Lesson Delivery: SIOP Features 23-26

Reflection
Lesson delivery is arguably the most import SIOP component. It encompasses how the teacher delivers the lesson and how students receive or feel about the lesson. Do students think your lesson is too easy? Was your lesson too challenging? Did you have to cut the lesson short because you ran out of time? These questions can be asked when considering how effectively a lesson is delivered. As a teacher, this is the component I excel at most. During my student teaching experience, my collaborating teacher timed everything her students did. She would say, “Class take out a sheet of paper, you have ten seconds.” She also timed activities and the time that it took to find a partner. Timing your students helps your lesson to stay on track. Referring back to the lesson objective is another way to make sure that your lesson stays on track. There are many things that may distract from a lesson; students asking questions, the front office calling, the list is endless.  Chapter 8 gives strategies that help ensure the effectiveness of the lesson delivery process.

SIOP Feature 23: Conent Objectives Clearly Supported by Lesson Delivery and Feature:24 Language Objectives Clearly Supported by Lesson Delivery

Teachers begin their lesson with the best of intentions. They have a clear vision of what they want their students to accomplish. However, as the lesson develops , it is assaulted by a barrage of distractions; kids asking off –topic questions,  comments turn into long discussions, or background building activities take too long to develop.  All Eyes on the Objectives is a strategy that has three requirements:

• 1.       Keep objective posted for  both you and your students ( large enough so everyone can read them from anywhere in the room)
• 2.       Refer to the objective throughout the lesson
• 3.       Incorporate the language objectives into the lesson.

Posting objectives and referring back to them is a way to differentiate for your students.  If the objectives were only mentioned at the beginning of a lesson, English language learners may not have sufficient background knowledge to understand.  Incorporating the lesson objectives into the lesson is another opportunity you have to differentiate. For example, if the language objective states “ explain the water cycle,” you can make activities that require students to say the steps of the water cycle, read about them, and listen to information about them. Keeping the objectives posted, referring back to the objective throughout the lesson, and incorporating language objectives into the lesson helps students remain focused on the learning destination and teachers can stay focused on addressing the SIOP features in their lesson.

SIOP Feature 25 Students Engaged Approximately 90% to 100% of the Period

There are many factors that teachers cannot control. Teachers cannot control the standards they teach, the number of distractions they encounter in a class period, or even the amount of students they are required to teach in one class period. Yet, student engagement is a factor that teacher can control. I get bored easily, which subsequently makes me a huge fan of student engagement. In my class, I know that if I am bored there is a high likelihood that my students are also bored.

The SIOP Model textbook acknowledges that some teachers have questioned the high percentage of student engagement. Yet, English language learner cannot afford to spend less than this amount time engaged in meaningful tasks. Of course, this does not mean every student sitting quietly listening and memorizing everything you say. During this time, students are engaged in tasks that allow them to practice and apply the content and language objectives.

Boxing question is a great strategy to keep students engaged. Teachers write the correct answer to questions on the outside of boxes and teams of students take turns putting their answers in the box. At the end of the game, student answers are collected from the box and tallied. The team with the most correct answers wins the game. This strategy encourages student engagement by incorporating movement and competition into practicing lesson’s content and language concepts. To differentiate this strategy divide teams into ability groups and provide questions that are comprehensible with help from other team members. 

SIOP Feature 26 Pacing of the Lesson Appropriate to Students’ Ability Level

Differentiate the Process pg. 158.  is a great strategy because it incorporates differentiation and appropriate pacing. Students complete activities using an A-B-C pattern for small group instruction. Students rotate between teacher- led instruction, centers, and independent learning. Teachers provide direct instruction. During this time, teachers can review language objectives with English language learners. Students who have difficulty completing tasks independently but can work through it with the group can be assigned to centers. Students who demonstrate an understanding of both content and language objective and need less instruction and supervision are allowed to work independently.  Teachers can assign each group a specific amount of time or give less or more time depending on the needs of the students.