Analysis of SIOP Practices and EL Programs in Inver Grove Heights Community Schools

Leadership of Special Programs EdLd 673-82 Minnesota State University Mankato

Kris Hillesheim February 14, 2013

Analysis of SIOP Practices and EL Programs in Inver Grove Heights Community School !

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Inver Grove Heights Community Schools is a small suburban district of 3,781 students in one high school, one middle school, and three elementary schools. Like many districts, our population is becoming more diverse with 28 different languages being spoken. The overall LEP population was 7.2% of the student population as of April 24, 2012; however, this number doesnt provide a clear picture of district trends. Last years kindergarten class was 11.7% LEP compared to last years senior class, which was 1.6% LEP. While the percentage of LEP high school students had some fluctuation since 2003, the totals didnt change. The same cannot be said for the middle school or elementary population, which is indicating significant increases in LEP students. MARSS Check-Off Comparison Report data submitted on October 1, 2013 indicates growth since last school year with a total of 296 students identified as LEP, which are 40 more LEP students district wide since October 1, 2011. Total enrollment grew by 20 students during the same time frame. All buildings increased their LEP population, with the exception of Hilltop Elementary, which lost 8 LEP students. Inver Grove Heights was required to implement EL program modifications for the 2012-13 school year as a result of four years of not meeting Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAO) for both Math Content Ability and Reading Content Ability, part of Title III No Child Left Behind requirements. As a result, new curriculum was implemented at all levels in the English as a Second Language program.

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Data collected on April 24, 2012. Spanish is the districts most common non-English Home Language and is spoken by 431 students. The next most common language is Arabic with 39 students, then Hmong, with 37 students, and Somali with 27 students. Spanish and Somali speaking students are evenly divided between males and females, where Arabic and Hmong students have more males than females.

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Student ethnic diversity is also increasing. In 2002-03 14.6% of students were of color compared to the 2011-12 school year where 32.1% of students were of color. Similar to LEP data, the percentage of students of color is far greater at the kindergarten level (42.1%) than grade 12 (32.1%). The Hispanic population is the largest (17.1%) followed by Black (10.2), Asian (4.6%) and American Indian (1.3%). Compared to Minnesota, Inver Grove Heights has a Hispanic population that is over twice the state average and slightly lower Black, Asian, and American Indian populations than the state average.

Analysis of SIOP Practices and EL Programs in Inver Grove Heights Community School !

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Analysis of SIOP Practices and EL Programs in Inver Grove Heights Community School !

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Special education enrollment indicates overrepresentation of Hispanic students; 20.5% of the Hispanic population is identified as special education students compared to being only 15.7% of the districts population. Black students are also overrepresented with 12.3% of the population identified compared to being 8% of the total district population. Hispanics are identified as 38.5% of the Specific Learning Disability population; Blacks are represented as 14.6% of the Developmental Cognitive Disabilities population; and of those identified as having Emotional/Behavior Disorders, 23.4% are Black and 19.6% are Hispanic. MCA Achievement data demonstrates that Inver Grove Heights students as a whole met proficiency at a slightly higher level (76.9%) compared to all Minnesota students (76.0%) in the area of reading. In the area of math, 64.4% of Inver Grove Heights students were proficient, compared to the state average of 62.1%. In 2012 the district as a whole made Adequate Yearly Progress for the first time, with Hilltop Elementary making AYP for the first time since 2007. When examining the proficiency of English Language Learners, Inver Grove Heights students were 34.1% proficient in reading, compared to the state EL Learners, who were 37.7% proficient with district ELs above the EL state average in fifth and eighth grades. In math 34.6% of all EL learners in Inver Grove Heights were proficient compared to 31.0% of EL learners across the state with district EL second, fifth, and eighth graders all above the EL state average. Particularly alarming was the level of science proficiency, where only 10.9% of ELs were proficient. Obviously students who are not proficient in English will have a difficult time demonstrating proficiency on reading and math grade level standards, but it is concerning that Inver Grove Heights EL scores are below the state average when compared to EL learners across the state. Overall Inver Grove Heights trends show that high school total enrollment numbers have declined, where elementary numbers have increased over the last ten years. Students enrolling

