grade-level standards.

All too often, English learners are characterized by what they cannot do: they cannot speak English, they aren’t prepared for mainstream classes, their parents cannot attend school events. Deficit-based attitudes contribute to low expectations for students’ academic prospects. Decades of research has made clear that If teachers believe that their students are unlikely to learn, they tend to teach in ways that make this expectation a reality. In contrast, most of us are drawn to a person who believes in us and we don’t want to disappoint that person. Students perform better for teachers who communicate high expectations for them. These teachers take time to develop relationships with their students which pays dividends in the classroom. Teachers who have high expectations let each student know that they are important and can be successful. They make comments such as, “I see you finished that assignment. I knew you could do it.” “I appreciate you showing up for tutoring this morning. I know it will help you do well in that class.” Authentic expressions of affirmation signal your confidence in students and can have a positive impact on their success. We would all do well to communicate to students the essence of Mr. Rogers’ approach: You are special. I like who you are.

 

 

Writing language objectives can be hard!

Teachers are generally comfortable writing content objectives because those are based on content standards that teachers are familiar with and are sometimes stated right in curricular materials, e.g., In this unit students will…..

Language objectives, not so much.

Including a language objective in every lesson was popularized by the SIOP Model beginning in 2000 and is now a widely accepted practice. After nearly twenty years, it is the feature about which we continue to receive the most questions, bar none.

In short, content objectives (CO) are related to the key concept of the lesson. Although language objectives (LO) connect to the lesson’s topic or activities, their purpose is to promote student academic language growth in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Writing a LO isn’t always as straightforward as a CO because it is based on an aspect of language that students need to learn. It typically takes more thought and preparation. Fortunately, there are ELL/ELD standards to help guide you in writing language objectives.

In our book, Developing Academic Language, Deborah Short and I provide guidelines for identifying objectives and incorporating them into lessons. These guidelines include determining what we want students to learn (CO) and then considering the language needed to accomplish those objectives (LO). It is important that active, measurable verbs are used in objectives so that learning can be assessed. Students are more likely to take responsibility for their own learning when measurable objectives allow them to gauge their progress. Avoid verbs such as learn, understand, become aware of since these cannot be measured.

In a lesson from a unit on the Lewis and Clark expedition, the unit’s guiding standard is, Explain events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text. A content objective for the lesson might be: Students will identify and describe the main events on the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Language objectives might be: Students will describe the main events using past tense verbs, and Students will categorize vocabulary terms using a List-Group-Label activity.

We promote the practice of posting and discussing objectives with students. An agenda, commonly written by teachers on the board, is a list of activities and is not the same as objectives. Objectives focus on an outcome, not an activity. They are the content-based learning targets students need to be able to accomplish the activities. Remember, objectives are what you want students to know or be able to do by the end of the lesson, so instruction needs to address what you’ve set out to do.

When writing language objectives we suggest that teachers:

• Have a consistent introduction that students recognize. Pick whichever one will resonate with your students: SWBAT (students will be able to), SW (students will), We will, Today I will and so forth.
• State the outcome using active, measurable verbs. SIOPer @carlota_holder created this graphic to illustrate some active verbs that may be used across the four domains.. The lists aren’t exhaustive but are a handy reminder of verbs to use. Some, of course, fit in multiple categories. Compare works in writing and speaking as does persuade.

In the listening domain above, the objective would need to include an observable, measurable action such as, Students will listen for details and raise a hand when a key detail is mentioned, or Students will pay attention to the presentation and take notes on the outline provided.

• Focus on the aspect of language students will learn or practice in the lesson. The language feature may need to be explicitly taught or refined and practiced.

So, here’s how a language objective is constructed:

     Students will  describe the main events using past tense verbs.

     Introduction – Active, measurable verb –  Language to be learned or practiced

Additional information may be part of the objective, if desired for clarity:

     Students will categorize vocabulary terms using a List-Group-Label activity.

      Introduction – Active verb  – Language learned    –     Activity

To see objectives in action in a social studies classroom, click here.

One thing is certain, the more you practice writing language objectives, the easier it becomes. Keep in mind a quote from SIOP expert Andrea Rients (@RientsAndrea), “Nobody dies from writing a bad language objective” to which another veteran SIOPer Ana Segulin (@asegulin) replied, “A bad language objective is better than NO language objective.”

