1. JANUARY 2011
Literacy
Survival
Tips
for New
Teachers!
By Lori Oczkus
Grouping Survival Tips: Guidelines
and TOP 5 Grouping Strategies
for Improving Reading

2. 2
W
hen you were in week from the reading specialist. The
What Effective Grouping rest of the class rotates around the
elementary school,
Looks Like room to centers where the students
do you recall
Let’s peek into two classrooms to have been trained to work quietly in
whether you read with the blue see how teachers use grouping to pairs and triads.
birds, red birds, or yellow birds? I meet student needs while effectively Later in the day, during readers’
engaging them in a variety of reading workshop, Mrs. Lee reads aloud
distinctly remember reading in the
tasks. Notice that grouping in these and models how to make personal
blue or mid-level reading group. classrooms includes partnerships, connections. Then every student
Throughout elementary school, I cooperative groups, and flexible reads independently while Mrs. Lee
longed to read the interesting and groupings based on student needs conducts individual conferences
and interests. Skilled teachers know with five or six students per day. She
“hard” books reserved for the red
how to use different ways of grouping monitors student progress using
group! Luckily, today educators students to maximize instruction. informal assessment techniques that
know that fixed-ability groupings help her to form new groups for
guided reading.
do not offer a wide enough Primary example
range of reading experiences to Mrs. Lee’s first graders enthusiastically
meet student needs. Instead, we chant and sing “Itsy Bitsy Spider” Intermediate example
from a Big Book. They then sit cross- Lively discussion fills the room as
employ a rich array of grouping
legged and spellbound as Mrs. Lee Mr. Gallegos’s fifth graders meet
options that are flexible and that reads aloud from a nonfiction text in literature circles twice weekly to
change based on student needs about spiders. Throughout the lesson, discuss novels. Students select a novel
and interests. Mrs. Lee directs the students to talk from a list of choices and are placed
to their assigned partners before she in interest groups to read with the
All students benefit from assigned roles of discussion director,
calls on a volunteer to share with the
a variety of grouping formats. whole class. predictor, questioner, clarifier, and
Researchers inform us that our During guided reading time, summarizer. Mr. Gallegos circulates
Mrs. Lee calls small groups of five or and coaches the groups as they talk
struggling readers need frequent,
six students to meet at her reading about their books.
quality instruction in small groups table and read nonfiction texts The class also reads from the
(Allington, 2006). This month we about insects. She coaches them district-adopted basal four times a
explore the different groupings in comprehension and decoding week with varied groupings including
strategies as they read books that are partners, individuals, and sometimes
you can choose from as you build literature discussion groups with
carefully matched to their reading
your reading program. levels. Students engage in literacy assigned roles. Informal, informative
centers in individual and partner assessments and observation provide
activities that include reading books, valuable information that helps Mr.
making words with a variety of Gallegos group students flexibly for
manipulatives, and quick reteaching lessons.
writing activities. Later in the day, the students read
Three times the social studies chapter with their
per week, Mrs. Lee tablemates and construct a summary
meets with her most poster to share with the class. During
challenged readers in readers’ workshop three times a week,
small groups of three each student reads from a self-selected
for an intervention text while Mr. Gallegos confers with
group. Some of those one to three students at a time to
students receive coach comprehension, encourage
one-on-one, intensive critical thinking, and teach decoding
instruction twice a strategies for unlocking words.

3. 3
The five most challenged readers Table. Powerful Grouping Options
meet three times a week for an
Grouping structure Meeting student needs
intervention. Once a week, the fifth
Whole-class lessons • Partnerships informal or assigned
graders read picture books aloud to During whole-class lessons, ask students to talk with partners often to process
first graders to build comprehension the information, ask questions, and respond.
strategies for themselves and their • Table groups
little buddies. Students work in teams at their tables or discuss or perform a response to
reading task with tablemates.
Readers’ workshop • Partnerships
Powerful Grouping Options During teacher modeling and the guided practice portions of the lesson,
individual students discuss their reading with a partner.
When you vary the ways you group • Individual conferences
students, the classroom becomes an Students work independently or in partnerships while the teacher calls on one
engaging learning atmosphere where student at a time to confer over reading strategies and habits. Teacher takes
notes and uses the information to coach the student, monitor growth, and to
students become better readers,
form flexible groups with students of like needs.
thinkers, and independent learners.
