Making Content Comprehensible (SIOP)

The article, as a chapter from a book on ELL learners, had a lot to say on a new method they call SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol). The layout of what they want to do to create greater learning environments for ELL's is an admirable one but, as they point out in their chapter, it is a difficult to make happen because so many teachers, whether a part of ESL or not, are not qualified to teach in this manner, or have not learned how to teach in this manner.

I suppose this explains then why we are learning these methods now, seeing as they are important to our future roles as teachers but there is another issue that was brought up which I see as the biggest obstacle in implementing any kind of method for helping ELL students. This obstacle is comprised of two things, overcrowding and underfunding of school programs for ESL students. This problem moves beyond what any teacher can do and moves to a state and federal level of how we fund the education in this country and how budget cuts and lack of funding can create lackluster or non existent programs for ESL students.This obstacle goes beyond what we can do as teachers and hands over the fate of these students to the politicians (which is a whole other issue entirely).

So although I find their method admirable, I see it as difficult to implement, not only with educating teachers on this method but also with the way our school systems are set up concerning funding and overcrowding.

Then there is the Anthology chapter, which I don't really have much to say on. It outlined the idea of project based learning, which I think can be useful in any classroom and can definitely be implemented in content based learning approaches. It is a good idea to be used sparingly depending on the class level and the students in the classroom.

peace & grace,
Kiersten