3.2 Sheltered Instruction Frameworks, SIOP, and Multimodal Scaffolding
Key Takeaways
- Sheltered instruction frameworks (such as SIOP, CALLA, and GLAD) deliver grade-level academic content in comprehensible English while simultaneously building academic language.
- The SIOP model comprises 8 interconnected components: Lesson Preparation, Building Background, Comprehensible Input, Strategies, Interaction, Practice/Application, Lesson Delivery, and Review/Assessment.
- CALLA emphasizes explicit instruction of metacognitive, cognitive, and social-affective learning strategies across a 5-phase lesson cycle.
- Multimodal scaffolding combines sensory (visuals/realia), graphic (organizers), and interactive (peer/L1 support) supports to lower affective filters and increase input comprehensibility.
3.2 Sheltered Instruction Frameworks, SIOP, and Multimodal Scaffolding
Sheltered instruction—also known in some regions as Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE)—is an instructional approach that makes grade-level academic content accessible to English Language Learners (ELLs) while fostering their academic language development. Rather than diluting content or waiting until students achieve full English fluency, sheltered instruction adapts pedagogical delivery, integrates rich multimodal supports, and explicitly teaches language within content lessons.
The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model
Developed by Jana Echevarría, MaryEllen Vogt, and Deborah J. Short, the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model is a research-validated framework designed to guide teachers in planning and delivering high-quality sheltered lessons. SIOP consists of 30 specific indicators organized across 8 core components.
Detailed Breakdown of the 8 SIOP Components
| SIOP Component | Essential Teacher Indicators & Praxis Focus Points | Practical Classroom Application |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lesson Preparation | Clearly defined content and language objectives; age-appropriate, adapted content; authentic supplementary materials (visuals, realia). | Writing objectives on the board; using graphic texts or adapted leveled readers alongside grade-level textbooks. |
| 2. Building Background | Explicit links to students' background experiences and L1 prior knowledge; explicit instruction of Tier 2 (general academic) and Tier 3 (domain-specific) vocabulary. | Conducting a KWL chart; using visual word walls; explicit morphology instruction (prefixes, roots, suffixes). |
| 3. Comprehensible Input | Speech adapted to student proficiency (enunciation, rate, idioms avoided); clear step-by-step explanations; multimodal demonstration (gestures, modeling). | Modeling multi-step instructions visually; slowing speech without sounding unnatural; using body language and realia. |
| 4. Learning Strategies | Ample opportunities for students to use cognitive strategies (summarizing, note-taking) and metacognitive strategies (self-monitoring, predicting); scaffolded questioning. | Teaching SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review); using think-alouds to model problem-solving. |
| 5. Interaction | Frequent opportunities for student-to-student interaction; flexible grouping (pairs, small groups); sufficient wait time (minimum 3-5+ seconds); L1 clarification support. | Utilizing Think-Pair-Share; allowing peer translation when necessary; structuring cooperative learning roles. |
| 6. Practice & Application | Hands-on materials and manipulatives; activities that integrate all four language domains (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing). | Conducting hands-on science experiments; having students read, write, and discuss data with partners. |
| 7. Lesson Delivery | Content and language objectives clearly supported during execution; high student engagement (target: 90%+ active engagement); appropriate lesson pacing. | Minimizing teacher-talk time; keeping pacing energetic while allowing processing time for language production. |
| 8. Review & Assessment | Comprehensive review of key academic vocabulary and lesson objectives; ongoing formative assessment; actionable feedback provided. | Conducting exit tickets; conducting visual self-assessments (thumbs up/side/down); reviewing word walls at lesson conclusion. |
Alternative Sheltered Frameworks: CALLA and Project GLAD
While SIOP is the most widely adopted sheltered model, two additional frameworks frequently tested on the Praxis ESOL exam are CALLA and Project GLAD.
Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA)
Developed by Anna Uhl Chamot and J. Michael O'Malley, CALLA is an instructional model designed for upper-elementary and secondary ELLs at intermediate and advanced proficiency levels. CALLA explicitly integrates content-area instruction with language learning and explicit learning strategy instruction.
