Flexible Skill Groups

Created by Brenda WrightFor GESD #40

July 2005

©2005 Brenda Wright 2

Table of Contents

Rationale Slide #3Forming Groups Slide #5Important Points Slide #6Essential Components in a Slide #7

Flex Group Lesson (Before)Essential Components in a Slide #8

Flex Group Lesson (During)Essential Components in a Slide #9

Flex Group Lesson (After)Resource Slide

#10

©2005 Brenda Wright 3

Rationale

Flexible literacy skill groups are formed to provide systematic and explicit instruction in the student’s ZPD.

Flexible groups ensure that every student is working at his/her ZPD.

Flexible groups increase the potential for a high degree of Academic Learning Time.

Flexible groups maximize teacher and building resources.

©2001 Literacy First (p. 7-1, 7-5)

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Teacher content knowledge and instructional skills significantly impact student learning.

The teacher continually adjusts the instructional focus to meet student needs.

© 2001 Literacy First (p. 7-3)

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Forming Flexible Literacy Skill Groups

Assessment data is used to group the students.

Optimally, each teacher has no more than 4 groups, and no more than 2 preparations.

Maximum of 7 students in each group. Groups are referred to by the phonemic

awareness or phonics skill being taught. Student moves to a new group as soon as the

objective has been mastered. Grouping can de done across classrooms, and

across grade levels with no more than a 2 grade level range.

©2001 Literacy First (p. 7-4)

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Important Points about Flexible Grouping

When flexible grouping is done across classrooms and across grade levels, remember:

1. Move as few students as possible, the shortest distance possible.

2. Kindergarten and first grade should not be moved the first month of school.

3. Flexible grouping must be a collaborative effort.

4. Flexible grouping must evolve – you are all in it for the “long haul”.

5. The process must have strong, continued support from staff and administrators in the building and the district.

©2001 Literacy First (p. 7-5)

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©2005 Brenda Wright 7

Essential Components in a Flexible Skill Group Lesson

Before the lesson:

Administer assessments. Analyze data and form a flexible group. Select an instructional objective. Preview and select activities and instructional

level text to match the objective. Plan a method to activate and assess prior

knowledge of the skill or tool and the vocabulary that is specific to that skill or tool.

Plan seat/center practice activities of the objective.

Plan a lesson introduction.©2001 Literacy First (p. 7-53)

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Essential Components in a Flexible Skill Group Lesson cont.

During the lesson:

Tell the objective and why it is important. Activate and assess prior knowledge of the students. Introduce the text or begin the lesson progression. Tell

how much they are to read in the text and what they are to do when finished reading.

Each student read the text and/or works interactively with the teachers in guided practice of the skill or tool.

Teacher prompts the reader(s) and reinforces word-solving strategies as needed.

Teacher emphasizes metacognitive processes – signaling, paired discussions, explaining process used to get the answer.

Teacher observes, and makes anecdotal notes.©2001 Literacy First (p. 7-54)

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Essential Components in a Flexible Skill Group Lesson cont.

After the lesson:

Teacher returns to the text for application of the lesson objective.

Teacher reinforces effective problem solving based on lesson objectives.

Teacher may do word study or vocabulary activities based on lesson objective.

Students explain or demonstrate the process involved to use the skill or tool.

Students respond personally to the text. Teacher explains or reviews follow-up literacy activities. Teacher monitors on-going independent practice activities. Teacher calls next flexible group, or concludes with whole group

sharing. Teacher monitors and records student progress. Teacher assesses often to inform instruction.

©2001 Literacy First (p. 7-54)

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Resource

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