• Teacher-led small flexible groups
Conducting regular assessments While the rest of the class reads independently, the teacher meets with a small
during instruction provides group of students who are reading the same text or who have the same needs.
observations and findings that will Flexible-needs or strategy Teacher meets briefly with temporary group that has the same need. For
help you group students by need and groups example, after a whole-class lesson on prediction, if five students wrote
interest. (See last month’s Literacy predictions that didn’t make sense, the teacher would gather them to model and
practice making sensible predictions.
Survival Tips on assessment.)
The Table shows some of the Guided reading groups Guided reading groups are teacher-led and organized by need, interest, or
reading level. The text is usually at the students’ reading level. The teacher
groupings you can choose from, and guides students as they predict, make connections, and read silently while the
then you may select how many times teacher coaches the students to decode, question, and in the end think critically
per week you will implement these and summarize.
structures. Which grouping structures Partnerships Partnerships can be used during whole-class lessons or at literacy stations or
you will use over the week and how centers. Partners can be assigned or can be more informal. The teacher models
the partner behaviors that are expected.
often you will implement them
Cooperative groups/ Students work in teams of three to five students either informally at their tables
depend on your grade level and literature circles or in assigned groups with roles. Literature circles are a form of cooperative/
district requirements. collaborative groupings.
Interest groups Students form groups based on their interests, which might be related to book
titles or topics.
Practical Guidelines Cross-age groups Older students are paired with younger students from another grade level to
read and write together.
for Grouping to Meet Intervention group • Intervention small group
Student Needs The struggling readers are identified, and the teacher or reading specialist
meets with these students regularly to provide instruction at their level that
Here are some research-based will boost achievement and catch them up to grade level.
guidelines that will help ensure • Intervention triad for RTI
student success as you select a variety In a Response to Intervention program, the goal is to help struggling readers
of grouping structures to fit your catch up and avoid special education by providing constant monitoring through
classroom setting and students’ needs. assessments and intervention with intense levels of targeted instruction. The
struggling readers are taught in small groups of three.
Avoid the bluebird syndrome!
Unfortunately, the self-fulfilling need to provide time for intensive Students needs are best met if you
prophecy “once a bluebird, always interventions for struggling readers vary the grouping structures in your
a bluebird” often becomes a reality (Pikulski, 1994). overall weekly plan and make sure to
through the grades, and struggling Studies on the effects of constant include interventions for struggling
readers suffer from low self-esteem ability grouping are worth considering readers, flexibly organized small
(Slavin, 1987). Studies on intervention when deciding how to group your groups, time to confer with individual
indicate, however, that schools students for literacy instruction. students, student choice activities,

4. 4
partner work, and mixed-ability Allow students to discuss in pairs more engaged and motivated to
collaborative groups. or groups. learn. Students first choose a book or
topic, then form groups with other
Teachers often complain that their
students who selected that same
Keep groups flexible. students are not engaged during
title or topic. For example, in fourth
Try keeping your groups flexible by instruction. One effective way to ensure
grade, students select which type of
using constant informal, or formative, that students process content and stay
animal habitat they are interested in
assessments. For example, if you are involved in your lessons is to provide
and form groups that then read books
teaching students to summarize, time for students to work with partners
on their chosen topics. In first grade,
then after students write or draw a or group members during lessons.
after reading aloud Clifford books by
summary, collect the samples and Learning is social, and students
Norman Bridwell and Curious George
sort into piles: those who got it, the use language and discussions to
books by Margret and H.A. Rey, I
students who sort of got it, and those construct negotiated understandings
encourage students to choose their
who missed the mark. Meet with (Vygotsky, 1978). During a first-
favorite character, either Clifford or
these groups, formed according to grade read-aloud, for example, you
Curious George. They work in groups
their progress in summarizing, to might pause several times during
to create murals depicting scenes
briefly model and practice together. the book to ask students to share
from the books.