Touché!

 

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Post based on : Short, D. & Echevarria, J. (2016). Developing Academic Language Using the SIOP Model. Boston: Pearson.

Echevarria, J., Vogt, M.E. & Short, D. (2017). Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP^® Model, Fifth Edition. Boston: Pearson.

 

 

Much of the subject matter in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is conceptually complex, which is why it is challenging for many students, and is all the more challenging for English learners. These students are learning English while they tackle complex concepts, high level vocabulary, and dense text. Take, for example, topics such as robotics, electrochemistry, magnetism, phylogenetics, and net forces. Students – and adults – may find some of these topics intimidating but they need not be. Content from any topic area can be made accessible for English learners given the right learning environment.

The SIOP Model is a teaching approach designed to make grade-level content comprehensible for English learners. Its 8 components and 30 features combine to provide teachers with guidance for planning and executing lessons that help English learners become active participants in grade-level learning. SIOP teaching provides access to content by modifying the delivery of instruction so that information is made understandable. Although the content of STEM courses is rigorous, there is evidence that English learners can be successful in these classes. Using effective teaching with English learners is particularly important now as math and science instruction has evolved to include more emphasis on advanced concepts to meet science and math standards.

In SIOP’s Lesson Preparation component, content objectives and language objectives make the purpose of each lesson transparent for English learners so that they know what to expect, and what is expected of them. Objectives allow both teachers and students to focus attention on what is most important to learn, which prepares them for assessments. Content objectives identify what students will learn and be able to do in the lesson, and language objectives address the aspects of academic language that will be developed or reinforced. These objectives should be stated in clear and simple language, posted for the students to see, introduced at the beginning of the lesson, and reviewed at the end of the lesson to determine whether the objectives were met. Sharing objectives with students may lower anxiety about a topic because students can see that challenging subject matter is presented in manageable parts.

Building Background encourages teachers value and use the many assets students bring to the classroom and to build upon them. SIOP teachers make topics relevant by linking academic content to students’ own experiences and language, they activate students’ prior knowledge and fill in where there are gaps in students’ background. There is an emphasis on learning and practicing the vocabulary associated with STEM topics. Many scientific and mathematical terms have Latin roots so words are similar between Spanish and English (or other Latin-based languages such as Portuguese and Romanian), called cognates. Explicitly teaching cognates helps students acquire vocabulary and shows them the relationship between English and their home language.

Comprehensible Input supports English learners’ understanding of instruction as teachers use visuals , multimedia, gestures, well-enunciated speech – any teaching techniques that clearly conveys the message to students and supports their understanding. Another feature of comprehensible input is giving clear instructions for completing tasks, assignments and activities. English learners benefit from instructions that are presented step-by-step, modeled, and written for reference.

Strategies urges teachers to remember that English learners are capable of higher level thinking even when their oral or written expression may be limited in demonstrating their actual knowledge. SIOP teachers ask a variety of questions, some that are literal but many more that promote critical thinking and extend students’ thinking. English learners are capable of learning challenging grade-level material when they’re provided with appropriate scaffolding.

Interaction provides opportunities for students to work together to solve problems, use collaborative inquiry, conduct experiments, research topics, and so forth all the while they are practicing and expanding their lexicon. SIOP teachers encourage students to use language to discuss the content they’re learning, whether in science, (See Talk Activities Flowchart created by Kerri Wingert and Abby Rhinehart), math, or related content areas.

The Practice & Application component ensures that lessons involve more than paper and pencil tasks. Students practice and apply concepts through activities, games, play, and hands-on tasks. Through the process of practice and application, students refine both their understanding of the content as well as their oral and written expression of those understandings. Much of STEM has application to daily life and the world around us. Skilled SIOP teachers make those connections so that English learners become aware of the relevance of topics to their own lives.

Lesson Delivery guides teachers to make sure that the pace of teaching is appropriate, and that instruction is true to their SIOP lesson plan, meeting the lesson’s content and language objectives. In doing so, each building block of learning is presented clearly and meaningfully.