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are more diverse, are more likely to qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch and are more likely to have Limited English Proficiency. At the same time, Inver Grove Heights has been improving its overall performance on MCA testing, but the proficiency levels for ELs resulted in Program Modification AMAO Status. I interviewed the Inver Grove Heights Community Schools Director of Special Programs, Mary Garrison, as well as the EL Teacher at Simley High School, Leah Sedler to gather information regarding Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) practices in the district. Short, Vogt, & Echevarria (2008), outline that Research shows that the use of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model, an instructional framework for sheltered instruction, is one component of a systematic approach to effective and appropriate instruction for English Language Learners (p. 13). The SIOP Model has eight interrelated components: lesson preparation, building background, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction, practice/application, lesson delivery, and review/assessment. Sheltered instruction is a set of teachings strategies for content area teachers to use with English Language Learners that maintains the rigor of the course material while decreasing the linguistic demands. Sheltered instruction takes place in both EL classrooms as well as general education classrooms that include English Language Learners. (Freeman & Freeman, 1988). Sedler shared she has not had formal training in SIOP methods, but has researched it as a part of her advanced degree program. Sedler has also used lessons from Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners The SIOP Model. Sedler has a caseload of 50 English Language Learners grades 9-12. Students attend classes with her for Reading, Academic English, and academic support based on ACCESS scores. Other than the Sheltered English Instruction classes with Sedler, there are no sheltered instruction classrooms for other content areas. EL

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students range from newcomers to those who have been identified as ELs since kindergarten. Sedler described SIOP as the gold standard for English Language Learners. When reviewing the SIOP Checklist with her, she believes that some of her classes have evidence of SIOP elements. She doesnt daily state content and language objectives. She shared that adapting content to all levels of student proficiency is especially challenging and time consuming at the high school level. She tries to use visuals when possible and commented that the use of IPads has been helpful in instruction as well as for use by students who use it to translate. Sedler commented that for ELs building background is critical as its missing for most learners. She emphasizes key vocabulary by building on their experience and knowledge and believes that these strategies are highly evident in her classroom, but not in general education classrooms. Sedler rates comprehensible input as highly evident in her classroom. She tries to use appropriate speech and clear explanations. This is an area that Sedler believes that teachers dont think about in the general education setting. Sedler will often say a word, define it, and then define it a different way using gestures when possible. In her classroom, Sedler uses strategies that allow for student learning. A research-based reading curriculum that she uses, Journeys, has questioning and context clue strategies embedded in instruction. Because all EL students are different, it is difficult to design group instruction, as some know strategies, just not the vocabulary, and others are missing background knowledge. Allowing for interaction between students and student and teacher is somewhat evident. Sedler reflected that she feels pressure to teach the Journeys reading program with fidelity, which sometimes means she feels that she doesnt have enough time for interaction. Time for practice/application is somewhat evident. Sedler feels that this is an area to be strengthened. Lesson delivery is somewhat evident in Sedlers classroom. Sedler recognizes that because she doesnt post content and language

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objectives, that lessons arent always as focused as they could be. Sedler believes ELs have a difficult time in the general education setting as when teachers teach to the middle students and dont differentiate, the bottom group and the top group dont get what they need. Review and Assessment is somewhat evident in Sedlers program. Vocabulary is tested on a frequent basis. She uses both formal and informal assessment as well as projects. Sedler believes SIOP training would benefit all students and doesnt have to be looked at as one more thing to do. She is providing staff with training in academic vocabulary in March. Sedler would like to have more effective EL programming with additional staff and more options for mainstreaming. One of her greatest challenges is finding time to access and research resources. Sedler believes that a good place to start with general education teacher training on SIOP practices is with content and language objectives. Garrison reflected on SIOP practices she observes in the elementary, middle school, and high school English Language Learner Program. Her assessment of SIOP practices was similar to Sedlers. She doesnt believe that any of the EL teachers are currently using SIOP practices on a consistent basis and doesnt believe that any general education teachers use SIOP practices in the classroom. Garrison sees some evidence of preparation strategies. There is some evidence of content objectives, content concepts, supplementary materials, adaptation of content, and meaningful activities. She does not see evidence of language objectives that are clearly defined with students in any of the settings. In the area of building background, Garrison sees some evidence that concepts are explicitly linked to student background experiences and key vocabulary being emphasized is highly evident. Use of comprehensible input is somewhat evident in all settings. Strategies are somewhat evident. She has seen teachers use personal dictionaries but feels that questioning strategies to promote higher-order thinking skills varies

