Running head: DISPOSITION DIARY 1

Dispositions Diary

Daija Norwood

Kennesaw State University

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Reflection: Lesson Overview of the Component:

Preparation SIOP components are all equally important; a person cannot

(Component 1) say that one is more important than the other. They are all needed to

help English learners, but the first step in doing so is preparing the

lesson. Lesson planning takes longer in the beginning stages when

learning the model, but the more lesson plans you create the easier it

becomes.

My Thoughts:

I think Lesson Preparation is crucial because without a lesson,

there is no other component of SIOP to incorporate. I also think that it

can be the hardest SIOP component to work on because of the

conflicts about where to start.

Language and Content:

Language and Content for Lesson Preparation must be

focused, comprehensible, targeted to the students’ needs and

differentiated.

In the Field:

In the field, I observed numerous lesson preparations. I was

actually able to watch the teachers sit down and plan what they

wanted to teach the students coupled with the various activities that

could be incorporated and meaningful to the students.

SIOP Feature 1 Content Objectives Clearly Defined, Displayed, and Reviewed

with Students
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In the Field:

In the field, I have noticed that my mentor teacher has the

content objectives clearly written out in various places in the

classroom. I also noticed that the teacher translates those objectives

into “I Can” statements. These “I Can” statements are written in

student friendly language, so the students are able to be responsible

for what they are required to learn.

Activity/strategy:

The activity that I have seen in the field that ties to this feature

is choral reading. Choral reading is when the class repeats what the

teacher has said aloud altogether. So, within the classroom, the teacher

will say the “I Can” statement, and then the students as a whole repeat

it.

How it Works

Choral reading works by having a call and respond type of

system set up. The teacher says something, and the students repeat it

as a whole. Then, the students are aware of what they are working

towards.

How it Helps:

This helps the students know how to say all the words in the

standard. It also allows students to know what they are working

towards learning by the end of the unit.

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Differentiation:

When the teacher transcribes the content objectives into “I

Can” statements, the teacher is using simpler language for all students

to understand. It also is differentiated because the teacher is telling the

students what to say by modeling it first, and this allows students who

may not know what it says to just listen and recite it.
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SIOP Feature 2 Language Objectives Clearly Defined, Displayed, and Reviewed

with Students
SIOP Feature 3 Content Concepts Appropriate for Age and Educational

Background Level of Students

In the Field:

In the field, I have observed this component especially at the

beginning of the year. I noticed that there were Heart Maps hanging

around the room for each student. The teacher gave the students one to

fill out with their interests, so that the teacher would know what to

draw on when teaching to relate the lesson to their students. I also

have incorporated this component in my Puzzle piece Funds of

Knowledge Project.

Activity/strategy:

An activity that can be used for this feature is an Interest

Survey, Puzzle Piece Interviews or even a Heart Map.

How it Works

For the Puzzle Pieces and Heart Map, you would offer the

students a heart or a puzzle piece, and they will in turn draw pictures,

color, and/or write words about what they like or what means the most

to them. The students then share it with their classmates and the

teacher, and they hang it in the classroom. For the Interest Survey, the

students write the answers to questions about their favorite color,

number of siblings, sports they like, etc. Then, the class can make
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graphs about their classroom community.

How it Helps:

These activities help the teacher differentiate and make the

content relatable. The student is able to express what interests them.

Differentiation:

The students who are not fond of writing can draw pictures

and visuals to convey what they like. They can also be creative and

color instead of just doing the normal written work.

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SIOP Feature 4 Supplementary Materials Used to a High Degree, Making the

Lesson Clear and Meaningful

SIOP Feature 5 Adaptation of Content to All Levels of Student Language

Proficiency

In the Field:

While I was in the field, I observed many adaptations of the

content. The main adaptation I saw was graphic organizers. Graphic

organizers were used frequently in all subject areas, but they were

mainly seen in language arts—reading and writing. One day in

particular, the students were required to fill out a T-chart to compare

Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindberg.

Activity/strategy:

Graphic organizers are helpful in comparing/contrasting,

sequencing, filling in the blanks, etc.

How it Works

This strategy works by providing the students with a blank

graphic organizer for them to fill out. The students will then fill out

the graphic organizer based on the information they are trying to find.

