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I believe that highlighting an exemplary discussion board post does more than celebrate one candidate’s success; it sets a visible, attainable standard that shows the whole course cohort what thoughtful, well-developed thinking looks like in practice. When I feature one of my candidates’ work on my blog, I want them to feel that the often invisible labor of reflection, synthesis, and pedagogical reasoning behind a strong post has truly been seen. I also believe that celebrating progress, not just polished perfection, builds a culture where candidates learn from and encourage one another rather than viewing the discussion board as a box to check. Ultimately, I share this work because I want my future educators to know their voices matter, modeling the same encouraging, growth-oriented feedback I hope they will one day offer their own students.Beyond the present cohort, my blog also serves as a living repository, offering future students clear and exemplary models to draw inspiration from as they develop their own voices.
Ishrat Jahan: I earned my Bachelor of Science in Childhood Education with a bilingual extension in Bangla. I currently work in an elementary school dual-language classroom, supporting students from diverse cultural backgrounds and varying levels of English proficiency. To strengthen my ability to support multilingual learners and expand my professional knowledge, I am pursuing a master’s degree in TESOL at Touro University, where the flexible schedule and practical coursework have helped prepare me to better meet students’ academic and language needs.
“My journey at Touro has helped me better understand the importance of supporting multilingual learners through meaningful, equitable, and culturally responsive instruction.”
Ishrat Jahan, Touro University TESOL Candidate
EDDN 637 Module 1
Discussion Board Post
1. What are some characteristics of ELL’s to consider to implement effective teaching?
There are many characteristics of ELLs to consider when implementing effective teaching. First, teachers need to understand that all ELLs are not the same, so they should not be taught in the exact same way because ELLs come to the classroom with different English proficiency levels, first languages, family situations, schooling experiences, interrupted schooling, cultural backgrounds, literacy skills in their home language, and academic strengths. The SIOP chapter clearly states that “all English learners in schools are not alike” (Echevarria et al., 2017). This means that students should receive support based on their individual needs. For example, if a student attended school in a different country and is literate in their first language, they may not need the same support as a student who has had no previous schooling, interrupted schooling, or limited literacy experiences.
In my view, effective teaching starts with knowing the whole student, not just their English level, because every student comes to the classroom with some knowledge. If the teacher already knows the student’s background, they can build from there. For example, if a student already understands a concept in their home language, the teacher can use that existing knowledge to build further understanding instead of reteaching everything from the beginning. This connects to the idea that “when teachers know students’ backgrounds and native-language abilities, they can choose better materials and instructional strategies” (Echevarria et al., 2017). This means that teachers need to understand students as a whole, including their language, culture, and learning history, to make content accessible and effective.
2. On Teaching Fairness: Considering the concept of fairness in education, how can TESOL educators ensure equitable classroom practices for multilingual learners? Provide specific examples from the P–3 Multilingual Learning Toolkit to support your response.
Fairness in education does not mean giving every student the exact same thing. To me, fairness means giving students the specific supports they need to succeed by providing opportunities to access learning and show what they know. This is very important for multilingual learners because it values their home language, culture, and prior knowledge instead of viewing them as barriers. The P-3 Multilingual Learning Toolkit explains that learning and using key words in a child’s home language “shows respect and interest” and helps children feel valued (New Venture Fund, n.d.). A practical example would be labeling classroom objects in English and students’ home languages, inviting students to teach the class or their partner a word from their home language, or previewing important vocabulary in both languages when possible. In addition, teachers can create equitable classroom practices by using different approaches to support and assess students fairly. The Toolkit explains that multilingual learners’ language and content skills may be “distributed across English and the home language” (New Venture Fund, n.d.). This means that a student may understand a concept, but they may not yet be able to fully explain their thinking in English. If they are unable to explain their ideas in English, that does not mean they are not strong students. It means they need different support. Teachers can use different approaches to help students demonstrate their understanding through oral responses, pointing, drawings, partner discussions, group discussions, sentence starters, and home-language support when needed. The Toolkit also states that assessment should be “linguistically, culturally, and developmentally appropriate” (New Venture Fund, n.d.) because fairness should measure what students already know, not only how much English they can produce at that moment.
3. SIOP and Structured Literacy Introduction and Practical Application: Reflect on your initial understanding of the SIOP model. How does the approach outlined in the SIOP at a Glance Practical Guide enhance both content and language instruction? Identify one SIOP component and one structured literacy approach from the structured literacy map you believe is particularly impactful for multilingual learners and justify your choice with a practical example.