CALLA organizes learning strategies into three categories:
- Metacognitive Strategies: Planning, monitoring, and evaluating one's own comprehension (e.g., self-questioning, setting a reading purpose).
- Cognitive Strategies: Manipulating instructional material directly (e.g., imagery, note-taking, grouping, summarizing, elaborating).
- Social-Affective Strategies: Interacting with peers or using self-talk to reduce anxiety (e.g., asking for clarification, cooperative peer learning).
The CALLA 5-Phase Instructional Cycle
- Preparation: Teacher assesses background knowledge and introduces strategy.
- Presentation: Teacher explicitly models the strategy using a think-aloud.
- Practice: Students practice the strategy with scaffolded tasks and peer collaboration.
- Evaluation: Students self-assess their strategy use and efficacy.
- Expansion: Students apply the strategy to new content areas and independent contexts.
Guided Language Acquisition Design (Project GLAD)
Project GLAD is a project-focused, highly visual sheltered framework designed to develop academic English and cross-cultural respect. GLAD relies heavily on:
- Pictorial Input Charts: Large-scale drawings traced in marker in front of students as content is introduced orally.
- Chants and Poetry: Rhythmic, content-rich chants that embed Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary.
- Inquiry Charts: Brainstorming charts that capture student questions and evolve into collaborative research walls.
Multimodal Scaffolding Taxonomy
Scaffolding—a concept rooted in Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and expanded by Wood, Bruner, and Ross—refers to temporary support structures provided by teachers to enable learners to accomplish tasks they could not perform independently. As ELLs gain linguistic competence, scaffolds are gradually faded (gradual release of responsibility).
In ESOL instruction, effective scaffolding is organized into three distinct modalities: Sensory, Graphic, and Interactive.
Comprehensive Matrix of Multimodal Scaffolds
| Scaffold Type | Specific Instructional Tools | Pedagogical Benefit for ELLs |
|---|---|---|
| Sensory Scaffolds | • Realia: Physical objects (e.g., bringing actual soil types, coins, or instruments into class).<br>• Visuals: Color-coded photographs, infographics, diagrams.<br>• Kinesthetic/TPR: Total Physical Response gestures, role-play.<br>• Multimedia: Short videos with closed captions, animations. | Provides direct concrete anchors for abstract concepts; lowers affective filter by reducing dependence on purely print-based input. |
| Graphic Scaffolds | • Venn Diagrams: Comparing/contrasting ideas.<br>• Flowcharts: Sequential processes (cycles, history).<br>• Cause & Effect Grids: Analyzing cause-effect chains.<br>• T-Charts: Pros/cons or categorizing binary concepts.<br>• Semantic Webs: Vocabulary networks and word associations. | Makes abstract text structures visible; allows ELLs to organize ideas non-linguistically before speaking or writing. |
| Interactive Scaffolds | • Pair Work: Think-Pair-Share, Turn-and-Talk.<br>• Cooperative Roles: Recorder, Reporter, Facilitator.<br>• L1 Support: Peer discussion in native language to clarify complex concepts.<br>• Reciprocal Teaching: Student-led questioning, summarizing, clarifying, and predicting. | Increases oral language production in low-anxiety environments; provides rich peer language modeling ($i+1$). |
During a middle school science lesson, an ESOL teacher displays physical rock specimens (realia), connects the lesson to students' prior experiences with soil in their home countries, and explicitly teaches the academic terms 'metamorphic' and 'sedimentary.' According to the SIOP model, which component is primarily highlighted by these teacher actions?
An ESOL teacher introduces a history unit by bringing historical artifacts, physical replica coins, and color photographs into the classroom for students to touch and examine. In the taxonomy of ESOL scaffolding, which type of scaffold is the teacher utilizing?
In the Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA) developed by Chamot and O'Malley, which phase of the 5-phase instructional cycle requires students to self-assess their own application and effectiveness of a newly learned learning strategy?
Under the SIOP component of Comprehensible Input, which of the following practices is most effective when explaining a complex, multi-step laboratory assignment to Level 2 (Emerging) English learners?