MISD Bilingual/ESL Department

SIOP Training #2

Building BackgroundOctober 8, 2013

Agenda

Review of Lesson Preparation Content Objectives Language Objectives

Curricular Adaptations

Questions on SIOP

Scientific Based Research Professional Development

The SIOP Model includes teacher preparation, instructional indicators such as comprehensible input and

the building of background knowledge. It comprises strategies

for classroom organization and delivery of instruction.

Building and Activating Background Knowledge

Building Background – Content Objectives

1. Identify techniques for connecting students’ personal experiences and past learning to lesson concepts

2. Define the key elements of academic language and tell why it is so important to teach to the ELLs.

Building Background – Language Objectives

1. Write a lesson plan incorporating activities that build background and provide explicit links to students’ backgrounds and experiences and past learning.

2. Identify the academic vocabulary in SIOP lesson and select key vocabulary words to emphasize

Consider…

Have you ever taught a lesson that you carefully prepared but with which your students cannot connect?

As you are explaining new concepts, you observe confused faces, off-task behaviors and maybe some students mumbling to each other?

Building Background

CMS Ivanna Mann Thrower 2007

Link concepts to students’ background experiences.

Bridge past learning to new concepts.

Emphasize key vocabulary.

Meaningful Language

Effective teaching takes students from where they are and leads them to a higher level of understanding (Krashen, 1985, Vygotsky, 1978).

But there is a caveat to this -

The language must be meaningful!

Look at these letters

CNNFBICBSCIANCAA

How many do you remember?

?

Working Memory

There were 16 letters on the list, and most people can recall only 7

There is not sufficient space in working memory to maintain more than that

Now try again!

Background Knowledge!

CNNFBICBSCIANCAA

Easier, right?

Same Letters

These two lists contain the same information

This is called chunking!

•CN•NFB•ICB•SCI•ANC•AA

•CNN•FBI•CBS•CIA•NCAA

No Background Knowledge

http://youtu.be/zjBQ6hfa3Co

Activating Background Knowledge

Background Knowledge

This was ACTIVATING

background knowledge

Background Knowledge

How do I BUILD

background knowledge then?

ACTIVATE Background Knowledge

BUILD Background Knowledge

1 2

3 4

Let’s Reflect

As a group, discuss building background. What is meant by activating prior knowledge?

What is meant by building background?

How do they differ instructionally?

Share…

Instructional Activities: Pretest with a Partner

Activity helpful for students in grades 2-12 and is appropriate for any subject area

The purpose of the Pretest with a Partner is to allow English Learners the opportunity to preview at the beginning of a lesson or unit the concepts and vocabulary that will be assessed at the conclusion on the lesson or unit.

Instructional Activities Pretest with a Partner

Distribute one pretest and pencil to each pair of students.

The pretest should be similar or identical to the posttest that will be administered later.

The partners pass the pretest and pencil back and forth between one another.

They read the question aloud, discuss possible answers, come to a consensus, and write the answer on the pretest.

Instructional Activities Pretest with a Partner

This activity provides an opportunity for students to activate prior knowledge and share background information, while the teacher circulates to assess what students know…recording gaps and misinformation

You are not teaching any information at this time

Making Connections

Explicit connections between new learning,

the material, vocabulary, and concepts previously

covered in class are important.

Making Connections

Research proves a student will not learn anything

NEW until he connects it to something he already

KNOWS

Links can be made through discussions

“Who remembers what we learned about________?”

How does that relate to our chapter/vocabulary/unit…”

By reviewing graphic organizers, previously used in class notes, transparencies, or power points.

Linking Background Knowledge

By preserving and referring back to word banks, outlines, charts, maps, and graphic organizers –

teachers have the tools for students to make those critical

connections.

Difficulties with Activating Prior Knowledge

Cultural BackgroundFor children to excel in a classroom, they must be valued there and share

in the dialogue of learning. You should encourage the participation of all

voices in the classroom. This fosters greater understanding not only of the

curricula but of various people and cultures as well.

Who is this?

Who is this?

Who is this?

Hamburgers!

Hamburgers!

Sauce Americaine!

Hamburgers!

Sauce Americaine!

Hamburgers!

Mixture of:ketchup and

mayo

Even served with steak!

Cultural Differences

Delicacy in Thailand?

Cultural Differences

Deep fried tarantulas

Difficulties with Activating Prior Knowledge

Differences between cultures are often perceived as threatening or “wrong” rather than just different.

Feelings of apprehension, loneliness, or lack of confidence are common when students move into a new, and possibly unknown ,culture.

What is logical and important in one culture may seem irrational and unimportant to another.

All cultures have internal variations. Cultures are continually evolving.

Key Vocabulary Emphasized

Research indicates a strong relationship exists

between vocabulary knowledge and comprehension.

Systematic and comprehensive vocabulary instruction is necessary for English Language

Learners…Why???

Content area texts include sophisticated vocabulary

Reading performance tests given to ELL rely on wide ranging vocabulary knowledge

ELLs vocabulary instruction must be accelerated because ELLs are learning English later than their native speaking peers.

ELLs’ acquisition of deep understanding of word meanings is very challenging.

Vocabulary Instruction

Students should1.be active in developing their

understanding of words and ways to learn them.

2.personalize word learning through practices as Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategies

3.be immersed with words 4.build upon multiple sources of information

to learn words through repeated exposure.

Concept of Definition Map

How is a slope represented in everyday life?

How is a slop represented on a formula?

How is a slope represented on a graph?

Ratio of the change in the y-coordinates to the corresponding change in the x coordinates

What is it? What is it like?

Homework Assignment

Work on building background of SIOP on lesson plans and document your successes and challenges. Begin to develop background knowledge into your lessons. Explicitly activate prior knowledge in your lessons.

First fifteen minutes of our next meeting will be devoted to sharing with the class.

Email us any time if you need additional support –Tina Kelmantkelman@mckinneyisd.net

Or

Wendy Burtwburt@mckinneyisd.net