Sheltered Instruction and Blended Learning:  

Flipped Professional Learning for Digital Support of English Learners 

Stage 1-Desired Results 

Established Goals 

○ Learners will analyze the needs of English learners (ELs) through the lens of teacher support and establishing an inclusive learning 
environment. Learners will then explore how blended learning can meet these needs through personalization 

○ Learners examine their self-perspective and identify evidence of the adaptability necessary to make significant changes in their instruction 
for the benefit of their students 

○ Learners will explore the impact of blended learning on ELs, and how they can help students overcome challenges 

Understandings:  Essential Questions: 

Learners will understand that… 
○ What are the ways that traditional practices leave some students 
○ Including all students fully during instruction requires planning  out of the learning process? 
and intention 
○ What factors can I control when preparing instruction so that all 
○ The teacher establishes the learning environment for inclusion  students can be successful? 
and that there are factors for success within their control 
○ What factors am I unable to control and how should I approach 
○ Meeting the needs of diverse learners requires adaptability and  them? 
change 
○ How can blended learning help me grow as an educator for 
○ Blended learning is a solution for providing linguistically  equity and inclusion? 
accommodated instruction 
○ In what ways does blended learning support the academic and 
linguistic needs of ELs? 

Learners will know…  Learners will be able to…

○ The definition of blended learning and basic models  ○ Reflect upon their practices and identify ways that they may be 
excluding English learners from engagement  
○ The factors that contribute to language acquisition for English 
learners  ○ Make connections between the need for linguistically 
accommodated instruction and the solutions provided by 
○ Instructional accommodations that English learners require to  blended learning 
be successful 
○ Recognize English learners as important members of the 
○ The “4 Essential Messages ELs Must Hear” (Seidlitz, 2019)  learning community and prepare for their full involvement 

Stage 2-Assessment Evidence

Performance Tasks  Other Evidence 

○ Task: ​Learners will locate a lesson plan previously taught and  ○ A clear and accurate personal, working definition of blended 
identify the following:  learning created by the learner 

1. Planning that may have limited the inclusion of all  ○ A Visual representation connecting linguistic accommodations to 
students, particularly ELs  solutions provided by blended learning 

2. How the lesson could have been adapted using the  ○ A T-chart where learners connect their strengths as educators to 
principles of blended learning to address these  the areas of their instruction they have identified need to be 
limitations  adapted to create inclusive learning environments. 

Learners will then reflect on the following   

1. How the elements they have identified can help them 

move forward with implementing blended learning 

2. Why implementing blended learning is worth the change 

to their instruction 

○ Evaluation Criteria:​ Evidence of learning according to the 

established goals will be seen in: 

1. The depth and personalization seen in the learner’s 

reflection 

2. The degree to which plans for change are actionable and 

relevant to the learner’s context 

 
 Stage 3-Learning Plan
1. To frame their thinking, learners will discuss their responses to the following prompt: 

a. Why is it difficult to engage all learners during instruction? H

​ , W, O 

2. Learners will use page 25 of the ​Sheltered Instruction in Texas b

​ ook to review linguistic accommodations that support ELs. With the 
members of their groups, learners will identify challenges they have encountered in meeting these expectations E ​  

3. Learners will then use the factors affecting language development on page 10 of the S
​ heltered Instruction in Texas​ book to have a 
discussion with their small group to determine which they can control, which they can’t, and how they will approach their instruction 
armed with this knowledge W ​ , E, R 

4. Learners will then independently read the webpage “​ What is Blended Learning”​ by Blended Learning Universe. Learners will each craft 
their own working definitions of blended learning and share with their small groups to calibrate ​E 

5. Learners will then create a visual representation connecting linguistic accommodations to solutions provided by blended learning that they 
encountered in their reading ​W, O 

6. Learners will then be presented with the following prompt to discuss in their groups: 

a. What are the benefits of blended learning in meeting the needs of all students and how would you have to adapt to deliver 
instruction this way? R
​ , E2 

7. Following this discussion, learners will engage in self-reflection by creating a T-chart to connect their strengths as educators to the areas of 
their instruction they have identified need to be adapted to create inclusive learning environments ​T 

8. To contextualize their learning thus far, learners will refer to page 13 of S

​ heltered Instruction in Texas​ and examine the “4 Essential 
Messages That ELs Must Hear:” You are important. What we are learning is important. You can do it. I will not give up on you. Learners will 
discuss with their groups how blended learning can help them better communicate these messages. ​W, E, O 

9. Learners will demonstrate their understanding by locating a lesson plan previously taught and identify the following:  

a. Planning that may have limited the inclusion of all students, particularly ELs ​E2, T, O 

b. How the lesson could have been adapted using the principles of blended learning to address these limitations E
​ 2, T, O 

10. Learners will then reflect on the following 

a. How the elements they have identified can help them move forward with implementing blended learning E
​ 2, T, O 

b. Why implementing blended learning is worth the change to their instruction ​E2, T, O 

The codes following each component of the learning plan correspond to the “WHERETO” analysis tool developed by Wiggins and McTighe 
(2005) to evaluate that effective elements of design are present. Refer to the key below for more information 
 
W:​ Where is the unit going? What is expected? Where are the learners coming from? 

H: H
​ ook all students and hold their interest 

E:​ Equip students, them experience the key ideas, and explore the issues 

R:​ Opportunities to rethink and revise understanding and work 

E: ​Allow students to evaluate their work and its implications 

T: ​Tailor to the different needs, interests, and abilities of learners 

O:​ Organized to maximize sustained engagement and effective learning