Small Group Reading: a 🧵 I’ve done leveled guided reading, skills groups and now I don’t do either. Regardless of group type most only widen the gap for Ss. Teachers are trying to differentiate to death. Start with tier 1 for all. 1/8 #structuredliteracy #scienceofreading
I have 1 hour for foundational reading for ALL which includes PA, encoding, decoding, fluency, HFW, & connected text. I can scaffold needs for Ss above and below level as needed. Nobody is bored, nobody is being hurt by this instruction. 2/8
I see 1 group each day for Ss below level based on screening, monitoring, & diagnostic data. Last yr I started with 2 tier 2 groups. One group caught up & was able to move out of intervention quick. By EOY all Ss but 1 met grade level benchmarks. All students exceeded growth. 3/8
When I see my small group other Ss are working on ind. work (reading & writing) aligned to our skill. This is max 15 min. per day of independent time. Compare that to Daily 5 where Ss may be without teacher for up to 60 min or more per day! No busy work or worksheets here! 4/8
I’ve had years where I began the year with 3 students at grade level. Instead of doing a million small groups we went back & focused on tier 1 needs until Ss caught up. We re-assessed & then formed Tier 2 based on data. We still made it through all grade level expectations 5/8
I also move quickly during Tier 1 (example: letter of the day vs. letter of the week, not teaching blends, & early syllabication) reteach if needed based on data. This helps higher readers continue to be pushed & struggling readers get what they need, too 6/8
We have to think of instruction time & how we use it. I am tired of the arguments about how we can’t have a one size tier 1 for all & need to differentiate for each student. Who has time for that? It’s not efficient or necessary. Learn to scaffold for Ss needs 7/8
In most balanced literacy classrooms students spend the MAJORITY of the time not actually being taught but instead independent reading, working on computers, and doing low level worksheets. There is a better way. 8/8
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