What Is the SIOP Model?

The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model is a research-based and validated instructional model that has proven effective in addressing the academic needs of English learners throughout the United States.

The SIOP Model consists of eight interrelated components:

• Lesson Preparation

• Building Background

• Comprehensible Input

• Strategies

• Interaction

• Practice/Application

• Lesson Delivery

• Review & Assessment

Using instructional strategies connected to each of these components, teachers are able to design and deliver lessons that address the academic and linguistic needs of English learners.

​

​

Who benefits from SIOP instruction?

As the number of English learners increases in schools across the United States, educators are seeking effective ways to help them succeed in K-12 ESL, content area, and bilingual classrooms. Research shows that when teachers fully implement the SIOP Model, English learners' academic performance improves. Learn about the SIOP Model research base.

In addition, teachers report that SIOP-based teaching benefits all students, not just those who are learning English as an additional language.

SIOP instruction also benefits students learning content through another language. CAL has conducted research on adapting the SIOP Model for use in two-way immersion (dual language) programs.