Anna Oliveri

SIOP LESSON REFLECTION QUESTIONS (be sure to elaborate on your answers...a short
paragraph should be sufficient)

1. Did you achieve both your language and content objectives? How can you be sure?
- Yes we achieved both our language and content objectives. The students were
able to write basic facts from recall about each of the three top mental illnesses
faced in prison. The pre-assessment activity addresses this standard in the
second part. We knew this because we handed out the 5 top mental illnesses in
prison and had the students separate them into what they thought the top three
were. As they did this they also had to put a cut out of a fact next to the right
mental illness. We also did a KWL chart which helped us assess what their
current knowledge was, what they wanted to know and what they learned after
the lesson.
2. Do you feel you "immersed" the students in the vocabulary? Based on your
assessment, did the students have their own understanding of each of the vocab
words?
- We feel that we immersed the students in the vocabulary because our six
vocabulary words were the main parts of our lesson. The six vocabulary words
that we taught had to do with the main mental illnesses that we were teaching
in our lesson. We did several activities as well as had a visual powerpoint so that
all students could have a strong understanding of the vocabulary and their
definitions.
3. Do you feel you had enough interaction, giving students the chance to apply the
language/content with other students? Why or why not?
- Yes we feel like we had enough interaction throughout our lesson. We
implemented this strategy of chunk and chew where every ten minutes we let
the students talk to their partner about the information we had just shared with
them. Every time the students did this they had to write a fact down on a piece
of paper and share it aloud with the class. We also had a stand up sit down
activity where the students had to stand if the statement was false and sit down
if it was true. When the statement was false, each table had to talk to each other
and explain how the statement is true.
4. What are three aspects of the SIOP process that you find effective and truly need to be
in your lesson plans (especially if ELLs are present)?
- The first aspect that I find useful would be Building Background. It is extremely
important to make links between the past and the new learning that is about to
take place. When doing this it is important to identify key vocabulary and come
 up with creative ways for students to make it their own. It is also important to
avoid words and phrases that may be confusing when introducing it and relating
it to a new topic. If the students realize that you are relating it to the new
information to prior knowledge, it will keep them more engaged and want to
learn about the new information that you are teaching.
- The second aspect that I find useful would be Comprehensible Input. It is
important to find and use clear and appropriate speech when speaking to
students. It is also important to provide clear explanations of all academic tasks.
You cannot make assumptions that the students will understand because that is
when the confusion takes place. It helps to use a variety of ways to teach certain
concepts so it can reach every level of learners. It is also important to diversify
the kinds of input aka other voices besides your own.
- The last aspect that I find most useful is lesson preparation. It is important to
write your objectives clearly on the board and make sure they are specific and
measurable when assessing. Also, prepping allows you to create engaging
activities for your students.

5. Looking back now that you've completed the lesson, what is one thing you would have
done differently? Why?
- One thing that I would have done differently is structure our stand up sit down
activity in order to make it a little more exciting. Granted it was with our peers,
this type of activity would have worked better for younger kids. It would have
helped if we explicitly explained the directions more than once rather than
saying them once and having them on the board.