My initial understanding of the SIOP model is that it helps teachers plan lessons so multilingual learners can understand both the content and the language needed to succeed. After reviewing the SIOP at a Glance Practical Guide, I realized that creating a SIOP lesson is not just about simplifying a lesson. Instead, it is about making instruction explicit, intentional, clear, and accessible for everyone. The guide shows that an effective lesson should include clear content and language objectives, vocabulary support, comprehensible input, background knowledge, interaction, practice, and assessment. This approach supports content instruction because students are not just being given information; they are being supported step by step through hands-on activities, visuals, modeling, and connections to their experiences. It also supports language learning by giving students opportunities to speak, listen, read, and write with clear vocabulary and sentence practice in meaningful ways.
One SIOP component I find important is building background because it connects students’ culture, first language, and existing knowledge to new learning. For example, before teaching a lesson about culture, I could ask students to talk about their culture, teach key vocabulary, show pictures, bring in items, and connect the English words to words they may know in their first language. This helps students feel confident and comfortable before learning new content. One structured literacy approach I think is important is explicit and systematic vocabulary instruction because when teachers preteach and directly teach important words, it benefits multilingual learners instead of assuming they will understand the words from the context. For example, if students are learning about culture, I would introduce key words like food, belief, and tradition using vocabulary cards, anchor charts, student-friendly definitions, pictures, examples, sentence starters, and gestures before asking students to read and write. Before asking them to complete the work, I would explicitly model using sentence starters such as “In my culture, I celebrate_____ becaue_____,” and “A special food from my culture is______”. After that, students could share more about their culture by creating their own sentence with the whole class or with a partner. This makes the lesson clear, meaningful, and supportive for multilingual learners because students are learning grammar, vocabulary, speaking, and writing in an organized way.
4. Supports for Multilingual Learners: Based on your review of the SUPPORTS FOR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS document and the structured literacy map, discuss two specific strategies or resources you could incorporate into a SIOP lesson plan to strengthen language acquisition for multilingual learners. How would these strategies directly support student literacy, engagement, and academic success?
Based on my review of the Supports for Multilingual Learners document and the structured literacy map, two specific strategies or resources I could incorporate into a SIOP lesson plan to strengthen language acquisition for multilingual learners are differentiated language supports and intentional vocabulary resources that connect language with grade-level content. The Supports for Multilingual Learners document explains that multilingual learners and English learners have different proficiency levels and educational backgrounds, so teachers should avoid a “one-size-fits-all approach” (Mavrogordato et al., 2024). In a SIOP lesson, this could mean using visuals, partner discussions, sentence starters, and small-group instruction based on students’ needs. Another strategy is using instructional resources that build English while still giving students access to grade-level content. The Supports for Multilingual Learners document states that “translations, eBooks, intentional vocabulary development, and the use of definitions and cognates” can support language development and help multilingual learners and English learners access lessons (Mavrogordato et al., 2024). This means that using instructional resources, teachers can still teach the same content while using different supports. For example, in an ELA lesson on tradition, I could pre-teach key vocabulary with interactive cards, pictures, and gestures, include cognates when possible, and let students practice the words through speaking, reading, and writing.
These strategies directly support student literacy, engagement, and academic success because students are learning in meaningful ways that include comprehension, vocabulary, and academic language in context. They also increase engagement and provide opportunities for students to engage in learning without feeling lost or shy. Most importantly, they support academic success by helping multilingual learners access the same meaningful content as their classmates while still developing English.
References
Echevarría, J., Vogt, M. E., & Short, D. J. (2017). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP model (5th ed.). Pearson.
Kim, S. (n.d.). SIOP at a glance: A practical guide for beginners. Touro University Graduate School of Education.
Mavrogordato, M., Bartlett, C., Callahan, R., DeMatthews, D., & Izquierdo, E. (2024). Supports for multilingual students who are classified as English learners. EdResearch for Action. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED656680.pdf
New Venture Fund. (n.d.). Multilingual Learning Toolkit. https://touro.instructure.com/courses/162930/files/14412119/download?download_frd=1
Module 2
- In Teaching Scenarios, Chapter 2 p. 43 on, pay attention to the lessons of Mr. Cullen, Mr. Ryan, and Ms. Sauerbraun on each of the Lesson Preparation features. What did you learn? How did reading the lesson scenarios give you insight into the SIOP model? Did you notice any Science of Reading (SoR) or structured literacy approaches? You must quote directly from the textbook to support your statements.
