English Learner Institute

Practical Strategies and Effective Techniques to Support English Learners

The English Learner Institute (ELI) is a one of a kind online program where K-12 teachers examine TESOL strategies, explore the SIOP framework, and experience real lessons.

Master Trainer Dr. John Kongsvik

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What is ELI?

Elevate Your Teaching Skills to Empower English Learners

TESOL Trainers provides experiential approaches to K-12 professional development that empower educators with powerful, practical strategies they can immediately implement in their classroom contexts.

TESOL Trainers specializes in helping teachers work more effectively and efficiently with English learners in the K-12 classroom.

TESOL Trainers offers a wide range of dynamic K-12 professional development programs on TESOL, SIOP and much more. TESOL Trainers sets everyone up for success!

 English Language Learner
Improve English Language
ALTTEXT
English Language Teaching

Mastering the Principles and Practices of Sheltered Instruction with TESOL Trainer’s English Learner Institute

This remote teacher training workshop gives teachers a solid look at this K-12 framework and how it is used in schools to set all students up for success. Through a series of model lessons and interactive experiences participants will:

  • Determine the principles of Sheltered Instruction and how they can be used to support learning.
  • Increase the variety & volume of student interactions with language and content.
  • Gain 10 strategies for making content comprehensible to all learners.
  • Gain skills at planning, teaching, and reflecting on lessons: online and face to face.
  • Promote effective academic listening and viewing skills.
  • Create SMART language and content objectives.
  • Hone ability to ignite metacognition skills in learners.
  • Develop skills at creating think time for students.
  • Identify the 8 components of SIOP and how they support teaching and learning.
  • Develop 8 strategies for teaching academic language in all contexts.
  • Acquire the ability to use the Gradual Release of Responsibility to scaffold students.
  • Use cooperative grouping and pair sharing to promote oral language development.
  • Gain strategies to integrate the 4 domains of language in every lesson.
  • Develop the ability to engage students 90-100% of the time in meaningful ways.
  • Provide meaningful review of language and content using 4 recycling strategies.
  • Use the Conscious Competence Matrix to promote teacher development.

See Why Teachers Love Our Online English Learner Institute

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5 Star Rating
5 Star Rating
"Excellent job presenting strategies to work with EL and all students. I have many take away that I can implement in the classroom right away, my favorite was the compare and contrast using sticky notes."
Ana Anaya
5 Star Rating
"Our instructor, John, was extremely knowledgeable and made it easy to understand the SIOP model! There was a lot of information but he was able to deliver it to us with ease."
Kay Lopez
5 Star Rating
"This training reinvigorated me on how to incorporate more listening and speaking in the lessons. Dr. Kongsvik did a great job engaging students in how easy it is to learn!"
Jill Pro
5 Star Rating
"The immediate application of the lessons are fantastic. I was very grateful for the time invested by John Kongsvik. I believe I'm walking out of this training a better teacher than when I walked in. Great training!"
Joey L Morales
5 Star Rating
"John Kongsvik is the best trainer. in my 12+ years of teaching and having PD this is by far the best i have ever had. His passion and energy is unmatched. His knowledge is great, useful and relevant. Great Job John."
Keith Gantman Gant
5 Star Rating
"I recently switched from teaching electives to core subjects and have been struggling to connect with some of my kids. This workshop was fabulous!!! Lots of strategies I can use for historical themes, vocabulary, grammar etc."
Jerelyn Saiz
English Learners
English Learners

Teachers, Administrators, and Coaches Benefit from Attending Our English Learner Institute

This PD is perfect for any K-12 teacher, administrator, or instructional coach who wants a solid understanding of how best to support English learners in the classroom.During this highly experiential workshop, participants will:

  • Experience real model lessons that support all students, especially the English learners
  • Examine powerful strategies that increase language acquisition and learning outcomes
  • Explore low-no prep techniques that connect everyone to the language, the content, and one another
  • Every educator will find this program to be a powerful step towards transforming how teaching and learning occur.
Class Formats

The Principles & Practices of Sheltered Instruction Part I

This introductory course lays the foundation for understanding the principles of SIOP and how they are used to set all students up for success, especially the English learners. In an interactive manner, we examine global and discrete aspects of sheltered instruction and experience how they are used to design and deliver effective lessons in any content. Particular attention is paid to the following aspects of teaching and learning:

  • Determine the principles of Sheltered Instruction and how they support learning.
  • Identify how the components & features of SIOP set English Learners up for success.
  • Create language objectives that develop language and content mastery.
  • Boost student engagement by creating active listeners.
  • Scaffold any lesson using the 4 stages of the Gradual Release of Responsibility.
  • Make content comprehensible to all learners with 4 strategies.
  • Integrate the four domains of language (speaking, listening, reading, writing) in all lessons.
  • Use the Conscious Competence Matrix to promote teacher development. 
  • Articulate concrete ways of integrating the PD content in specific teaching contexts.

