| Since 1995, to allow teachers to organize and instruct in more effective ways, many English as a Second Language (ESL) specialists and researchers have studied the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model and its instructional framework by Echevarria, Vogt, and Short in 2004. By combining strategies and techniques that recognize the second language difficulties that Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) students face, many ESL specialists have implemented it in the United States with successful academic improvements. At the same time, in Japan, English language learners (ELL) in universities have continued to struggle with academic English achievement, which has prompted the Ministry of Education (MEXT) to set higher standards to prepare learners for global careers. However, this has not been sufficient, as Japan ranks 155th among 166 countries on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). There is a clear need for a more effective language teaching approach. Since the SIOP model is a research-based instructional model, the model may be beneficial to other struggling learners in different contexts, including Japan. In addition, there has not been enough empirical evidence generated to determine if the SIOP model is effective in other countries. In this qualitative action research, the effectiveness of the SIOP model within a Japanese context was studied by examining five ELL teachers' perceptions and receptiveness to the model. The qualitative data collected from the interview were analyzed, and results showed that the model was effective in a Japanese university context; these results may assist English teachers in Japanese universities to determine what to teach (e.g. the pairing of linguistic and content targets) by offering systematic teaching techniques and procedures. |