How it Helps:

This helps students see the information from a different

perspective. It also allows students to help learn concepts in a different

visual; it can even be an aide for students to preform higher level

thinking skills such as comparing/contrasting or sequencing of events.

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Differentiation:

ELL students do not have to know exactly what is happening,

but if they understand what the graphic organizer is asking them to do,

then they can complete it fairly easily. This can also be given with

sentence stems to allow students to be on the same page whenever

they do it by themselves.
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SIOP Feature 6 Meaningful Activities That Integrate Lesson Concepts with

Language Practice Opportunities for Reading, Writing, Listening,

and/or Speaking

In the Field:

Practicing reading, writing, listening and speaking helps

students with learning a language. While in the field, I have seen the

teacher use this activity. However, I will say, that I saw how this

activity can end up not benefitting all students. I noticed that

sometimes, the students would rely on their peers with the same

number to share their answers, and the student(s) would just copy the

answers and share that with their tablemates.

Activity/strategy:

Jigsaw Story Boarding is one of those activities that I have

seen incorporated in language arts classes. It also engages students in

shorter portions of text.

How it Works

Jigsaw Story Boarding works quite well. There are two ways

you can implement it. The first way is to assign each student a number

in the group starting with the number one and typically ending with

four or five depending on how the desks are arranged. This is then

repeated for every group. Then, the students read the portion of the

text that correlates to their number. After everyone has read their parts
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and answered the questions for their assigned part, they come back

together and share their findings with the group so they may have the

answers as well. The other way to use this activity would be to get all

of the same numbered students together to read their part and discuss

their answers to make sure everyone has the same information in each

group. Afterwards, the student will take their answers back to their

home group and share in order.

How it Helps:

For starters, it helps students focus on smaller portions of text.

It also helps students practice all aspects of a language; the student is

required to read the text, write their answers, listen to their peers, and

speak about their answers.

Differentiation:

Before the teacher divided the students up, they discussed the

strategies the students knew about to help them analyze the text they

were going to read. Highlighting, underlining, questioning, and other

symbols that allow them to know what is happening in the text was

beneficial for students who may not know how to formulate the words

to express what they are thinking.

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Reflection: Building Overview of the Component:

Background Component two of SIOP is Building Background. This

(Component 2) component is used as a teachers’ way of finding out what students

already know prior to teaching. This allows teachers to tap into the

class’s Funds of Knowledge (FOK).

My Thoughts:

I think that teachers definitely are pressured to focus more so

on what the students are expected to know that they sometimes forget

to take the time to figure out what they already know. However, when

teachers do not take the time to figure out what they know, they may

end up reteaching stuff they didn’t need to.

Language and Content:

For Building Background, Language will suggest that students

can synthesize, tell, or know about particular topics. The Content will

be things that they are either familiar or unfamiliar with, but they will

be able to write or discuss it with people within the class.

In the Field:

While observing in the field, I saw all three features that fell

under this category. I noticed that at the beginning of every unit and

lesson, the teacher would activate the students’ prior knowledge so

they could know what to teach and who needed some gaps in

academic content filled in.

SIOP Feature 7 Concepts Explicitly Linked to Students’ Background Experiences

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In the Field:

While teaching a lesson to a small group of students, I actually

incorporated this into the lesson. I wanted to have the students make

connections to their past experiences, so I asked questions before we

read a text.

Activity/strategy:

The Pair-Share-Chart works well when determining what

students know. It also allows students to discuss what they know with

their peers and the teacher which fosters a stronger understanding of

the text.

How it Works

This can be done in either a small group or a whole group. The

teacher can then pose a question that relates to a particular concept

discussed in the lesson or book. Then, the teacher gives students the

opportunity to up with an elbow partner and turn and talk about their

experiences. The students come back together with the teacher, and

they share their ideas aloud. The teacher can chart it on chart paper or

on the board for future reference.

How it Helps:

This helps students make connections from their previous

experiences to what the lesson is about to require them to know. This

makes information more relatable, and it allows the teacher to use

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those connections to aid students in learning because they can draw

from those experiences to make the content more comprehensible.

Differentiation:

Every student brings something different to a lesson. Honoring

those differences and tying them into the lesson makes students feel

like what they already knew was important. This strategy also allows

students to fill in gaps in their knowledge that they might not have

known.
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SIOP Feature 8 Links Explicitly Made between Past Learning and New Concepts

In the Field:

When teaching, teachers must teach explicitly; this requires the

teacher to tie students’ previous knowledge with what they are going

to learn. I saw that this was done quite frequently in my placement

because it allowed students to get more practice writing.