Review & Assessment calls for frequent checks for understanding to make sure that students are engaged and follow along. Additional scaffolds may be needed such as reviewing, restating, or creating a visual for clarification. In assessing a lesson or unit,   multiple forms of assessment such as presentations,  portfolios, performance assessment, laboratory activities, and group projects are used to ensure that acquisition of knowledge and skills is being assessed. Students’ level of English proficiency may confound assessment results when relying exclusively on written question-and-answer tests.

SIOP teaching supports English learners in accessing STEM content by providing  opportunities for students to achieve academically through high quality, grade-level instruction that is meaningful and engaging, and communicates high expectations for English learners’ success.

 

Positive relationships are critical for students to feel connected to school, to do well, and for the overall well-being of the school environment. Building relationships with students begins first and foremost with the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This means to treat students respectfully, ask politely, and correct kindly.

From my experience in observing classrooms, when teachers are encouraging toward students, are respectful, and convey genuine caring, students engage more academically, often because they want to please their teacher. Aggressive or disruptive behaviors are rare. It always amazes me when teachers don’t see how their own behavior — sarcasm and criticism, for example — results in behavior problems. Some students withdraw and disengage in an attempt to stay out of the teacher’s crosshairs while others respond in kind, which often results in punishment for the very behavior exhibited by the teacher. The power differential favors the teacher. In this dynamic, positive relationships are nearly impossible to build — and everyone loses. Often, student behavior mirrors teacher behavior. So, use the Golden Rule as a general guide for making connections with students.

There are also loads of specific ways that teachers can build positive relationships with students but the ones I’ll discuss here are those that I’ve seen work well.

Call students by name. Sounds simple but it isn’t always practiced by teachers and is an easy way to make a connection. At the beginning of the year, learn each student’s name and how to pronounce it correctly. While mispronunciation may seem insignificant, it shows students that you don’t care enough to say their names correctly. And, it can be embarrassing. A name is one’s identity.  In hallways, on the playground, at school activities, take time to greet students by name.

Know your students. Each one comes to school with interests, likes and dislikes, talents, and strengths. Find out about your students and make it a habit to ask about each one: “How was your soccer game?” “Is your brother feeling better?” “Did you play any video games yesterday?” “I see that you braided your hair. It looks nice.” These interactions don’t need to gobble up a lot of time but can be asked as students enter the class at the beginning of the period, as they leave, in hallways or during transitions. The point isn’t to get extensive information but to make a connection by showing you genuinely care. But, when students do need someone to talk to, they’ll likely seek out someone with whom they have a connection.

Communicate high expectations. Most of us are drawn to a person who believes in us. Letting each student know that you believe she or he can be successful will enhance the relationship: “I see you finished that assignment. I knew you could do it.” “Thank you for being on time again today. I know it’s tough for you sometimes.” Display college banners on walls and talk with students about which colleges they want to attend. Have middle school students research programs offered at high schools and encourage them to participate. Sincere comments of affirmation signal your confidence in students and communicate that you are their advocate.

Make home visits. It is one of the most time-consuming yet rewarding ways to building relationships, bar none. Visiting families at home builds goodwill and provides the opportunity to learn about students’ lives and their families’ cultural practices and values. In my experience, it is a worthwhile investment of time because not only does it provide a greater understanding of your students, but a partnership is developed with families which can be invaluable, especially with students who are challenging. If one-to-one visits with each family isn’t realistic, the next best thing is attending community events and introducing yourself to families. These activities aren’t mutually exclusive. Visit the homes of students who need that extra effort made to connect with them and attend an event to meet other families.

Regardless of which of these ideas resonates with you, the point is to build relationships with your students, connect with them every day, and enjoy the benefits.

 

English learners, those students who are still in the process of becoming fluent English speakers, have a lot of English vocabulary to learn. Beyond the words they need to know and use to communicate clearly with others and express their knowledge, ask questions, and convey ideas, they also have to acquire the academic language used in school subject areas, including a level of English that will prepare them to graduate and for college and careers.

That’s a lot of words. One way to accelerate their English proficiency is to instill in English learners the idea that learning about words can be fun. Teaching about words and word parts expands students’ vocabularies exponentially. Of course, there are key vocabulary terms that need to be taught and practiced so that specific lessons are understandable, but there is tremendous benefit to spending time letting students play with words.

