Small Group Instruction

Why should teachers be using small group instruction? 

Small-group instruction has been researched and has proven to improve student success (Wyatt & Chapman-DeSousa, 2017). Small-group instruction enables teachers to foster relationships with students while supporting their development of social, communication, and critical thinking skills. It is also an ideal time to support the unique needs of learners through modifications and scaffolds. Although it is known to be effective, many teachers do not use this instructional strategy.

How can teachers make the transition? 

Making the transition from whole-group instruction to small-group instruction can be intimidating. What will the rest of the class be doing? What about the students who don't work well independently? There are so many aspects to consider. Here is my advice: take it one step at a time.

1. Begin your literacy centers by having everyone participate in the same activity. Walk around to monitor student progress and praise on-task behavior. 
2. Next, try four stations. Set a timer and have students rotate. Use a slide or visuals on the board to help them know where they are transitioning to. Try this for a few days, making any necessary modifications to your routine. 
3. Finally, try meeting with one of the groups during their rotations. 

It will not be perfect, and you will need to make changes as you go to make it work for you and your students. But - it will be worth it! 

What should be taught? 

For many years, the standard was dividing students into guided reading groups based on the results of informal reading inventories. Over time, research has shown that this simply isn’t enough (Walpole, 2024). While guided reading groups provided practice with reading comprehension, they did not support growth in the foundational skills necessary to grow as a reader. 

In line with the science of reading, teachers should instead use a diagnostic inventory to divide students into skill-based groups (Walpole, 2024). Students will work on skills like phonemic awareness, phonics, word recognition, vocabulary, and comprehension. Frequent reassessment will allow students to demonstrate growth and move between skill groups as necessary. Using a developmental roadmap can help you determine the hierarchy or progression from one skill to the next. 

References: 

Walpole, S. (2024). Repositioning differentiation time as literacy acceleration time. Reading Teacher, 77(6), 975-981. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2302 

Wyatt, T., & Chapman-DeSousa, B. (2017). Teaching as interaction: Challenges in transitioning teachers' instruction to small groups. Early Childhood Education Journal, 45(1), 61-70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-015-0758-6