Activity/strategy:

Structured Quick Writes are easy to implement; students write

everything they know about a particular topic; the students are also

not limited to what they have to write about.

How it Works

A teacher gives students a handout with the questions on it to

activate prior knowledge. Then, the students fill it out with the

answers or past experiences they know relate to the questions. It can

also be a prompt with only one question. However, the students should

have no more than 5 minutes to synthesize their thoughts.

How it Helps:

It helps teachers know what to teach and how to connect it to

what students already know. It also helps students think about what

they are about to learn about and apply their knowledge to it.

Differentiation:

ELL students have a structured template that allows them to

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recall and articulate their thoughts about previous lessons and

concepts they learned. Other students can just write freely about the

questions.
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SIOP Feature 9 Key Vocabulary Emphasized

In the Field:

In various locations around the room, the teacher has content

words posted. In the other room, there is a word wall alphabetized

with key vocabulary they learned. There are also anchor charts that

remind students about certain topics such as Civil War causes, how to

know whether or not to divide or multiply when converting,

differences between opaque, translucent and transparent, etc.

Activity/strategy:

At the beginning of a unit, the teacher discusses key

vocabulary that will appear frequently in the lesson. The teacher asks

if students know the definition or can describe it in their own words.

Then, they build an anchor chart or word wall with the word(s). The

students can then suggest pictures to draw or print out, so they can

remember what the words mean.

How it Works

The Team Word Wall is built as the year continues; when the

class learns a new vocabulary word, they add it to the wall. Anchor

charts are also posted with definitions once the class talk about them

as a whole group. The teacher fills out the anchor chart as they go

through the lesson.

How it Helps:
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The Team Word Wall and anchor charts help students have a

visual of what words mean. It also helps them have a place to

reference instead of having to ask the teacher or their peer. It also

helps students with spelling and connecting words to content.

Differentiation:

Having visuals aids students, and also having simplistic

definitions printed out for EL students also helps them reference the

words.
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Reflection: Overview of the Component:

Comprehensible The third component of SIOP is Comprehensible Input; this is

Input (Component 3) a theory that Krashen researched. He believed that students would

understand what is said to them if it is spoken on their level with one

new thing added for them to learn. Doing so can minimize the amount

of time wasted on not knowing what to do and students becoming

frustrated.

My Thoughts:

I think that this component is probably the second hardest

component to implement. Reason being is that sometimes you will not

realize students do not understand what you are saying until you say

it. However, being able to decipher that quickly and change so that

they may understand is critical.

Language and Content:

The Language and Content should also be comprehensible.

This means that teachers should be speaking to students in a manner in

which they understand either by enunciating, repeating what you say

or even slowing down your speech. Content should be handled in a

similar manner; it should have visuals or student friendly language so

that they can understand it.

In the Field:

For this component, I did observe two out of the three features.

However, I realized that the teachers I observed also struggled with

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making content and language comprehensible. The most impactful

feature I saw was the Formula 5-2-1 strategy to make sure they are not

overwhelming the students.

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SIOP Feature 10 Speech Appropriate for Students’ Proficiency Levels

In the Field:

While I was in the field, I observed something that resembled

this. The teacher would speak for a few minutes, then they would pose

a question to the class, and call on a student who has their hand raised

to answer the question.

Activity/strategy:

The Formula 5-2-1 allows students to receive instruction in a

way that makes it easier for them to understand. During a math lesson,

the teacher would talk about how to convert measurements. Then, the

teacher would ask, what instrument they were holding and how many

of the rulers could fit in it. Some students yelled out the answer, but

the teacher called on the students with their hands raised.

How it Works

The teacher ideally would speak or teach for 5 minutes. Then,

the teacher would pose a question and give the students 2 minutes to

think about the answer or process the information individually or with

a partner. Then, the teacher should call on a student at random who is

not volunteering so they can share their thoughts for 1 minute.

How it Helps:

This helps all students have time to process information; it also

allows students to interact with one another frequently through

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conversations had about the content.

Differentiation:

EL students are not required to speak for long periods of time,

so they are not pressured or critiqued in the areas they may not be

strong in. Also allows students time to rehearse their answer(s) before

presenting in the event they are called on.

