SIOP® Feature #19: Opportunities to Clarify Key Concepts in Students' First Language

A student's first language is not a problem to be overcome. It is a resource to be used.

Feature 19, part of the Interaction component of the SIOP® model, recognizes that allowing students to use their home language to clarify concepts, build background knowledge , discuss ideas with same language peers, or access bilingual resources is not a crutch. It is a scaffold.

When a student is struggling to understand the concept of “evaporation” in English, allowing them to discuss it briefly with a classmate who shares their home language can be the difference between comprehension and confusion.

The goal is not to avoid English. The goal is to make sure the content is understood, even if the English is still developing.

When introducing a complex concept, allow students who share a home language to briefly discuss the idea in their L1 before returning to English. This previews the concept and builds comprehension.

Provide key vocabulary with definitions in both English and students' home languages. Students can reference these during the lesson to support comprehension.

Preview the lesson's key concepts in the student's home language before the English instruction, then review in L1 afterward. This bookending technique maximizes comprehension.

Post key terms and concepts in English alongside translations in the languages represented in your classroom. This validates home languages while supporting English acquisition.

Learn more about creating inclusive learning environments through multicultural education .

Yes, strategically. SIOP® Feature 19 supports using students' home languages to clarify key concepts. The goal is content comprehension. Home language use is a scaffold, not a crutch.

Translanguaging is a practice where bilingual students use all of their linguistic resources, both their home language and English, to make meaning, communicate, and learn. SIOP® Feature 19 supports this approach as a way to ensure comprehension of academic content.

Learn how to implement L1 support strategies in our English Learner Institute .

Next session: June 8 to 11, 2026.