Double Duty: Helping English Learners Access Content and Develop English Proficiency

Jana EchevarriaCalifornia State University, Long Beach

Deborah ShortCenter for Applied Linguistics

Instructional Practicein California

In California, many ELs are struggling. Inconsistent practice in schools is due to lack of

an instructional model. Despite large numbers of ELs, most teacher-

preparation programs still do not provide candidates with sufficient instructional strategies for teaching ELs (Bailey & Butler, 2007; Crawford, 2003)

Instructional Practicein California: To Date

SDAIE - CCTC defines it as “a variety of strategies, techniques and materials designed to provide students at an intermediate or advanced level of English proficiency to access grade-level core curriculum in English” Some SDAIE techniques have a research base showing

effectiveness with ELs but SDAIE has not been operationally defined or tested.

It is generally a collection of techniques not a consistent model of instruction.

Replaced the term sheltered instruction in California

Instructional Practicein California: Research Advances

The SIOP Model is an empirically-tested, research-based model of sheltered instruction/SDAIE.

Incorporates best practices for teaching academic English and provides teachers with a coherent approach for improving the achievement of their students.

History of Instruction for English Learners

From: Echevarria, J. & Short, D. (2010). Programs and practices for effective sheltered content instruction. In Improving Education for English Learners: Research-Based Approaches. Sacramento, CA: CDE Press.

Academic language involves more than key content

vocabulary.

Academic language represents the entire range of language used in academic settings, including elementary and secondary schools.

Academic Language

Academic Vocabulary

English Grammar

English Syntax

Academic Oral

Discourse

Self-Talk: Thinking & Knowing

Prosody

Language for Writing

Language for Reading

Teaching Academic Vocabulary

Academic Vocabulary for

________________________(topic)

Content Words Process/Function Words

Words and Word Parts that Teach English

Structure

Examples of Content Vocabulary: Mathematics

• Addend• Addition algorithm• Associative property• Basic number

combination• Common denominator• Common factor• Commutative property• Decimal• Decimal addition• Decimal division• Decimal multiplication

• Dividend• Divisibility• Division• Equation• Equivalent forms• Equivalent fractions• Equivalent representation

• Estimation• Estimation of Fractions• Even numbers• Expanded notation

Examples of Content Vocabulary: English-Language Arts

Literature and Expository Text

• Character• Setting• Conflict• Action• Cause and effect• Main idea• Supporting details

Writing • Genre• Imagery• Sentence structure • Thesis statement• Conclusion• Sentence fragment

Grammar

• Action verbs• Noun clauses• Subjects• Predicates• Homonyms• Antonyms• Imperative

Examples of Process/Function Words (Are any of these discipline-specific?)

• Describe• Explain• Summarize• How to ask a question• How to state a conclusion• Interpret• Justify your opinion• Identify multiple perspectives• Uncover the author’s message• Persuade• Line up• Share with a partner...

Examples of Words and Word Parts that Teach English Structure

• English morphology: base words, roots, prefixes, suffixes

• English tense: past, present, future• English syntax (word order; asking questions in

English; placement of adjectives and adverbs; articles, etc.)

• Think about how science teachers teach concepts with words that have affixes (photo+synthesis).

• Think about how history teachers teach concepts using the past tense.

Social Studies Example: American Revolution

(Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2008)

Content: Redcoats, Patriots, Taxation Without Representation, Colonists, Boston Tea Party, Continental Congress (etc.)

Process/function: discuss, share with a partner, argue, debate, describe, categorize, compare and contrast, persuade, identify, (etc.)

Structure: -tion: revolution, taxation, solution, nation, transition -sion: tension, passion, mission, vision -tation: representation, plantation

Make use of Cognates....but beware of occasional false cognates!

(Vogt & Echevarria, 2008)

• For students who speak a Latin based language such as Spanish, cognates may help in teaching some words. For example, predict in English is predecir in Spanish; justify in English is justificar in Spanish; communication in English is communicacion in Spanish.

False Cognates: disturb = molestar; embarrassed = avergonzado/a; pregnant = embarazada

Why Do English Learners Have Difficulty with Academic Language?