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SIOP Feature 11 Clear Explanation of Academic Tools

SIOP Feature 12 A Variety of Techniques used to Make Content Concepts Clear

In the Field:

Teachers can use different techniques to make content clearer,

but the most common one I have seen is the Scavenger Hunt. In my

placement, students were learning about the different words that can

be used to describe the amount of light that passes through an object

(transparent, translucent and opaque). They had to use real word

examples and find them within the classroom.

Activity/strategy:

The students were required to go around the room and find

objects that met the requirements for each vocabulary wood. This was

the alternative to writing definitions or just reading about it in the

textbook.

How it Works

Teacher can do this inside the classroom or outside around the

school property. Students then have to write and explain how they

know the objects fit the description of the words.

How it Helps:

This helps all students link new content to things commonly

known. This will inevitably foster a long-term connection for them to

refer to when trying to remember the differences between the

vocabulary words.
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Differentiation:

There wasn’t really any differentiation for this activity that I

saw in the field. However, I would think that you could provide

sentence stems for EL students along with visuals of possible

comparisons. The teacher could also divide the class into small groups

instead of just individually completing the Scavenger Hunt.

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Reflection: Strategies Overview of the Component:

(Component 4) Component four of SIOP is Strategies. This component is

beneficial because this is the component that gives students the tools

they need to succeed. Providing opportunities for students to

demonstrate their knowledge, scaffolding and using a variety of

questioning allows students to be well equipped with strategies.

My Thoughts:

I think this component is what SIOP is all about. It is a form of

differentiation at its finest. There are multiple strategies for students to

use depending on their need.

Language and Content:

The Language and Content for strategies looks vastly different

depending on what group of students the teacher is providing the

strategy to. No matter what, the strategies have to be comprehensible

just like anything else done in SIOP.

In the Field:

In the field, I have observed multiple strategies given to

students for them to use while doing their work and testing. I have

also observed all of the features in the field inside the classroom that

is co-taught. Both teaches use a variety of techniques to ensure their

students are successful.

SIOP Feature 13 Ample Opportunities Provided for Students to Use Learning

Strategies
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In the Field:

I have not seen this implemented in the field during everyday

activities. However, I have seen questions like these on the statewide

tests such as the Georgia Milestones.

Activity/strategy:

Learn to Define the Word gets students to use learning

strategies they do not use often to determine the missing word. It also

draws on the students’ schema.

How it Works

This strategy works by displaying a sentence with a word

missing. This word is typically a vocabulary word or key concept;

students then use context clues to determine what the missing word is.

How it Helps:

This activity helps students learn how to make their own

definitions of words with the context clues and their schema. This also

helps students learn key vocabulary in a fun way.

Differentiation:

It can be hard to differentiate this activity, but a teacher can

provide images for students who are not able to read all of the context

clues. Then, the teacher can scaffold to taking the visuals away and

just having context clues.

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SIOP Feature 14 Scaffolding Techniques Consistently Used, Assisting and

Supporting Student Understanding

In the Field:

Scaffolding is crucial in the field because it supports students

and guides them to being able to work independently without the

assistance of the teacher. I noticed scaffolding techniques, but I did not

necessarily see the use of sentence frames except in the language arts

co-taught class.

Activity/strategy:

Providing sentence frames for students allows students to

answer questions and participate in discussions without having to

actually think about what they are going to say and possibly messing

up.

How it Works

Sentence frames are written by the teacher and given to the

students. The students then use them to formulate their answers, and

they are ensured that they are answering specifically what the teacher

was asking for.

How it Helps:

This helps students not feel pressure to determine what they

are going to say. It also helps students stay on topic along with giving

them a place to start thinking about instead of having to think of

DISPOSITION DIARY 27

where to begin their thoughts.

Differentiation:

EL students will not have to feel pressure of not knowing how

to say the correct words. They can now focus on the actual content

specific words and their meaning instead of the words surrounding it.
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SIOP Feature 15 A Variety of Questions or Tasks That Promote Higher-Order

Thinking Skills
Reflection: Overview of the Component:

Interaction Interaction is the fifth SIOP component; this component talks

(Component 5) about the communication that happens between the teacher and the

student along with the students with other students. Providing multiple

opportunities for that communication and interaction to take place is

critical for EL students especially.

