SIPPS: Elements of a Strong Implementation

Focus on Teacher Behavior

Assessment & Planning:

  • SIPPS Placement test was given to students
  • Placement test data was used to initially group students
  • Teacher administers Mastery Tests as intended in scope and sequence
  • Teacher uses Mastery Test data to make instructional decisions about regrouping, re-teaching, and moving on
  • Re-teaching occurs when necessary
  • List B is used for re-teaching

Schedule and Grouping:

  • SIPPS instruction is scheduled at a desirable time for student learning
  • Lessons occurs at a minimum of four days per week
  • Group size is “small”, aim for 6-8, depending on age(exception is Challenge level)

The teacherdemonstrates the following in every lesson:

  • Teaches all components of every lesson (does not pick and choose components)
  • Directly teaches and follows all routines as intended and outlined in SIPPS Teacher Manual
  • Uses verbal prompts
  • Uses physical cuing prompts
  • Uses visual prompts
  • Does NOT respond/read with students
  • Guides students to respond chorally in every component of the lesson (does not illicit individual responses)
  • Guides students to do the thinking
  • Uses extended wait time - pauses long enough for all students to process
  • Uses correction routines to support student errors, lead to training the brain
  • Teacher for mastery
  • Teacher appropriately manages fluency/IDR practice
  • Incorporates sufficient reading practice time
  • Monitors students accuracy and rate
  • Conferences with students to support reading

The teacher uses materials and visuals intentionally:

  • Mixes the sound cards for review
  • Mixes the sight word cards for review
  • Intentionally considers which sounds and sight words can be “retired” from the review pile
  • Sound-spelling wall cards are posted and visible to all students
  • Refers to the sound-spelling wall cards when students have difficulties during Phonics & Decodable Words and/or Guided Spelling
  • Students know how to refer to the Sound-Spelling wall cards for Guided Spelling and Phonics and Decodable Words
  • Story Charts or readers are organized and available for students during thelesson
  • Appropriate level student readers are available for students for independent practice

The teacher prepares and plans for instruction:

  • Organizes Sound and Sight Word review cards for each group
  • Photocopies stories (or uses SIPPS readers) for take home practice
  • Photocopies Mastery Test recording sheets for each student

The lesson pacing is appropriate for the students:

  • Teacher verbiage is concise, consistent, and clear
  • Uses list A the first time teaching a lesson
  • Teacher prompts appropriately match the reading stage of the students (i.e. Beginning - alphabetic principle, Extension/Plus - spelling pattern, Challenge - polysyllabic/morphemic)
  • Teacher intentionally plans for “additional practice” to reinforce challenging skills (e.g. lessons on adding inflectional endings to final _e words)

SIPPS Implementation Checklist – Focus on Student Behavior

Students demonstrate the following in every lesson:

  • Focus on teacher’s physical cuing prompts
  • Respond chorally (no hand raising)
  • Respond respectfully (no one yelling out, competing with others)
  • Take responsibility for own learning (use teacher-provided wait time to process own thinking)
  • Students do the thinking by responding to correction routines (answering teacher prompts)

Students apply the learned skills throughoutthe day:

  • Read appropriate texts to practice reading accuracy, and build automaticity and fluency (Little Blue Books – Beginning Level; Purple Story Books/Dreams on Wheels – early Extension/Plus; trade books – late Extension/Plus or Challenge levels)
  • Do the thinking and ask for support to apply to spelling in the spelling-pattern stage
  • Gaining of awareness of where they need help with the learning (“How do you spell ____?” to “Which /ee/ spelling do I use for ____?”)
  • Participate in Individualized Daily Reading by reading up to 30 minutes and learning to select appropriate books
  • Conference with teachers at least once a week during IDR