CLAD SDAIE Models and Strategies 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which practice BEST exemplifies the SDAIE principle of 'interaction' as a vehicle for language acquisition?
- Structured academic controversy where students debate opposing positions using evidence (Correct answer)
- Teacher-led lecture with students taking notes silently
- Individual silent reading followed by a quiz
- Watching an educational video without discussion
Correct answer: Structured academic controversy where students debate opposing positions using evidence
Structured academic controversy requires ELLs to produce and negotiate academic language in a purposeful, content-rich context.
Question 2: A teacher uses 'reciprocal teaching' during a history lesson. Which four strategies are students practicing?
- Predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing (Correct answer)
- Decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension
- Listening, speaking, reading, and writing
- Comparing, contrasting, evaluating, and synthesizing
Correct answer: Predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing
Reciprocal teaching develops metacognitive reading strategies through predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing in collaborative small groups.
Question 3: An ELL student at the early production stage is asked to write a paragraph about ecosystems. Which SDAIE scaffold is MOST appropriate?
- A paragraph frame with sentence starters and a word bank (Correct answer)
- An unmodified grade-level writing prompt
- A translated version of the prompt only
- Oral dictation without written support
Correct answer: A paragraph frame with sentence starters and a word bank
Paragraph frames with sentence starters and a word bank provide linguistic scaffolding that allows early production students to demonstrate content knowledge without being blocked by language demands.
Question 4: In assessing ELL progress within a SDAIE framework, which approach is MOST aligned with best practice?
- Using multiple measures including performance tasks, observations, and portfolios (Correct answer)
- Relying solely on standardized English proficiency tests
- Delaying all formal assessment until students reach intermediate proficiency
- Grading ELLs on the same rubric as native English speakers without modification
Correct answer: Using multiple measures including performance tasks, observations, and portfolios
Multiple measures provide a fuller picture of ELL achievement and separate content knowledge from language proficiency, which is essential in SDAIE contexts.
Question 5: Which scenario BEST demonstrates 'bridging' in SDAIE instruction?
- A teacher connects a math concept about symmetry to traditional patterns from students' cultural backgrounds (Correct answer)
- A teacher translates all instructions into students' home languages
- A teacher assigns extra homework to close achievement gaps
- A teacher groups ELLs with native speakers for all activities
Correct answer: A teacher connects a math concept about symmetry to traditional patterns from students' cultural backgrounds
Bridging activates cultural and experiential prior knowledge to connect students' existing schemas to new academic content.
Question 6: A SDAIE teacher consistently models her own thinking process aloud while solving a problem. This technique is BEST known as:
- Think-aloud (Correct answer)
- Direct instruction
- Language experience approach
- Cooperative learning
Correct answer: Think-aloud
Think-alouds make the invisible cognitive and linguistic processes of an expert learner visible and accessible to ELLs.
Question 7: Which of the following statements MOST accurately describes the relationship between BICS and CALP in a SDAIE context?
- ELLs may develop conversational fluency (BICS) years before they master academic language (CALP) needed for content success (Correct answer)
- BICS and CALP develop simultaneously at the same rate
- Academic language (CALP) always develops before conversational fluency (BICS)
- BICS is sufficient for academic success once a student can hold a conversation in English
Correct answer: ELLs may develop conversational fluency (BICS) years before they master academic language (CALP) needed for content success
Cummins' research shows BICS emerges in 1-2 years while CALP takes 5-7 years, meaning ELLs who seem fluent may still need SDAIE support for academic content.
CLAD SDAIE Models and Strategies 5
Which practice BEST exemplifies the SDAIE principle of 'interaction' as a vehicle for language acquisition?