My Thoughts:

I believe that the students can benefit from interaction

tremendously. Most of the time, students can learn from one another

especially if another student has a different way of viewing the same

content by interacting and talking with one another, they can

inevitably help the student connect with the content.

Language and Content:

For the Interaction component, the students must be able to

stay on task and communicate about the content being discussed as

well as practicing the English language especially for EL students.

This can be difficult, but it fosters a better understanding of how to

speak in both domains of BICS and CALP.

In the Field:

Sometimes, I noticed that interaction can be stifled depending

upon the student behavior. This is heartbreaking because there are

many times throughout the day when students are not allowed to talk
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or interact with one another, so when they are given the opportunity,

the students sometimes get carried away. Instead of the teachers

redirecting the noise level, I observed some of the teachers just cutting

the interaction short. This is also probably a reason of why I only

observed 50% of the features that fall under this component.

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SIOP Feature 16 Frequent Opportunities for Interaction and Discussion Between

Teacher/Student and Among Students, which Encourage

Elaborated Responses About Lesson Concepts

In the Field:

It is imperative that students have an outlet to discuss with one

another. Fostering this communication between the students aid them

in their academic conversations.

Activity/strategy:

Chart and Share is similar to Jigsaw Story Boarding except,

the students are not all necessarily working on the same story or

concept. Chart and Share also allows students to discuss and present

information in a different way than they are accustomed to.

How it Works

Students are given a topic or passage to read or research. The

student along with their partner is supposed to research the topic or

read the passage and synthesize the relevant information. The students

then record the information on the chart paper. Then, the students

rehearse what they plan on saying before they share it with whole

class.

How it Helps:

It allows students to rehearse what they are planning on saying

with their peer before they share it with the class.

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Differentiation:

Sentence frames can be provided for EL students and

comprehensible input would help the students. Also allowing them to

draw visuals will be beneficial.

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SIOP Feature 17 Grouping Configuration Support Language and Content

Objectives of the Lesson

SIOP Feature 18 Sufficient Wait Time for Student Responses Consistently Provided

In the Field:

There are various many ways to provide sufficient wait time

for students. Without doing so, students can become anxious about

responding out of fear of not knowing the answer or not having

enough time to formulate their answer. I have seen this in the field

numerous times.

Activity/strategy:

Think Before You Answer and Wait Time, More Time! are

strategies that can be used to give students enough time to respond to

a question. I have seen students get excited when they actually are

provided enough time to gather their thoughts together. However, I

have also seen students get anxious when other students raise their

hands immediately without really thinking about it, which is why I

think the Wait Tine, More Time! would be beneficial.

How it Works

This feature works by having all students think about their

answer to a question after it is posed to the whole class. As the teacher

is waiting for the students to think about their answer, the teacher can

use popsicle sticks to randomly call on the students. Then, the teacher

can call on the student whose name is on the drawn popsicle stick.
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How it Helps:

This helps all students build confidence in solving the

problem. It also allows all students to participate because they never

know if they will be called or not. It also helps the teacher pace their

questioning.

Differentiation:

It would be difficult to differentiate this process as well.

However, a teacher can always have anchor charts and visuals up for

students to respond to the questions. Especially for EL students, there

could be sentence frames.

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SIOP Feature 19 Ample Opportunity for Students to Clarify Key Concepts in L1 as

Needed with Aide, Peer or L1 Text

Reflection: Practice Overview of the Component:

and Application Component six in the SIOP Model deals with Practice and

(Component 6) Application. This component is also one that has to be implemented

correctly or all of the other components have been done for no reason.

Practicing and applying what the students have learned after watching

the teacher is what determines the teacher’s next steps for re-teaching.

My Thoughts:

I think that this component can seem tedious depending on the

subject, however, I think that without it, I would not be as successful

as I am now. Even typing this Disposition Diary is a form of practice

and application because I have to practice familiarizing myself with

the components and features of SIOP coupled with applying the

knowledge of them to my lessons and my future classrooms.

Language and Content:

The language and content for practice and application also

vary depending on what the teacher has the students doing for

practice. It also varies depending on what the students are trying to

apply their knowledge to. If it is an interactive activity, that will look

vastly different from if it is a test.

