1. Chapter 5
Content Based Instruction

2. Specifically Designed Academic
Instruction in English (SDAIE)
Learn grade-appropriate content
Master English vocabulary and grammar
Learn “academic” English (i.e., the
semantic and syntactic ways that English is
used in content subjects)
Develop strategies for learning how to
learn
SHELTERED ENGLISH
Instruction that is content rich,
comprehensible, visual, hands-on & has
lots of student interaction

3. Content objectives
Teachers always teach content but when
working with ELL students consider
Looking at sequence of science, social studies,
etc…
Put more concrete concepts before abstract
ones
Try to teach those content topics that can be
enhanced with visuals, hands-on materials and
demonstrations first while delaying lots of
reading/writing until students have experience
with topic

4. Language objectives
While we suggest this for ELL students, you will
soon find that preparing your lessons thinking
about what new language your entire group will
encounter will be helpful for all
Language objectives consider NOT ONLY
vocabulary but ALSO language functions and
discourse functions (i.e. reading history requires
knowledge of past tense verbs or important
chronological sequencing words, science
experiments sometimes use passive voice
constructions
Consider the use of ALL modalities – listening,
speaking, reading, and writing

5. Learning Strategies
Help learners learn how to learn
(remember early video)
Helping with learning how to take lots of
text and break it down in to smaller parts
(learn skimming/scanning)
Teach how to preview a text for clues for
comprehension
Walk through texts
Mention headings, subheadings, graphs,
pictures, etc…

6. Modifying Materials
Supply advance organizers for text to highlight text
Change the modality from written to oral. Read
aloud ask for higher order thinking skills in oral
language instead of always written first
Tape record specific passages (or have native
speakers do so) for ELL students to listen to
Have native-English speakers/writers rewrite
portions of text to help more novice readers –
good for native writers, good for novice readers!
Ask for drawings, labels and minimal writing to
demonstrate comprehension for lowest level
students

7. Schema Building
Who builds schema? Students?
Teacher?
Must use scaffolding in order to help
those who have not experienced topic
to be taught
Graphic organizers
Semantic mapping

8. Comprehensibility
Making sure students have plenty of clues to make
comprehension occur (not just oral questioning!)
CONTEXTUALIZATION – strategies that create a
parallel to speech and/or text through pictures,
realia, dramatizations
MODELING – demonstrating actual activity
SPEECH ADJUSTMENT – paying attention to
input given
COMPREHENSION CHECKS – monitoring
listening and reading comprehension along the
way

9. If you are going to teach about the
cell in biology how would you
organize the lesson?

10. CONTEXTUALIZATION
Verbal presentation added by rich
visuals
Words introduced as visuals support
Presenting a variety of visuals and
rephrasing can aid comprehension
Incorporating physical skits and
activities can aid comprehension
(remember the canoe!!)

11. MODELING
Hands-on, demonstrating folding the
paper by folding the paper oneself
Willingness to repeat
Use of chalkboard, blackboard,
overhead, computer/LCD, butcher
paper

12. SPEECH ADJUSTMENT
Does not mean tarzan language!
A little slower delivery/articulation
help ELL students to separate words
more clearly
Elaboration – where the teacher talks
about the topic through repetition,
paraphrase and rhetorical markers
may prove more effective than
simplifying grammar and vocabulary

13. COMPREHENSION CHECKS
Thumbs up/down
Paraphrase to another student
Dramatizing
Writing
Drawing
Graphing can all show comprehension
When asking questions think about type for level of
proficiency
Nonverbal for lowest (thumbs up/down, shaking head ok)
EITHER/OR questions – think about all the videos we have
seen that use this effectively!
Simple WH- questions with one to two word answers

14. Social Studies & ELLs
Need to check for background knowledge in this
highly abstract field
When presenting topic on westward expansion –
teacher could ask students to discuss if their
families have moved and if so where from/to…
Use of oral narratives can help make more
comprehensible
Graphic organizers, time lines, physical time lines
acted out in classroom, pictures, videos (even
Youtube if careful) – Old West or
George Washington
Have students act out interpretations of social
studies to establish that comprehension has
occured

15. SCIENCE
http://youtube.com/watch?v=HrMka8vj73U
-- photosynthesis

16. Language Arts
Try as much as possible to work with
folktales and stories that have universal
appeal
Internet is excellent resource for folktales
and also for literature in the student’s L1
Use of visuals, videos, etc…to engage
topic
Possibly reading aloud with low level
learners – having them listen to story on
tape or mp3

17. Math
Language of math is COMPLEX
Vocabulary may be used for multiple meanings
(sum) (add) (combine) (increased)!
Syntax can be challenging – Twenty is five times a
certain number? What is that number?
Operations may be done differently in different
countries (division!)
Graphics to show fractions!
ESL Glossary - college age
Video on solving equations!