Exploring the effectiveness of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model.

Abstract

Few empirical studies specifically address the effectiveness of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) as a professional development tool, an instructional model, or a tool for measuring sheltered instruction implementation. This study attempted to add to the literature regarding the effectiveness of SIOP. Approximately 458 teachers from five school districts in Western New York were surveyed electronically to inquire about the grades and subjects they taught, years of teaching experience they had, type of training or professional development they had, and presence of English language learners (ELLs) in their classrooms. A subset of six teachers from four schools in three school districts were observed using the SIOP evaluation rubric and then interviewed. Survey, observation, and interview data were analyzed in an attempt to answer the following question: Do teachers without SIOP training work as effectively with ELLs as do SIOP-trained teachers when defined and measured by the SIOP evaluation rubric? Data was analyzed and results indicated that some non-SIOP trained teachers had equal or higher total and mean observation scores than SIOP trained teachers. Results also question the validity and reliability of the SIOP evaluation rubric as an accurate measure of sheltered instruction (SI). Major implications suggest that further research is needed to discern whether or not SIOP is a valid instrument for measuring successful SI or if the model serves as an effective means of professional development.