In the Field:

While in the field I saw numerous opportunities for students to

practice and apply what they learned. This was actually the second
DISPOSITION DIARY 35

component I saw with 100% completion. This was great for me

because that means the students are having ample opportunities to

show what they know which also helps the teachers with the formative

assessing.
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SIOP Feature 20 Hands-On Materials and/or Manipulatives Provided for Students

to Practice Using New Content Knowledge in the Classroom

In the Field:

I have not actually seen this in the field, but I imagined if I did,

it would be extremely beneficial because it allows students to interact

with one another. It is a fun way to engage the students.

Activity/strategy:

The Read and Respond Paper Toss incorporates listening,

reading writing and speaking. This strategy can be implemented in a

few different ways as well; it can have sentence stems or questions.

How it Works

The Read and Respond Paper Toss will have the students

either write a cloze sentence or a question about the content they are

learning about. Then, the student balls up the paper and tosses it into

the center of the group. The students then take turns drawing a paper

and answering/filling in the blank.

How it Helps:

This helps students interact with their peers while also

recalling information they previously learned. It also helps students

listen to one another better since the activity requires a verbal

response.

Differentiation:
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Providing a word bank can help scaffold learning. Also using

the cloze sentences can help EL students be responsible for the

academic word instead of all of the words required to make up the

questions.
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SIOP Feature 21 Activities Provided for Students to Apply Content and Language

Knowledge

In the Field:

I have not actually seen this implanted in the field. However,

after reading some of the activities that would support students in

applying content and language knowledge, I really liked the Student-

Generated Tests and Who Am I?

Activity/strategy:

Student-Generated Tests and Who Am I? are similar in that

they both allow students to apply both content and language

knowledge. This is also a great study tool that allows students to

interact.

How it Works

For the Student-Generated Tests, the student will create

questions they think they should have learned. They can use multiple-

choice, true/false, fill in the blank, short answer, etc. Then, they will

give the test to a peer. Who Am I? works by having students list things

they know about a person or an event. Their partner is then required to

guess who they are or what event they are.

How it Helps:

These activities help students apply their language and content

knowledge because they have to write and speak about content in

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different manners. For example, writing a test and the thought process

that goes into that is different from that of trying to deduce who

someone is from a list of characteristics. It also gets students familiar

with questions that may be asked on an actual test.

Differentiation:

In order to differentiate, EL students may be provided with

sentence frames for their questions. They can also be provided

sentence frames for their responses. Another way to differentiate these

activities is to narrow down the content to a particular time period or

unit.
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SIOP Feature 22 Activities Integrate All Language Skills

In the Field:

I have actually seen teachers find ways to activate all language

skills within a lesson. I have not seen the particular strategy I am

going to mention, but I think it is a great strategy to use to activate all

language skills.

Activity/strategy:

Riddle Brainteasers are perfect for students to play in pairs.

One student works on their writing and listening while the other

student works on their reading and speaking before they switch roles.

How it Works

The Riddle Brainteasers work by having one student list a

bunch of clues about a topic. For example, a student could list all the

things about a US President. Then, their peer can use those clues and

guess the correct answer. The student then uses the details to make a

guess.

How it Helps:

It helps students think critically about all they know about a

topic. It also requires students to listen to one another. Then, it helps

students perfect their writing skills. Finally, it helps students speak

about their riddle or their answer.

Differentiation:
Reflection: Lesson Overview of the Component:
DISPOSITION DIARY 41

Delivery (Component Component seven of SIOP is Lesson Delivery which focuses

7) on the quality of the lesson. This means that the lesson is both

interactive but covers all the required information that the students are

supposed to learn. Delivery is the way in which you plan on teaching

the lesson, so all students are engaged.

My Thoughts:

I think that this is another component that takes some time to

achieve a good rhythm with. I think that a lot of teachers have this

idea of how they would teach the lesson, but actually teaching the

lesson on the day of is harder because there is usually things you do

not account for.

Language and Content:

The Language and Content of this component look like all the

other components combined. There is a variety of questions used,

comprehensible input, content and language objectives mentioned at

the beginning that was planned during preparation and so forth. This is

also when teachers need to pay close attention and make sure students

are hitting all language and content objectives.

