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    • SIOP Lesson Preparation >
      • SIOP Feature 1 Write content objectives clearly for students
      • SIOP Feature 2 Write language objectives clearly for students
      • SIOP Feature 4 Identify Supplementary Materials to Use
      • SIOP Feature 6 Plan meaningful activities that integrate lesson concepts with language practice
    • SIOP Building Background >
      • SIOP Feature 7 Explicitly link concepts to students backgrounds and experiences
      • SIOP Feature 8 Explicitly link past learning to new concepts
      • SIOP Feature 9 Emphasize key vocabulary for students
    • SIOP Comprehensible Input >
      • SIOP Feature 10 Use Appropriate Speech for Students Proficiency Level
      • SIOP Feature 11 Explain Academic Tasks Clearly
      • SIOP Feature 12 Use a variety of techniques to make concepts clear
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      • SIOP Feature 13 Provide ample opportunities for students to use strategies
      • SIOP Feature 14 Use scaffolding techniques consistently throughout lesson
    • SIOP Interaction >
      • SIOP Feature 16 Provide frequent opportunities for interaction and discussion
      • SIOP Feature 17 Use Group Configurations that support language and content objectives
      • SIOP Feature 18 Provide sufficient wait time
    • SIOP Practice and Application >
      • SIOP Feature 20 Provide hands-on materials and/or manipulatives for students to practice using new content knowledge
      • SIOP Feature 21 Provide activities for students to apply content and language
      • SIOP Feature 22 Provide activities that integrate all language skills >
        • Four Domains of Language Speaking
        • Four Domains of Language Listening
        • Four Domains of Language Writing
        • Four Domains of Language Reading
    • SIOP Lesson Delivery >
      • SIOP Feature 25 Engage Students 90-100% of the Time
      • SIOP Feature 26 Pace the Lesson Appropriately to the Students Ability Level
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      • SIOP Feature 27 ​Give a comprehensive review of key vocabulary
      • SIOP Feature 29 Provide feedback to students regularly on their output
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Writing content objectives clearly for students:  SWBAT...

It's by no accident that the first SIOP feature has to do with writing clear objectives.  After all, everything begins with a clear objective.  As you will see, SIOP helps teachers make every objective count.  In fact, it can be said that the first two features of SIOP (writing language and content objectives) set the tone for all other 28 features of Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol.

TESOL Trainers SIOP PD

SIOP Feature #1:  Write content objectives clearly for students

Since everything we do should have its roots in the course content and language, it makes sense that we begin by identifying those objectives first.  This feature challenges us to consider not what we will be teaching, but what the students will in fact be learning.  SIOP asks us to begin our objectives with the acronym, SWBAT (Students Will Be Able To) as a visible reminder of the importance of the learner.

As Caleb Gattegno quipped, "Teaching is subordinate to learning."  Starting off a learning objective with the learner is a good way to set everyone up for success. This is as true for the teacher as it is for her students.

What are the components of effective objectives?

TESOL Trainers and John Kongsvik offer experiential PD
When we think of writing our learning objectives, making sure our objectives are as SMART as we can make them is our #1 task.  SMART is an acronym used to describe the five essential components of effective objectives.  They are as follows:
  1. Specific - learning objectives need to be as specific as possible.
  2. Measurable - our objectives should also be something we can objectively (versus subjectively) measure. 
  3. Attainable - the objectives we write should be within the ability levels of our students, within their ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development).
  4. Relevant - the objectives should be relevant to the students and their learning.
  5. Time bound - using time to bind the objectives helps insure we meet them.

Writing effective objectives supports learning

Believe it or not, the more effective our objectives our written, the greater the chances are that our students will meet them.  Using the SMART acronym helps us make sure we have included the essential elements of effective objectives.  TESOL Trainers provides professional development on writing effective objectives.  Contact John Kongsvik for more information.

What's the difference between a content objective and a language objective?

Take a look at these two objectives:

Content Objective:
  Create and label correctly a bar graph that represents data from the class survey.
Language Objective:  Explain to a partner what the bar graph shows using the phrases correlation, sample, bias, probability, outlier when stating, "As I interpret this bar graph....."

Notice the difference between the two:  The first one, the content objective, deals with content only (create and label a graph) where as the language objective explains how the students will interact with that content (by using specific language to describe the graph to a peer).  

​Content is specific to the subject-specific content of the class, and language is specific to language-specific way that content will be expressed.
TESOL Trainers John Kongsvik K12 PD SIOP

TESOL Trainers Remote Professional Development

John Kongsvik and his team of trainers can provide your teachers with remote PD on the role that language plays in the content area classroom. In addition to helping teachers write effective content and language objectives that are SMART, we can show teachers how to structure their lessons and teach them so that students consciously develop their vocabulary base.  Our teacher training sessions are highly interactive.  Our remote PD helps teachers see how to meaningfully engage their students in an online learning environment with simple, practical ideas that any teacher can implement.

CONTACT TESOL Trainers for more information.

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