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depending on the staff person. Garrison wasnt sure about seeing evidence of interaction. She sees evidence of opportunities for interaction, but isnt sure that there are grouping configurations used to support language and content objectives. Garrison believes that the use of IPods with translation software have been very helpful for providing opportunities for English Learners to clarify understanding in their first language. Garrison has not seen teachers provide hands-on materials to practice and apply content and language knowledge. She feels that because the teachers are told to teach curriculum with fidelity that they dont always expand and provide additional learning opportunities. In lesson delivery, Garrison sees some evidence of content objectives, but not language objectives. Students are engaged at least 90% of the period. Sometimes she thinks lessons seem a little fast. Review of key vocabulary and content concepts is evident at all levels. She hasnt observed regular feedback to students on what they produce, but also isnt sure that this isnt happening. She sees teachers doing assessment of comprehension during lessons. Garrison believes that a lack of bilingual EL teachers has impacted instruction. The district has scheduled a half-day introduction to SIOP with all instructional staff. She believes that this will assist teachers in getting a sense that it is their job to teach English, not just the EL Teachers job. Providing additional training for staff is difficult due to staff turnover and the necessity to fit in additional trainings when there are only so many hours available and many initiatives. Providing a range of programming options in a small district is very challenging. A few years ago there was an attempt to provide a Newcomer program, but then that year there were no Newcomers, so the program didnt operate. Currently, Newcomers get more services. Garrison stated that Inver Grove Heights leadership recognizes the growth and needs of the growing population EL population and has recently added an EL Early Literacy Coordinator to

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work with daycares, families, and community preschool children. This population is not reflected in LEP data as LEP only accounts for children who are Kindergarten through grade 12. Both Garrison and Sedler acknowledge the need for SIOP in the district. MCA data support this need as well. The increasing LEP population creates increased need for training for all instructional staff to ensure that EL students can become proficient in English as well as content areas. There needs to be a shared ownership of the teaching of English. The upcoming March in-service for all instructional staff is an excellent starting point to draw attention to this need. At this point, most teachers have limited knowledge of effective strategies for teaching ELs and many secondary teachers have not had a great urgency to know these skills as the number of English Language Learners has been so low. After the SIOP introduction, teachers will need follow-up training and focused discussions on how to implement the SIOP strategies, which can occur in Professional Learning Communities. All teachers would benefit from a SIOP coach to assist this process, which would be a new position to our district. The biggest impact for students will be teachers using SIOP in content area coursework. Making sure that ELs are taking content level classes is critical to closing the achievement gap. Given the low MCA Science scores, science classes would be an excellent content area to begin using SIOP. Closing the achievement gap for EL learners is a huge challenge given the diversity of the learners and their individual needs. Helping teachers to understand this great diversity is important to addressing it. Increased understanding of ELs and SIOP will also help to reduce referrals to special education, as Many of the features of the SIOP are effective for students with learning differences (Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2010, p. 205). SIOP needs to be thought as another research based strategy in the cadre of interventions in a multi-tiered system of support. Teachers will likely struggle with differentiating instruction and understanding that

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SIOP does not water down the curriculum. Helping teachers to understand that identifying learning goals, which is a part of what they are doing in PLCs and are accountable for in the districts use of iObservation as a teacher evaluation system, will assist in applying SIOP practices. Given the district demographics, EL teacher staffing will also need to be addressed to match needs in each building rather than just assigning one EL teacher per building. As an administrator, it would be my job to communicate the need for change and keep focusing discussions so that SIOP would not become just another Sit and Get in-service that we check off but dont implement and generalize to the classroom. Given demographic data, providing appropriate instruction for ELs is a significant issue for the district.

Analysis of SIOP Practices and EL Programs in Inver Grove Heights Community School ! References Minnesota Department of Education, (2012). Data for Parents and Educators. Retrieved from http://education.state.mn.us/ Minnesota Department of Education (2013) MARSS Web Edit System. Retrieved from http://education.state.mn.us/ on January 14, 2013. Echevarria, J., Vogt, M. & Short, D. (2010). Making Content Comprehensible for Secondary English Learners The SIOP Model. Boston: Pearson Education Inc.

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Freeman, D. & Freeman, Y. (1988). Sheltered English Instruction. Eric Digests. Retrieved from http://www.ericdigests.org Independent School District 199. (2012). English Learner Plan of Services Handbook. Retrieved from http://invergrove.k12.mn.us Inver Grove Heights Community Schools. (2012). Inver Grove Heights Community Schools Enrollment and Demographics Study. Retrieved from http://invergrove.k12.mn.us Short, D., Vogt, M. & Echevarria, J. (2008). The SIOP Model for Administrators. Boston: Pearson Education Inc.