After reading Chapter 2 teaching scenarios, I learned that lesson preparation is very important in the SIOP model because it supports students’ success. Another way to say this is that lesson preparation affects how clearly students understand both the content and the language of the lesson. If lesson preparation is strong, it increases the chances of student success. Echevarria et al. (2017) state that “lesson planning is critical to both a student’s and a teacher’s success” (p.28). This means that lesson planning affects not only students but also teachers because it serves as a roadmap for effective teaching. It helps make learning meaningful and organized, and it shows that SIOP is not just a checklist. I understand that lesson preparation helps ensure English learners can access grade-level content through necessary components such as clear objectives, vocabulary support, scaffolds, and meaningful activities. Another important thing I learned is that teachers should have high expectations for English learners because students come to the classroom with background knowledge. Teachers should provide the right tools and support so students can still work with grade-level content regardless of their English proficiency. Echevarria et al. (2017) state that teachers should not use “watered-down curricula” because this can create a learning gap between English learners and native English speakers (p. 29). This means teachers should not lower their expectations or remove the main content for English learners. Instead, they should provide the right support and adapt the lesson based on students’ needs. For example, teachers can give students visuals, vocabulary support, and scaffolded outlines, just like Ms. Chen did in her lesson for her English learners. Instead of changing or removing the main content, she adapted the lesson based on students’ needs, and English learners were still learning about the same content as the rest of the class.
The lesson scenarios from all three teachers gave me a clearer picture of what strong SIOP instruction looks like in practice. The lessons showed how clear, explicit, and meaningful activities can make instruction more effective. For example, when I looked at Ms. Chen’s lesson, I found it to be a strong SIOP lesson because her lesson was explicit, clearly displayed both content and language objectives, used picture books, outlines, maps, and a jump-start mini lesson to support her English learners. Her lesson preparation was careful and purposeful, which helped her instruction and helped her students understand what they were learning. This showed me that effective preparation helps students know what they are learning and how they will use language to show understanding. Echevarria et al. (2017) explain that “content objectives need to be written in terms of what students will learn or do; they should be stated simply, orally and in writing” (p. 31). This stood out to me because lessons should be student-centered. Students, especially multilingual learners, need to understand the purpose of the lesson and what they will do or learn before they can fully participate.
Besides that, I also noticed several Science of Reading and structured literacy connections in Chapter 2. I noticed the use of outlines, graphic organizers, sentence starters, adapted texts, and audio-supported text. In structured literacy, there are many important areas to consider, such as explicit vocabulary instruction, morphemes, semantics, and clarifying context. One example I noticed was explicit vocabulary instruction, which connects to structured literacy because students need direct and systematic instruction in vocabulary and language structures. Echevarria et al. (2017) explain that language objectives may focus on “students’ vocabulary, new words and concepts, or teaching word structure” (p. 36). This connects to structured literacy because it helps students organize information, understand vocabulary, and build reading comprehension.
Overall, the lesson scenarios helped me see that the SIOP model becomes effective when teachers plan intentionally, consider students’ needs, and support them with the right tools so English learners can meet the lesson goal, and help them learn the same content as their native English- language peers without removing the main content. After reading Chapter 2, I learned that a strong lesson includes clear content and language objectives, differentiated support, meaningful activities, and opportunities for students to listen, speak, read, and write. As the chapter summary states, SIOP teachers should “teach the academic language of their subject explicitly and use different techniques to make new information accessible to English learners” (Echevarria et al., 2017, p. 68). This gave me a better understanding that the SIOP model works best when teachers support both content learning and language development at the same time with correct support.
a. After looking at this infographic, connect the infographic with your reading in this module – how would you connect Lesson preparation with the Science of Reading and structured literacy?
After looking at the Science of Reading infographic, I noticed a strong connection between SIOP lesson preparation, the Big 6, and structured literacy. When I looked at the infographic, I noticed several important areas of literacy development, including phonics, vocabulary, phonological awareness, oral language, fluency, and comprehension. The infographic states that oral language is the foundation because “speaking and listening “ are the bases of literacy (Cowin, n.d.). This connects to lesson preparation because it allows teachers to create opportunities for all students, including multilingual learners, to listen, speak, read, and write while also learning grade-level content. It also allows teachers to intentionally connect literacy, language objectives, and content before instruction begins because strong lesson preparation requires teachers to plan ahead of time. Echevarria et al. (2017) explain that “lesson planning is critical to both a student’s and a teacher’s success” (p. 28). This means lesson preparation is important for both students’ and teachers’ success because it supports clear instruction. This connects to structured literacy because, according to the structured literacy infographic, instruction should be explicit, systematic, and scaffolded (International Dyslexia Association, 2025). I also noticed that SIOP lesson preparation supports the Science of Reading because it includes background knowledge, comprehension, vocabulary development, and oral language. From the readings, I understand that multilingual learners need rich, grade-level content paired with clear communication, not watered-down lessons. Teachers must provide clear and accessible explanations while keeping academic materials challenging for language learners without lowering academic standards. This connects to Chapter 2’s idea that teachers should not use “watered-down curricula,” but should instead provide scaffolds so English learners can still access grade-level content (Echevarria et al., 2017, p. 29). This idea also reflects on the lesson plan because, in a lesson plan, it might mean using visuals, modeling sentence starters, pre-teaching vocabulary, adapting text, and providing opportunities for students to listen, speak, read, and write.