The Principles & Practices of Sheltered Instruction Part II

The second course in this series continues to explore how SIOP is used to connect students to the language, the content, and one another. During this participant-centered session, we dive deep into the role that language plays in all content areas, and we experience a plethora of practical ways to promote language and content ownership across the curriculum. Specifically, we examine these critical qualities of sheltered instruction:

  • Note how the SIOP framework supports all learners, especially English Learners.
  • Develop 8 strategies for development ownership of academic vocabulary.
  • Ensure that students understand the content and language with 4 additional strategies.
  • Use cooperative grouping and pair sharing to promote oral language development.
  • Increase the variety & volume of student interactions with language and content.
  • Acquire the ability to recycle language and content with the principles of VAKT.
  • Develop the ability to engage students 90-100% of the time in meaningful ways.
  • Promote learner autonomy by stimulating conscious competence throughout a lesson.
  • Articulate concrete ways of integrating the PD content in specific teaching contexts.

The Principles & Practices of Sheltered Instruction Part III

The third course is our program series focuses participants’ attention on small, atomic changes in their teaching that have an explosive impact on learning. In an experiential way, we uncover the critical components of learning: awareness and ability and unveil specific strategies that stimulate each in all students, especially English Learners. Of particular interest is metacognition and its mastery. Explicitly, we examine the ensuing features of SIOP:

  • Use the SIOP framework to make teaching and learning more effective and efficient.
  • Build background effectively and efficiently with 6 practical strategies.
  • Develop an understanding of the value of think time and skills at creating it in all lessons.
  • Hone ability to catalyze metacognitive skills in all learners with 8 practical techniques.
  • Maximize opportunities for students to interact with the language, content, and one another.
  • Encourage oral language development with 4 easy-to-own techniques.
  • Gauge and adapt the pacing of any lesson with 3 powerfully practical strategies.
  • Increase student confidence and competence with the Conscious Competence Matrix.
  • Articulate concrete ways of integrating the PD content in specific teaching contexts.

The Principles & Practices of Sheltered Instruction Part IV

The final segment of this course encourages participants to consciously develop skills in more discrete details of sheltered instruction. In a hands-on manner, we unpack the four domains of language and the most effective and efficient manners to teach each. Participants complete the fourth part of this series with a solid ability to set students up for success in any context. Specific attention is given to the objectives listed below:

  • Identify the role that language plays in the SIOP framework at the macro and micro levels.
  • Articulate how awareness impacts learning and mastery in every learning situation.
  • Improve all students listening and viewing skills with a 3-step formula.
  • Enhance student writing skills with 4 TESOL techniques.
  • Provide meaningful review of language and content using 6 simple strategies.
  • Give crystal clear instructions that boost engagement and achievement in any activity.
  • Utilize self-assessments to boost learner responsibility and autonomy.
  • Boost student engagement with cooperative learning with 4 practical techniques.
  • Articulate concrete ways of integrating the PD content in specific teaching contexts.
Course Info

Each course must be taken in order with Part 1 being the first course and Part 4 being the last. Parts 1 & 2 and Parts 3 & 4 can be taken in a 2-day course format.

The cost of the 1-day program is $250/participant; the 2-day course is $450.

Course Dates

The Principles & Practices of Sheltered Instruction Parts I-IV

All courses run from 9:00am - 3:30pm

01

ELI Course Part I

What: an experiential examination of the SIOP framework and how K-12 teachers can use it to set English Language Learners up for success in any context.
When
August 28 EST
September 25 EST
September 27 MST
October 17 EST
November 18 EST
November 22 MST
November 25 EST
December 16 EST
December 18 MST
January 6 EST
January 9 EST
January 27 EST
February 12 EST
February 14 MST
How?
02

ELI Course Part II

What: an engaging exploration of SIOP and its emphasis on language development across all content areas. We’ll show you how to support 90-100% student engagement.
When
August 29 EST
September 26 EST
October 18 EST
November 19 EST
November 26 EST
December 17 EST
January 10 EST
February 13 EST
How?
03

ELI Course Part I & II

What: These days give participants a solid foundation in using SIOP strategies and TESOL techniques to connect students to the language, the content, and one another.
When
August 28-29 EST
September 25-26 EST
October 17-18 EST
November 18-19 EST
November 25-26 EST
December 16-17 EST
January 9-10 EST
February 12-13 EST
How?
04

ELI Course Part III

What: an enlightening encounter with using the SIOP Framework to become more efficient and effective at designing and delivering lessons.
When
December 12 EST
How?
05

ELI Course Part IV

What: an empowering exposition of the SIOP Framework on how the four domains of language support or stifle English Language Learners.
When
December 13 EST
How?

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