This document discusses techniques for making content comprehensible for English language learners. It emphasizes that appropriate speech, clear explanations of academic tasks, and the use of techniques like modeling, gestures, and hands-on activities are important. Effective teachers constantly adjust their speech to ensure comprehensibility, use a variety of techniques so students understand content, and provide explanations that state expectations but also promote success. Comprehensible input may be the most important part of modifying lessons for English language learners.

1. Comprehensible
Input

2. Appropriate Speech
• Rate and enunciation
o How the teacher speaks
• Complexity of speech
o What the teacher says
• Vocabulary
• Enunciation
• Sentence structure
• Idioms
• Cognates

3. Explanation of Academic Tasks
• Step by step instructions – no more than 3 steps
• Visual representation or demonstration
• Expectable/repeated process or steps

4. Use of Techniques
Actual teaching techniques have a greater
impact on student achievement than just
having a lot of pictures illustrating content
concepts.”
(Echevarría, Vogt & Short, 2013)
“

5. Types of Techniques
• Inside the content
o Appropriate materials
• Appropriate text
• High-interest/low-ability reading material
• Highlighted textbooks
• Trade books and literature
• Video-based information
• Simplify vocabulary
• Shorten assignments and tests
• Use strategies which cause the brain to work
• Graphic organizers
• Semantic maps

6. Types of Techniques
• Outside the Content
o Teacher behavior
• Hands-on
• Visuals
• Modeling
• Demonstrations
• Gestures
• Body language
• Focus on essential learning
o Student interaction
• Cooperative learning
• Peer tutoring
• Discovery learning
• Semantic mapping
• Representational illustrations, games
• Group assignments
• Focus on concrete first, then abstract
• Use pauses in between phrases
• Give extra time for oral answers
• Use an overhead projector
• Write directions on the board, and
give them orally
• Allow for more time for assignments

7. Reading Content Area Textbooks
• Highlight text to narrow material to essential components
• Identify textbook structure
• Text preview and picture walks
• Marginal notes
• Taped texts
• Use out-of-level textbooks, trade books or magazine-type material
• Pre-teach vocabulary
• Create leveled study guides
• Reinforce key concepts
• Use teacher created graphic organizers or outlines for key ideas
• Jigsaw text reading

8. Comprehensible Input is Critical
Comprehensible input may be the most
important component in modifying a lesson for
ELL students. If students do not understand
what they are hearing, reading or writing, they
do not have the opportunity to learn.

9. Effective Teachers:
• Constantly modulate and adjust speech to ensure that
the content is comprehensible.
• Use a variety of techniques, including modeling,
gestures, hands-on activities, and demonstrations, so
that students understand and learn the content
material.
• Provide explanations of academic tasks in ways that
not only clearly state what students are expected to
accomplish, but also promote student success.

10. Effective Teachers:
Use a variety of techniques, including modeling,
gestures, hands-on activities, and
demonstrations, so that students understand
and learn the content material.

11. Effective Teachers:
Provide explanations of academic tasks in ways
that not only clearly state what students are
expected to accomplish, but also promote
student success.

12. References
Echevarría, J., Vogt, M. E., & Short, D. J. (2013). Making content
comprehensible for English language learners: the SIOP®
Model (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Kelley, K. D, & Noble, C. C.. (2010). Comprehensible input
[PowerPoint slides]. From Sheltered English Instruction
Workshop. Flagstaff, AZ.
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