Component 2: Building Background

Summary

The SIOP model emphasizes the importance of building background knowledge for students, particularly English learners. It highlights three key features: connecting students' prior knowledge to the lesson content, linking current lessons to past learning, and focusing on essential vocabulary and academic language. Teachers are encouraged to explicitly connect lessons to students' experiences, revisit prior units to reinforce learning, and teach critical vocabulary multiple times to ensure students' understanding. This approach helps engage learners and supports their academic growth.

Takeaways

• 😀 Teachers should connect students' background knowledge to the lesson content to enhance understanding.
• 😀 It's important to consider both students' prior knowledge before arriving in the U.S. and their experiences since coming.
• 😀 Explicitly linking students' experiences to new concepts helps them relate and understand the lesson better.
• 😀 Teachers should ask students to recall familiar concepts, such as elements of fairy tales, to help bridge the gap to new content.
• 😀 The second feature of building background is connecting current lessons to previous learning to help students make connections.
• 😀 Continuity between lessons (e.g., linking Spanish and English explorers) helps students see the relevance of new content.
• 😀 Teachers can use tools like transparencies and maps to reinforce connections between past and present lessons.
• 😀 Students should be reminded of prior lessons to see how today’s content fits into their broader learning.
• 😀 Explicit vocabulary instruction is crucial for helping students understand academic language in the lesson.
• 😀 Teachers should teach key vocabulary multiple times to ensure students internalize the words needed to grasp the lesson's concepts.
• 😀 Effective vocabulary instruction includes using the words in different contexts and revisiting them throughout the lesson.

Q & A

What is the first feature of building background in the SIOP model?

The first feature involves teachers connecting students' background knowledge with the content being taught in the lesson. Teachers should make connections with anything students can relate to, whether it's knowledge from before or after arriving in the United States.

How does a teacher connect students' background knowledge to the lesson content?

A teacher can connect background knowledge by relating lessons to things students have learned or experienced in the past, such as recalling a similar experience or linking it to familiar concepts, helping students to say, 'Oh, I get it.'

Should teachers only connect to the background knowledge students had before coming to the United States?

No, teachers should connect to any background knowledge that students have, whether from before or after their arrival in the United States.

What is an example of a connection that might be used in a lesson?

An example could be asking students about elements of a fairy tale, such as talking animals, to make connections to new learning.

What is the second feature of building background in the SIOP model?

The second feature is making explicit links to past learning. Teachers should help students connect current lessons to previous ones by recalling what was learned before, such as reviewing previous units or lessons.

Why is it important to make links to past learning in the classroom?

It helps students understand the continuity of their learning. By connecting new content to what they've already learned, they can better understand how the lessons relate to each other.

How can a teacher link past lessons to the current one?

A teacher might use a visual aid like a transparency or a map, or refer back to topics previously covered, such as saying, 'Remember when we talked about explorers from Spain? Now we're moving on to English explorers.'

What is the third feature in building background in the SIOP model?

The third feature focuses on giving explicit attention to key vocabulary and academic language that is important for the lesson. This includes teaching essential vocabulary multiple times to ensure students understand key concepts.

Why is it important to teach vocabulary explicitly in a lesson?

Explicitly teaching vocabulary is important because without the necessary vocabulary, students may struggle to understand content concepts. Reinforcing the vocabulary helps students retain and apply the language needed for academic success.

How many times should key vocabulary be taught in the lesson?

Key vocabulary should be taught multiple times to ensure that students truly grasp the meaning and can apply it in context.