How are sheltered instruction and ESL similar?

Both sheltered instruction and ESL (English as a Second Language) share a common goal of supporting English language learners in acquiring language skills while simultaneously engaging with academic content. Specifically, they are similar in their focus on the terminology of content areas.

In both methods, instructors emphasize the importance of teaching subject-specific vocabulary and language structures that are relevant to the content being taught. This targeted vocabulary instruction aids students in understanding complex topics in subjects like science or social studies, thus helping them to access the curriculum effectively.

By teaching terminology along with academic content, both approaches promote language development in a contextualized manner, enabling students not only to learn language for its own sake but also to use it functionally in academic contexts. This practical application of language learning helps students build both their language proficiency and their content knowledge simultaneously.

Regarding other options, while teaching metacognitive strategies, utilizing immersion techniques, or focusing solely on spoken language are components that might be relevant in language education, they do not capture the core similarity of sheltered instruction and ESL as effectively as the focus on terminology.