English learners have the asset of their home language (L1). They already know a lot of words and the concepts those words represent. Tap into those words and use them to teach English vocabulary, and even expand their L1 vocabulary.

Word generation is used to demonstrate that many words are derived from a common root. Students are shown a root and then brainstorm words that share the root, with teacher assistance or in peer groups. Typically, the words are related to a lesson so students may be asked to look in the text to find as many related words as they can. In the example shown, the root, geo, forms the basis for many other words, as does the root, therm. Awareness that words consist of parts, typically roots and affixes, can catapult vocabulary knowledge to a higher level.

Cognates are words that exists in two different languages and have the same root or origin. Since Spanish and English both have Latin roots, there are lots of words that are the same or very close in both languages. Word generation can be used to teach roots and their many derivations but can also show students the relationship between words in their home language (if Latin-based) and English, e.g., geocentric in English and geocéntrica in Spanish; thermometer in English and termómetro in Spanish. When both languages are posted, bilingual word generation charts bridge the languages.

There are many other ways that English learners can develop word-learning skills. Perhaps the first step is helping students develop word consciousness, which is an understanding that words have meaning and that the meaning of words can be learned and known. For many English learners, it can be sort of an “aha” moment when they grasp the idea that words that may be confounding can actually be understood with use of word-learning strategies. These strategies help them infer meaning or take an informed guess when they come across words they don’t recognize. Learning the meaning of the most common prefixes and suffixes goes a long way in helping English learners figure out unfamiliar words.

Word-learning strategies that are fun — and effective — for developing academic language include the following:

Use synonyms to expand vocabulary. Students tend to use, and overuse, the same words in their writing. In our book, Developing Academic Language, Deborah Short calls these RIP words, ones that need to be buried. Together with students, teachers introduce more descriptive words, called “Shooting Stars,” to replace RIP words. In the examples shown here, the one on the right illustrates how frequently can be used to replace the overused, a lot, and

enormous replaces, big. Like is an RIP word that can be replaced with, for instance. The poster on the left shows how words such as exclaimed, shouted, and commented are more expressive than, said, and so forth. The point is to make English learners aware that there are a variety of words at their disposal that are more descriptive than the ones commonly used. Further, they are likely to encounter the “shooting star” words in texts so there is a benefit to learning and using them.

Shades of meaning is another way to use synonyms. Have students come up with an adjective such as happy, seen in the example. Then ask students to brainstorm synonyms and rank them by degree. Lively discussion may ensue as students consider and revise where to place words.

Students can have a lot of fun playing with synonyms. They may use a thesaurus to find shooting star words and shades of meaning words, or the teacher may provide a bank of words from which students choose to complete the activity. The important part is to make it a purposeful activity. Further, to provide the multiple exposures to words that English learners need, draw attention to these words when they appear in texts or lectures, when students use the words in writing (make a big deal!) and provide opportunities for students to practice using the words so they become their own.

Concept Definition Map is a good way  to develop academic vocabulary and has the added bonus of helping students learn and understand important content information. In the example here, students are learning about the legislative branch of the U.S. government. The teacher provides the key term, legislative, and students work together in groups with teacher facilitation to define the key term, generate related words, and write sentences to provide more information about the term, e.g., the legislative branch is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The map also presents an opportunity to teach the root leg, which means law. The teacher points out the relationship between terms such as legal, legislative, legislator, legislature, using visuals for clarity. Learning one term helps students understand other related terms. The poster is used throughout the unit as a reference for understanding concepts and also for expanding academic vocabulary. An individual Concept Definition Map may be created (or copied from the poster) and placed in a student notebook for reference and review.

Found Words. In an effort to make learning new words fun, ask student to be aware of words they encounter in their daily lives and bring a new word to class. You might ask students to be on the lookout for a word from the same word family that has been studied, or ask students to find a word in their neighborhood that is interesting and one they want to know more about. Then, talk about the words, explore their meanings, create a semantic map, etc. Make learning new words fun!

By the way, the sample posters shown here were created by participants at the SIOP National Conference this month. To see lots more examples posted on Twitter for teaching English learners, go to #SIOPNC19. Also check out this recap.