In the Field:

If I did not observe this component, I would be highly

concerned because as teachers we are supposed to deliver lessons. I

did get to see different methods to delivering a lesson all the way

down to even having a co-teacher re-teach the same lesson in a more

DISPOSITION DIARY 42

comprehensible way. While I only observed 50% of the features of

component 7, I did gain a better understanding of how to deliver a

lesson effectively.
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SIOP Feature 23 Content Objectives Clearly Supported by Lesson Delivery

SIOP Feature 24 Language Objectives Clearly Supported by Lesson Delivery

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

In the Field:

Getting students to be engaged 90 to 100 percent of the time is

difficult. However, depending on where the teacher is located, the

level of engagement varies.

Activity/strategy:

Proximity and Participation follows the rule of thumb that if

you are standing near a group of students, they are more likely to be

engaged and participate. Once you move away, those students start to

lose engagement.

How it Works

Proximity works by teachers being close to the students they

are teaching. Participation happens when the teacher is near the

students. If the teacher wants a particular behavior to cease, they

would stand near the students who are displaying those behaviors, and

the student would hopefully, in turn, stop their behavior and

participate instead.

How it Helps:

This helps students stay on task and participate. It also helps

DISPOSITION DIARY 44

students learn the required content because they are not playing

around and actually have to be engaged.

Differentiation:

There is no way to differentiate this lesson other than

providing visuals and sentence stems. Having a close proximity also

gets EL students more help because they feel more comfortable asking

for help in a smaller setting.

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

In the Field:

The whole time I have been working to earn my degree, one

thing that has been consistently talked about is differentiation. I am

glad I do observe this in my field placements because if I didn’t that

would be a major cause for concern.

Activity/strategy:

Differentiation can occur in one of three places—the content,

the product or the process. Differentiating the content is what I see

most often. The teacher will teacher a whole group lesson and then

have a small group rotation in which they will give the groups

different numbers depending on their level of understanding.

How it Works

Differentiating the process on the other hand requires the

teacher to set guidelines on how students get to a level of

understanding. For example, one group will be required to focus on

their weakest area. The next group will focus on the same area, but

they will also have a choice in how they complete the other problems.

The final group will have a choice in how they demonstrate their

knowledge because they already have a good grasp on the subject

prior to.

How it Helps:
DISPOSITION DIARY 46

Differentiating the process helps students learn the same

content concepts in a way that is beneficial to them. It is similar to

comprehensible input. Breaking the students into small groups based

on ability, the teacher can scaffold more specifically to those groups.

Differentiation:

Differentiation is automatically embedded in this feature

because it requires that the teacher differentiate from the beginning.

EL students may be provided sentence frames; gifted students may be

provided an extension component.

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Reflection: Review Overview of the Component:

and Assessment Review and Assessment is the final component of the SIOP

(Component 8) Model. This component is used for teachers to get a better

understanding of what students have learned and what needs to be re-

taught. Assessing can be done in one of three ways as well—pre-

assessment, formative or summative. However, by this point in the

model, the teacher is only formatively and summatively assessing

their students’ knowledge about content that has already been taught

once.

My Thoughts:

I think this component just like the others is extremely

important. I think that this is considered teaching at its finest;

reviewing and assessing not only your students, but also yourself is

beneficial for all parties involved. Assessing how you are teaching and

areas you can tweak to make students have a higher assessment score

or a better review is what this component is all about. This component

also gives students the opportunity to show what they know which

they can get a sense of accomplishment out of that.

Language and Content:

The Language and Content for this component is based on

each student’s unique needs. When students are reviewing what they

know and assessing, it is done in terms of what they can do already

with a little bit of new things they are trying to master.

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In the Field:

In the field, I saw assessing happening daily for formative, re-

teaching purposes. I also observed weekly summative assessments in

either math, science, or social studies. However, I also got to observe

students reviewing the causes of the Civil War and were assessed on

their Spark videos which discussed the causes.

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SIOP Feature 27 Comprehensive Review of Key Vocabulary

In the Field:

Unfortunately, I have not seen any of the activities listed for a

comprehensive vocabulary review. However, I have seen the students

do a Kahoot! to learn their vocabulary the day before they have a test

or a quiz. I have also seen the students review using Quizlet Live

which allows students to be on teams, however, they are not allowed

to collaborate and tell their team member the answer because they do

not all have the same words. Quizlet Live is more interactive and

competitive because if you miss one, you have to start back over.

Activity/strategy:

The activity that I thought would be a great strategy to use in

my future classroom would be the Student-Created Cloze Sentences.

