Say it, learn it, own it!
Increasing student understanding
through engaging conversations.
Our objective for today is…
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Teachers will define
sheltered instruction.
Teachers will practice
using SI strategies.
Teachers will describe
how they will use SI
strategies in their
classroom.
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Teachers will
practice structured
conversation.
 Teachers will work
collaboratively to
design lessons that
support ELLs and
encourage dialog in
their classrooms.
What is it like to be an ELL?
During the following simulation,
consider the perspectives of the
students in the classroom, the
newcomer and the teacher.
 What’s going on here?
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Numbered heads together
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Assign your students a number 1-4.
 Teacher asks a question and gives the
students time to answer independently, and
then talk with their seatmates.
 Teacher calls on all Number 1 students to
speak after everyone has had a chance to
practice their response.
 Number 2, 3, etc. are called on later in the
class when different questions are posed.
Let’s practice
Based on the simulation you
participated in, complete the following
statements
 One major challenge facing ELLs is…
 One major challenge facing teachers of
ELLs is…
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Benefits of this approach
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Sentence stems help students get started
with speaking and with writing
 Teaches students how to use the language
appropriately
 Helps with TAKS if you phrase sentence
starters to look like those on the test
 Students get to practice the language and
their answer several times, increasing
confidence and content knowledge.
Writing objectives to facilitate
this process
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Content obs are easy for teachers to write.
 Focus should also be on producing language
objectives to help ELLs understand what
language skills they should be learning.
 Helps teachers incorporate writing and
speaking into everyday instruction.
 An example of a language objective I can
write for this week is…
Sheltered instruction is…
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A way to use second language acquisition
strategies while teaching content area
instruction (Krashen, 1983)
 Content-based English language instruction
(Faltis, 1993)
 Instruction that focuses on providing
accessibility for ELLs to grade-level content
standards and concepts while they continue
to improve their academic language
proficiency (Echevarria, Short, & Vogt, 2001)
OR…
Makes content comprehensible
 Develops academic language
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Ways to achieve this
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Use visuals that make a connection to
instruction.
Incoporate gestures and mnemonic devices
whenever possible
Activate prior knowledge
Write content and language objectives
Build vocabulary and concept knowledge
Use structured conversation and writing.
Provide time for review and self assessment
Let’s revisit our simulation
We can make ELLs feel part of our
class by…
 We can improve instruction for ELLs
by…
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Building a language-rich,
interactive class
Give students things to say instead of “I
don’t know.”
 May I please have some more
information?
 May I have more time to think?
 May I ask a friend for help?
 Where can I find that information?
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Ask students to speak in
complete sentences
Helps develop formal register
 Develops academic language
 Improves writing
 Learn syntax
 Reinforces content
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Randomize and rotate who you
call on
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I can randomize and rotate who I call on
by…
Use response signals
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Some examples of response signals I
can use with my students are…
Time for a break!
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Please return in 10 minutes.
We can’t talk all the time- what
about reading?
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Work on the reading notes
independently.
Let’s debrief
One thing I notice about these notes
is…
 What I like about how these notes are
set up is…
 This is helpful for ELLs because…
 I agree/disagree that I could use this
with all of my students because…
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Ways to help ELLs be successful
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Scaffolds, such as graphic organizers make
lesson accessible.
Identify, clarify, and highlight difficult words
and passages.
Amplify, don’t simplify.
When presenting new content, focus on
accessing prior knowledge and building
schema
Revisit key information/spiral essential
information
Ways to help ELLs be successful
Create a collaborative, trusting
classroom.
 Maintain predictable and consistent
classroom management routines
 Allow time for students to practice
English and to make mistakes. Mistakes
are part of the learning process.
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Creating structured conversations
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Two character dialog
 Teacher choose a pair of characters from
history. The characters should have a
relationship that illustrates the key concepts
from the lesson.
 Brainstorm both characters with the class that
includes attitudes and beliefs of each
character, as well as possible phrases the
character might say.
 Students form pairs and take turns role
playing the conversation. Teacher can select
willing groups to present to the class
Let’s practice!
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Big, bad wolf
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Pig #1 of the three
little pigs
Pair, defend T-chart- Cinderella
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We should let
Cinderella go to the
ball because
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We SHOULD NOT
let Cinderella go to
the ball because
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That’s interesting,
but…
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That’s interesting,
but…
Artifacts and experts
Teacher selects artifacts representing
the topic of study such as photographs,
paintings, newspaper articles, tools,
charts, graphs, etc.
 Assign students roles as various groups
of experts who will examine the artifact.
Students write questions and answers
based on the role assigned.
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Let’s practice
Write various questions and
observations about the artifact on your
table from the perspective of historians.
Every group member is responsible for
___ questions.
 Decide with your group which sentence
frames you want to respond to.
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Sentence frames for artifact and
expert
In our opinion this is…
 The most significant feature of this____
is…
 We were wondering why…
 As historians we were curious about…
 One thing we noticed about our object
was…
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Let’s debrief!
One thing I liked about these activities
is…
 One way I can use these activities in my
class is…
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Questions?
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Jessica Jolliffe, jjolliff@austinisd.org,
414-9514