Six SIOP Moves Every Teacher Can Use Tomorrow With English Learners

English learners are one of the fastest-growing groups of students in Ohio classrooms — and one of the most underserved. The good news: the strategies that help English learners succeed make lessons clearer for every student.

The SIOP Model (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) is a research-based framework for teaching content and academic language at the same time. It has eight components: Lesson Preparation, Building Background, Comprehensible Input, Strategies, Interaction, Practice & Application, Lesson Delivery, and Review & Assessment. You don't need to master all eight at once. Start with these six moves.

1. Post a language objective next to your content objective

Content objective: "Students will explain how the water cycle works."
Language objective: "Students will use sequence words — first, next, then, finally — to describe the water cycle orally and in writing."
When students know what language they're practicing, they use it on purpose.

2. Pre-teach five words, not twenty-five

Choose the few words students truly need to access the lesson. Show a picture, act it out, connect it to a home-language word when you can, and keep the words visible on a word wall all week.

3. Give sentence frames for academic talk

• "I agree with ___ because ___."
• "The evidence that shows ___ is ___."
• "One difference between ___ and ___ is ___."

Frames lower the risk of speaking and raise the level of the conversation.

4. Make input comprehensible

Slow down, pause, and use visuals, gestures, models and real objects. Write key directions on the board as well as saying them, and model the task before students try it.

5. Structure interaction every 10 minutes

Turn-and-talk, Think-Pair-Share, numbered heads — short, structured talk gives every learner practice using new language, not just the confident few.

6. Check understanding without asking "Does everyone get it?"

Use thumbs up/sideways/down, whiteboards, quick exit tickets or "show me with your fingers." Then reteach right away for students who need it.

Coach's tip: Pick one move this week and use it in every lesson. Ask a colleague to watch for it. Small, consistent changes beat big one-time overhauls.

Remember the families

A student's home language is an asset, not an obstacle. Encourage families to read, talk and tell stories at home in the language they know best — strong first-language skills support English literacy.

Teaching with you,
Tiffany Davidson, M.Ed., M.Ed.
TESOL & Literacy Specialist · W.I.S.E.C.E.O.

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