The SIOP Model was designed as an approach for lesson planning and delivery of high-quality instruction for English learners. At the time SIOP was developed, teachers of English learners needed guidance on how to incorporate research-based practices into their teaching in a consiste
nt and systematic way. They still do.
Because SIOP is an instructional framework, it’s promotion of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) may get overlooked. However, if you compare the tenants of CRT to the features of SIOP, you’ll see that they intersect quite naturally. Some aspects of CRT are explicit in SIOP’s features and others are implicit. For example, SIOP teaching emphasizes high expectations for English learners by providing multiple ways for EL students to access grade-level content and participate fully in grade-level lessons. While there isn’t a specific SIOP feature, Have high expectations, it is a foundational principle of SIOP teaching. Every child deserves to be equally accepted as a part of her class and/or school, to be equally engaged in its academic and social fabric, to be an equal participant in lessons including having her language and cultural perspectives valued equally.
Let’s take a look at how each SIOP component explicitly promotes CRT:
Lesson Preparation. When English learners develop strong academic skills and content knowledge, they are empowered as individuals. They are better able to advocate for themselves and others and to pursue their dreams. Research confirms that well-planned, focused teaching is effective in promoting learning. As teachers begin to plan a SIOP lesson, they first design content and language objectives which will drive the lesson’s instruction and activities. Posting and reviewing objectives eliminates ambiguity for English learners about the lesson’s purpose and expectations.
During planning teachers ensure that students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds can access grade-level learning by making adjustments based on language proficiency and educational experiences. For instance, leveled reading passages and modified assignments allow all students to learn the same content, but through differentiated texts and tasks. Further, teachers engage students by planning meaningful activities to make the lesson’s content understandable and by choosing materials that are culturally relevant to student backgrounds.
Building Background. SIOP classrooms are student-centered and lessons build on students’ background knowledge and experiences. SIOP teachers capitalize on the funds of knowledge English learners bring to the classroom by integrating students’ realities into lessons. Using students’ own experiences to link to what they are learning not only emphasizes the legitimacy of their cultural heritage but also makes the lesson’s content more meaningful and relevant to them.
Comprehensible Input. SIOP teachers employ techniques such as speaking clearly, using visuals and multimedia, hands-on activities, modeling, and repetition to help students understand instruction at their level of language proficiency, thus providing access to the core curriculum.
Strategies. SIOP teachers recognize that although English learners may not yet be fully proficient in English, they can still think at high levels and respond to higher-order questions. When teachers provide opportunities for English learners to use higher order thinking and encourage them to think critically, not only is it more intellectually stimulating, it conveys high expectations for students. SIOP teachers also use a variety of scaffolding techniques to support students’ understanding of lessons such as paraphrasing, use of graphic organizers, and showing a model of a completed assignment for reference.
Interaction. One of the best ways to create a caring community of learning is to teach students to interact respectfully and productively with one another. And, of course, provide them with lots of opportunities to do so. Having English learners and English speakers work together in small groups helps create mutual respect among students from different cultures and ethnicities. Developing relationships tends to break down walls and open communication as students learn about and from one another. At other times, English learners may be grouped by language so that they’re able to work together using the same home language. Having students interacting in groups allows the teacher to act as a facilitator, circulating among the groups and listening to students, gaining valuable information about their understanding of the topic as well as their opinions and perspectives. It’s a great opportunity to get to know more about your students in a way that isn’t as likely to occur in whole class teaching. SIOP’s interaction component also encourages ample use of students’ home language which demonstrates respect for students’ linguistic heritage.
Practice & Application. SIOP teachers enable students to practice and apply what they have learned by encouraging them to engage in activities of their choice that reflect their cultural identity. They might create a presentation, design a game, dramatize the topic, write and perform a song, or generate solutions to real-life problems that represent diverse perspectives. While integrating language skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening), these activities also integrate students’ knowledge, experiences, language, and preferences. Activities such as these are an important part of SIOP lessons because they allow students to use their background in a way that enhances learning and at the same time honors their background and heritage.
Lesson Delivery. As mentioned previously, well-planned, focused teaching is effective in promoting learning. Beyond merely posting content and language objectives, the lesson’s instruction and activities need to support those objectives. Also, in SIOP classes there is a high level of student engagement since SIOP lessons make content comprehensible for students and include activities, supplementary materials, adapted text, and other practices to help students access the same content their English-speaking peers are learning.
Review & Assessment. SIOP teachers consistently check for understanding to ensure that English learners are comprehending the lesson’s content and vocabulary and are participating fully in learning. Formative and summative assessments are multifaceted and take into consideration the various contexts of a student’s life including home, school, culture, home language, and literacy development in both their home language and English. Such assessments provide the most relevant and accurate information for the teacher to use in designing appropriate and culturally relevant instruction.
As you can see, providing high-quality SIOP teaching to English learners in and of itself is culturally responsive.
SIOP teachers have high expectations for English learners, they value students’ linguistic and cultural assets and integrate their language and experiences into lessons. Creating a safe community of learning in which students are encouraged to interact with one another and build relationships is a priority. Through SIOP teaching, students are empowered by their newly acquired knowledge and skills including the ability to think critically about topics and express their thoughts, beliefs, and ideas from their own cultural perspectives.
Based on: Echevarria, J., Vogt, M.E. & Short, D. (2017). Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP® Model, Fifth Edition. Boston: Pearson.