The structured literacy infographic also connects strongly to lesson preparation because it describes effective instruction as explicit, sequential, multimodal, systematic, and scaffolded (International Dyslexia Association, 2025). This idea connects with the SIOP lesson preparation model because teachers must plan language and content objectives, vocabulary, assessments, meaningful activities, scaffolds, and adapted instruction for different proficiency levels. For example, if I am teaching a lesson about feelings, I would plan a content objective such as, “Students will identify a character’s feeling,” and a language objective such as, “Students will describe a character’s feeling using sentence starters, such as, ‘The character is feeling _________.’” This supports multilingual learners because they are learning both ELA content and the academic language and vocabulary needed to explain their thinking. From the infographic and SIOP lesson model, I learned that teachers should not assume students already know academic language or literacy skills on their own. Instead, teachers need to directly teach and model these skills for students. Symons (2016) explains that multilingual learners bring important strengths to the classroom and that “linguistic diversity is an asset” (p. 14 ). She also explains that teachers should “create opportunities for students to use oral language, to hear language, to read language, and to write for authentic, academic purposes” (Symons, 2016, p.15). This connects to lesson preparation and the Science of Reading because teachers need to plan lessons while keeping students’ cultures, home languages, and background knowledge in mind, while oral language, vocabulary, and comprehension are all important parts of literacy development. Kramer et al. (2010) also explain the importance of clear language objectives. Their reading helped me understand that SIOP lessons should include academic language functions, not just vocabulary, because language objectives help teachers focus on what students need to do with language. In a SIOP lesson plan, teachers should not only write content objectives, but also language objectives to help students practice vocabulary, sentence structure, oral language, and comprehension in an explicit and organized way.
Overall, I would connect lesson preparation with the Science of Reading and structured literacy by saying that strong lesson planning makes literacy instruction meaningful and purposeful for students. Each of these plays an important role in effective instruction because SIOP lesson preparation helps teachers plan how multilingual learners can access both content and language. Structured literacy explains how instruction should be delivered, and the Science of Reading informs teachers about what students need for literacy development.
- b. Find one article/website on SoR and share it in your DSB with a link, and in 3 sentences, share what you learned or questions you have.
One helpful website I found is Reading Rockets: Science of Reading: https://www.readingrockets.org/classroom/evidence-based-instruction/science-reading. Reading Rockets explains that the Science of Readingis grounded in research and evidence from multiple fields, including quantitative and qualitative studies, education, linguistics, and psychology. It gives important insight into effective classroom practices. One important thing I learned is that the Science of Reading is not based on only one study, but on multiple research studies about how students learn to read, write, and spell (Reading Rockets, n.d.). Although children learn to talk naturally, reading needs to be taught. I also learned that SoR does not only focus on phonics; it also includes fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and oral language, which strongly connect to multilingual learners. In addition to explicit literacy instruction, multilingual learners also need to build academic language and background knowledge. However, one question I still have is: in a busy classroom, what is the best way for teachers to incorporate fluency, vocabulary, oral language, comprehension, and meaningful content-based discussions in a single lesson every day? How can teachers balance phonics and decoding instruction with enough time for all these areas to work together in the classroom?
References
Cowin, J. (n.d). Science of reading: Big 6 + instructional framework: Foundations, instruction, and equity in literacy development [Infographic].
Echevarría, J., Vogt, M. E., & Short, D. J. (2017). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP model (5th ed.). Pearson.
International Dyslexia Association. (2025). Structured literacy: An approach grounded in the science of reading [Infographic]. https://touro.instructure.com/courses/162930/files/14739441?module_item_id=5896649
Kramer, D. B., Lundgren, C., & Mabbott, A. S. (2010). Relating language objectives to Bloom’s taxonomy: How to talk to your mainstream colleagues about language objectives. https://touro.instructure.com/courses/162930/files/14412166?module_item_id=5777220
Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Science of reading. https://www.readingrockets.org/classroom/evidence-based-instruction/science-reading?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Symons, C. (2016). Meeting the needs of linguistically diverse students in the mainstream classroom. Michigan Reading Journal, 49(1), Article 4. https://touro.instructure.com/courses/162930/files/14412163?module_item_id=5777217
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