SIOP® Feature #30: Assess Student Comprehension of Objectives

Every SIOP® lesson starts with clear content and language objectives . Feature 30 is where you find out if students actually met them.

Did they learn what you set out to teach? Can they demonstrate that learning? And critically for English Learners, can they demonstrate it in a way that separates what they know from how well they can express it in English?

This is the feature that closes the instructional loop in the Review and Assessment component .

Without assessment of comprehension, you are teaching blind. You do not know who got it, who is close, and who needs another approach entirely.

This strategy is quick, nonverbal, and gives every student a way to respond. It gives you an instant snapshot of comprehension across the room without requiring English production.

An exit ticket is a short written response to a prompt that directly connects to the lesson's objective.

For English Learners, provide sentence starters such as:

Example: “Today I learned that...”

Example: “I can now explain...”

Example: “I still have a question about...”

Students write a response and hold it up simultaneously. You can see every student's answer at once.

This works for vocabulary checks, math problems, short answers, and quick concept checks.

Students turn to a partner and explain the key concept in their own words. You circulate and listen.

This assesses comprehension while also giving students language practice.

Ask students to draw, diagram, or model what they learned.

This allows English Learners to demonstrate content comprehension without being limited by their English writing ability.

The same objective can be assessed at different language proficiency levels.

A beginning English Learner might label a diagram. An intermediate learner might write a short explanation. An advanced learner might write a paragraph.

The content knowledge being assessed is the same. Only the language demand changes.

Formative assessment in the SIOP® model means checking whether students have met the lesson's content and language objectives throughout and at the end of the lesson. It is ongoing, low stakes, and designed to inform instruction.

By separating content knowledge from language ability. Use multiple assessment modes, including visual, oral, written, and kinesthetic options, so that English Learners can demonstrate what they know without being limited by their English proficiency.