Building Background Knowledge SIOP Component #2

Before we begin….Let’s do a quick review from last time

In regards to SIOP, what

does the clock symbolize?

That’s right! The SIOP model is comprised of 8 components and 30 features.

Quick Review

Which component did we talk about last time?

Lesson Preparation

Review – Lesson Preparation

Content Objectives Clearly Defined, Displayed and Reviewed with Students

Language Objectives Clearly Defined, Displayed and Reviewed with Students

Content Concepts Appropriate for Age and Educational Background

Supplementary Materials Used to a High Degree

Adaptation of Content to All Levels of Student Proficiency

Meaningful Activities That Integrate Lesson Concepts with Language Practice Opportunities

Stephen Krashen’s 5-pronged theory of Language Acquisition

1. Language acquisition is a subconscious and intuitive process much like how children pick up their first language.

2. The monitor: If students learn language through rules rather than naturally fluency will be delayed.

3. The natural order of acquisition: ELs will first acquire that which has the most meaning, form comes later.

4. Providing comprehensible input – to acquire language.

5. The affective filter: a cognitive shut-down if anxious.

Our Objectives for today:

Content Objectives:I can identify the second component of SIOP and the three features of this component.I can discover ways to build students background knowledge on a topic. I can describe characteristics of effective vocabulary instruction.

Language Objectives:I can name and describe the three features of this component.I can list 3 ways to build students’ background knowledge on a topic. I can write 2 – 3 sentences reflecting on my current vocabulary instruction and elaborating on how today’s presentation has affirmed or changed my thinking.

All learning needs a solid foundation from which to build upon.

Sheltered Instructional Observation ProtocolS.I.O.P. – 8 Components, 30 Features

Lesson PreparationBuilding Background

Comprehensible Input

Strategies

Interaction

Practice/Application

Lesson Delivery

Review/Assessment

Building Background Knowledge

• ELs, whether from a consistent or inconsistent educational background, have a world of experiences different from students growing up in American culture and American schools. It is important to bridge those gaps in their background knowledge.

• “Effective teaching takes students from where they are and leads them to a higher level of understanding.” (Krashen, 1985) p.53

Three Features of Building Background Knowledge

Feature 7: Concepts Explicitly Linked to Students’ Background Experiences

Feature 8: Links Explicitly Made between Past Learning and New Concepts

Feature 9: Key Vocabulary Emphasized (e.g. introduced, written, repeated, and highlighted for students to see)

#7 - Concepts Explicitly Linked to Students’ Background Experiences

“Individuals with knowledge of a topic have better recall and are better able to elaborate on aspects of a topic than those who have limited knowledge of the topic.” (Vogt, 2005). P. 54

“Schemata are the reader’s concepts, beliefs, expectations, processes – virtually everything from past experiences – that are used in making sense of things and actions. In reading, schemata are used in making sense of text…” p. 54

Chapter 3: #1

Activating Prior Knowledge vs.Building Background Knowledge

On your handout, fill in the sentence frames. Then turn and talk with your neighbor about your answers.

Activating a student’s prior knowledge is helpful because....

Activating a student’s prior knowledge isn’t helpful when…

Building background knowledge is necessary when….

What to do when students lack background knowledge?

3 Interventions to use when students lack background knowledge

1. TEACH VOCABULARY!!!

2. Provide meaningful EXPERIENCES.

3. Introduce students to a CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK.

Christen & Murphy (1991)

1. Pre-teach Vocabulary

Select words that are CRITICAL for understanding a lesson or text.

– Come up with a linguistic (student friendly description) and non-linguistic (gesture or image) representation of the word.

2. Provide Meaningful Experiences

Virtual experiences can be as effective as direct experiences in developing background knowledge.

The more authentic and relevant an experience is, the greater the likelihood of the information being stored in the permanent memory.

Meaningful Experiences

Bring in realia or use supplemental materials.

Watch video clips PRIOR to starting a unit.» Why would it be important to watch the video before

the unit instead of after?

Go on a field trip

Use picture books

Bring in a speaker

3. Conceptual Framework

Graphic organizers (It could be partially filled in according to student needs)

Preview the text with students and go over key ideas

Provide students with chapter outlines

Read picture books to build background

Pretest with a partner. » This allows ELs the opportunity to preview

concepts and vocabulary that they will be assessed on at the conclusion of the lesson or unit.

Activities to Build Background

Activities to Build Background

Use the Insert Method on a lifted-text to introduce a topic (p. 59 Elem SIOP)

Each student reads the handout. While reading, they insert the following codes directly into the text:

• A check mark () indicates a concept or fact that is already known • A question mark (?) indicates a concept or fact that is confusing or not

understood.• An exclamation mark (!) indicates something that is unusual or surprising• A plus sign (+) indicates an idea or concept that is new to the reader.

When the partners finish reading and marking the text, they share their markings with another pair of students. If misconceptions or misunderstandings are cleared up, then the question mark is replaced with an asterisk (*).