This is the perfect way to incorporate the arts along with the students’

knowledge.

How it Works

This strategy works by having students write sentences with a

blank in the place of the vocabulary word. Then, the students would

have their peers fill in the blank.

How it Helps:

This helps students learn key vocabulary. It also gets students

involved in the assessment process if they were to create their own test
DISPOSITION DIARY 50

or quiz, how would they word their questions to be able to be

successful in answering them.

Differentiation:

This process allows for EL students to have scaffolding and

learn vocabulary in a comprehensible way. Also, the teacher can

provide the cloze sentences if the students are not ready to create their

own, and the final thing that can be differentiated is by providing the

students with a word bank to choose from.

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SIOP Feature 28 Comprehensive Review of Key Content Concepts

In the Field:

Similar to feature 27, this feature provides students with a

comprehensible way to review content concepts. I observed this a lot

this semester especially due to Milestones approaching near the end of

the year. However, I did not observe any of the strategies listed in the

textbook.

Activity/strategy:

The Brain Dump strategy allows students to write everything

they know about a particular content topic. Ideally the students

“dump” everything onto the page that their brain knows or

remembers.

How it Works

The Brain Dump activity works by having the teacher display

a topic on the board. The students will then have some time to write

everything they know about that topic or things that relate to that topic

on their paper. This can also be done as a “Chalk Talk” where the

students collaborate without talking at first about the topic and then

discussing what else can be included afterwards.

How it Helps:

This helps students see what all they know about content they

have already learned. It also shows the teacher what they might need
DISPOSITION DIARY 52

to review further including misconceptions and strengths.

Differentiation:

This can be differentiated by allowing students to draw visuals

to demonstrate their knowledge. There can also be sentence frames to

show how to write their thinking. For example, “I know ___ because

___” or “___ means ____”, etc.

DISPOSITION DIARY 53

SIOP Feature 29 Regular Feedback Provided to Students on Their Output

In the Field:

In the field, I have not seen these used in the same context as

the book describes, but I have seen similar ideas implemented. I have

seen teachers provide a self-assessment checklist to determine where

the student is, but not to determine the quality of their work. I have

also seen teachers provide verbal or written feedback on their Canvas

website when a student submits a project or an assignment.

Activity/strategy:

Video Feedback is a cool way to engage the students in

wanting to know your critique. Students can get excited about being

able to see and hear you give feedback which makes the critiques not

as harsh.

How it Works

The teacher provides students with a rubric for their assigned

tasks. The students complete their tasks according to the directions

and the rubric specifications. Once the students submit their

assignment, the teacher provides the students with feedback according

to the rubric that was provided.

How it Helps:

This activity helps teachers have a record of what they need to

reteach or focus on for the class as a whole. It also helps students be

DISPOSITION DIARY 54

able to see where they can improve at.

Differentiation:

The only way I could see this being differentiated is by having

the teacher use comprehensible input to provide the feedback to the

students.
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SIOP Feature 30 Assessment of Student Comprehension and Learning of All

Lesson Objectives throughout the Lesson

In the Field:

Teachers provide entry and exit tickets all the time. In the field,

I have observed numerous exit tickets. These are types of reflections

that allow teachers to have student reflect on their learning for a day

or their learning for the entire unit.

Activity/strategy:

Exit tickets are used to show the teacher what the student has

learned. It also does not have to be about what they learned; the

teacher can have students do a 3-2-1 type activity for an exit ticket as

well.

How it Works

Teacher provides a prompt or question they want the students

to reflect on. The student then is expected to write their response in a

few sentences. If it is set up as a 3-2-1 exit ticket, then the teacher can

have the students write 3 things they learned, 2 things they found

interesting and 1 question they still have.

How it Helps:

This helps students reflect on their learning and determine

what they now know. It also allows students to be held responsible for

their own learning.

DISPOSITION DIARY 56

Differentiation:

This can be differentiated by providing sentence stems for

responses to the Exit Ticket. The teacher can also allow students to

draw their thinking as a response.

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References

Echevarría, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. (2018). Making Content Comprehensible for Elementary

English Learners: The SIOP Model. NY, NY: Pearson.

Vogt, M., Echevarría, J., & Washam, M. A. (2015). 99 More Ideas and Activities for Teaching

English Learners with the SIOP® Model. Pearson Education.