• Factors outside of the school’s sphere of influence, such as poverty and transiency;

• Classrooms that are devoid of the supports that assist students in learning new material in a new language;

• In a study that observed 23 ethnically diverse classrooms, researchers found that in the core academic subject areas only 1.4% of instructional time was spent developing vocabulary knowledge (Scott, Jamison-Noel, and Asselin, 2003).

Why Do English Learners Have Difficulty with Academic Language?

• Lack of opportunity to develop oral language;• Passive learning – sitting quietly while “listening” to the

teacher and other students;• Lack of meaningful and engaging lessons;• Limited access to the language and the subject matter• Low expectations for EL Students• Lack of opportunities to practice using language orally• Lack of successful group work

The SIOP Model (Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2000; 2004;

2008; 2010)

• Lesson Preparation – language and content objectives

• Building Background – vocabulary development, student connections

• Comprehensible Input – ESL techniques• Strategies – metacognitive and cognitive

strategies

The SIOP Model (Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2000; 2004;

2008; 2010)

• Interaction – oral language • Practice & Application – practice all 4

language skills• Lesson Delivery – meet objectives• Review & Assessment – review vocabulary

and concepts

A way for teachers to consistently and systematically implement practices that will both make content comprehensible and develop English language skills.

Eight components and 30 features provide a blueprint for effective lessons.

Applicable for all subject areas, all grade levels and all English proficiency levels.

Only research validated model of sheltered instruction for ELs at present

The SIOP Model(Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2000; 2004; 2008; 2010)

CREDE Research (1996-2003): SIOP Research Reference

Echevarria, J., Short, D., & Powers, K. (2006). School reform and standards-based education: An instructional model for English language learners. Journal of Educational Research 99 (4), 195-210.

Upcoming Publications

• Echevarria, J., Richards-Tutor, C., Chinn, V., & Ratleff, P. (In press). Did they get it? The role of fidelity in improving teaching for English Learners. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy.

• Short, D., Echevarria, J., & Richards-Tutor, C. (In press). Research on academic literacy development in sheltered instruction classrooms. Language Teaching Research.

Partner Institutions

University of HoustonCenter for Applied Linguistics

California State University, Long BeachUniversity of Texas, Austin

Harvard UniversityUC Berkeley

IES Funded Research Center 2005-2011

Relationship: Average Teacher Performance and Student Outcomes

Average Student Gain (std dev)

SIOP Model: A Framework for Organizing Best Practices

Cooperative learning

Explicit instruction

Thinking Maps

SDAIE techniques

Writers Workshop

Technology

DifferentiatedInstruction

School-based Evaluation Research

Building Capacity through Professional Learning

• Pearson Education Trained 50 Master Cohort Teachers and District Leaders (Spring 2006)

• August 2006: Modeled components of SIOP to all staff in all elementary and middle schools.

• November 2006 – Spring 2009 Ongoing professional development provided to Master-Cohort Coaching using the SIOP protocol Intensive Component Training SIOP Component Review

• School-Based Coaching/Implementation– Master cohort members provide job-embedded

support to teachers at their school.

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

State 54.6 52.2 52.0 53.9 54.0

Urban 51.7 49.5 49.4 51.0 51.3

Lawrence 37.6 39.2 40.0 44.0 46.6

Guilmette 34.3 37.5 43.9 52.4 54.2

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

MCAS RESULTS:Composite Performance IndexLEP Student Results in ELA

Higher than state!

20 Pts below state

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

State 45.9 44.1 45.8 49.0 50.1

Urban 43.2 40.8 43.0 46.1 47.3

Lawrence 30.4 32.6 31.6 36.9 40.8

Guilmette 18.0 25.0 37.5 58.3 69.6

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

MCAS RESULTS:Composite Performance Index LEP Student Results in Math

20 Pts Higher than state!

28 Pts below state

California Department of Education

Language Policy and Leadership Office

800-995-4099

Web site: www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/rc E-mail: sales@cde.ca.gov

In Conclusion…The SIOP Model: • Makes lessons’ content meaningful by using a variety of

techniques.• Creates situations where students can actively practice

using academic English.• Provides teachers with concrete ways to organize

information so that it is comprehensible for students. • Focuses on vocabulary and oral language development.

Advantage for CA:• In our research, teachers who were trained in SDAIE

made the transition to SIOP quite easily• They report better academic success with their students

and more consistency in their instruction.