Activities to Build Background

Plot charts provide ELs with an opportunity to learn about popular fairy tales and other short stories in a concise way.

(p. 59 Elem. SIOP)

Here is an example:

Somebody: Anne Frank

Wanted: To hide from the Nazis

So: She hid in an attic and never went outside.

But: Someone turned her in

So: The Nazis arrested her and took her to a concentration camp.

In the end: She died in the concentration camp.

Your Turn – On your handout, try writing one of your own plot charts

“Chunk and Chew”Think about the chunk of information we just discussed (different interventions used to remedy a student’s lack of background knowledge) chew on it with your brain and then turn and tell the person next to you:

One intervention you already useOne new intervention that you want to try

# 8 - Links Explicitly Made Between Past Learning and New Concepts

The teacher must build a bridge from previous lessons and concepts to today’s lesson. Many students do not automatically make such connections, and all students benefit from having the teacher explicitly point out how past learning is related to the information at hand.

(Tierney & Pearson, 1994)

Building the Bridge

Questioning:“Who remembers what we learned about….?”

“How does that relate to this chapter?”

Review graphic organizers, notes, powerpoints, or smartboard notebooks

Preserve and refer to anchor charts, maps, illustrations, photos, and vocabulary words

Teaching vocabulary is essentially synonymous with teaching background knowledge.

• Vocabulary words are labels for packets of information we store in our permanent memory as background knowledge.

• There is a correlation between vocabulary knowledge and academic achievement, and vocabulary knowledge and overall intelligence.

Marzano (2004)

# 9 - Key Vocabulary Emphasized

Three Categories of Academic Vocabulary Words

1. Content Words: terms related to specific content areas

2. Process/Function Words:• Functional Language: share with a partner, discuss, line up,

graph, list, classify.• Language Processing: skim, scan, debate, argue, summarize• Transition Words: therefore, in conclusion, furthermore• Sequence Words: first, then, next, finally, at last

3. Words and Word Parts That Teach English Structure:1. Teaching students that words are formed with roots and vase

words joined with prefixes and suffixes will help them figure out the meanings of words they come across in a text. (p.61 SIOP)

Marzano’s Characteristics of Effective Vocabulary Instruction

Use student friendly descriptions, not definitions

Use linguistic and nonlinguistic representations (gestures, draw pictures)

Gradually develop word meanings (discuss what they mean in different contexts)

Teach students how to use word parts

Use different types of instruction for different types of words (ex: verbs always show a relationship between two nouns so explicitly tell the students this)

Students need to discuss the terms they are learning

Use games

Focus on academic vocabulary relevant to the curriculum being taught

Turn and talk Tell the person next to you something that you just learned about vocabulary instruction

Marzano’s Steps to Guide Vocabulary Instruction

Step 1 – Teacher describes the vocabulary term.

Step 2 – Student writes their own description of the term.

Step 3 – Student creates nonlinguistic representation of the term.

Step 4 – Students periodically do activities that help them add to their knowledge of vocabulary terms (word sorts, concept definition maps)

Step 5 - Students discuss terms with peers.

Step 6 – Students play games using the terms.

Four Square Vocab Model

Flyswatter Game

1.Post words from a unit on cards and put them on the wall or write them randomly on the board.

2.Give 2 students a flyswatter.

3.Describe the word and see who can swat the word first.

4.Pass the flyswatters on to two more students.

You can make it competitive with teams.

Situation Generation

Pose a question using the target vocabulary and have students create a situation that applies. For example:

-Name the setting of a story you recently read.

-What would be an example of a proper noun?

-Give me an example of when you would want to estimate an amount instead of finding the exact amount.

*This is a good 5 min filler or a morning gathering sharing activity!

Password

Invertebrate

Ecosystem

Vertebrate

Factor

Product

Biome 

Author’s Purpose

Prediction

Student A List Student B List

Concept Definition Map

I Have….Who has

Word Sorts

Personal Dictionaries

Jeopardy

TermTerm

What is it?

What are some examples?

What is it like?

Other Games/Ways to Work with Words

I Have….Who has

Word Sorts

Personal Dictionaries

Jeopardy

Take 2 minutes to reflect on your current vocabulary instruction and

write 2 – 3 sentences explaining how today’s presentation has affirmed

or changed your thinking.

I’ll do the gestures and then you turn and tell your neighbor which feature I am representing and give a brief description of that feature. I will

then randomly select someone to share out their answer.

Our Objectives for today:

Content Objectives:• I can identify the second component of SIOP and the three features of this

component.• I can discover ways to build students background knowledge on a topic. • I can describe characteristics of effective vocabulary instruction.

Language Objectives:– I can name and describe the three features of this component.– I can list 3 ways to build students’ background knowledge on a topic. – I can write 2 – 3 sentences reflecting on my current vocabulary instruction

and elaborating on how today’s presentation has affirmed or changed my thinking.