Also use random grouping their predictions with a partner. You
might pair English learners with more
techniques to keep groups flexible.
proficient English speakers. Or during
Pass out playing cards—or use other
a social studies lesson in sixth grade,
Avoid behavior problems by modeling.
color code or number techniques—to Student partners and student-led
students may work in teams of four to
form randomly organized groups to groups are successful when we model
verbally summarize the chapter and
work on class projects. the behaviors we want students to
then perform a quick dramatization
of an important point they learned. use during those groups. Make a
chart with your class to help model
Provide intervention in small
and discuss what good partner or
triad groups. Incorporate student choice. group behavior looks like and sounds
Use formative assessments during When you allow students to form like. Encourage volunteers to model
instruction on a regular basis to groups based on choice, they become for the class. Discuss ways to improve.
identify exactly how your students
are progressing. Try meeting with
just three struggling readers at Sample Partner and Group Behavior Chart
a time who share similar reading Partner or group behavior looks like Partner or group behavior sounds like
levels or needs (or at least put your • Students leaning in using body • Polite manners
three most challenged readers in language to show they are • No interrupting
listening • Stay on topic
a group and the rest of the class in • Eye contact • Piggybacking onto one another’s
groups of five or six). Evaluate their • Pleasant looks on faces comments:
progress constantly to customize • Head nodding “ agree….”
I
your instruction to their needs and “ also think that….”
I
• Praise for one another:
to promote growth. (See last month’s “Nice prediction….”
Literacy Survival Tips on assessment.) “ liked your summary ”
I ….

5. 5
■ Encourage students to share their number 11, a reader who reads
Lori’s Top 5 work with other corner groups, in the middle of the class. The
Grouping Strategies or students may gather in home student who falls in the middle
groups made up of one member of the class is paired with the one
Four Corners (Kagan, 1992) from each corner. who struggles the most.
Encourage students to form groups ■ Revise your list and change
by interest. Four Corners is a partners from time to time.
P
Partner Match-Up
cooperative structure that can be used
■ Occasionally allow students to read
in endless combinations to enhance Match students across ability levels
with the partner of their choice or
your reading and literacy lessons. to partner read. When students
their tablemates!
Students choose among four options partner read in your classroom,
and meet in a designated corner of the you may find that some students
classroom to work with other students experience frustration. For example, J
Jigsaw Reading Groups (Kagan, 1992)
who’ve selected the same option. your most capable reader may not
The teacher circulates to facilitate and be patient enough or willing to read Engage students in cooperative
direct each of the corners. with your readers who struggle. reading. The students in Mrs.
Partner Match-Up is an easy solution Lopez’s fifth-grade class work in
to your partnering woes! This popular groups to read and discuss portions
Some Ideas for Four Corners of the social studies chapter. After
method involves creating a list of
• Four different book titles your students ranked by reading mastering a portion of the text,
• Four characters from a book or ability and matching students across students are assigned to home
books—students decide which reading levels to read together. The groups, where each student shares
character they are most like or that partnerships help both students to his or her expertise on a chunk of the
they like the most and then share grow in their reading. text. The group then collaborates on
reasons with cornermates a quick response, or all members take
Procedure for Partner Match-Up a quiz to measure their learning.
• Four different response modes (e.g.,
one corner houses paper for sketching, ■ Using your district or informal
assessments, rank your students Procedure for Jigsaw Reading
another materials for creating a drama,
another writing supplies, and the with your top reader as number 1 ■ Divide the reading material into
fourth art materials) and your most struggling reader as logical portions by headings,
last, or vice versa. chapters, or pages.
• Four different writing topics
■ Cut the numbered list in half. ■ Place students into home groups
■ Position the lists side by side. of four to six students. Mix ability
Procedure for Four Corners Based on a list of 20 students, if levels so that students may help
number 1 is your strongest reader, one another. Either randomly assign
■ The teacher presents four choices
you are pairing him or her with students to groups or strategically
(e.g., topics, books, response
modes) and designates specific
corners of the classroom for each.
Sample Partner Match-Up List
■ Each student indicates which of
the four choices he or she prefers
by recording it on a paper or 1. Jose 11. Roberto
sticky note. The teacher may even 2. Maria 12. Angel
require that students write reasons 3. Rebecca 13. F ernando
for their choices. 4. Vince 14. Keiko
5. Ishmael 15. Jermaine
■ Students gather in the corner 6. Gretta 16. Otis
of the room designated as the 7. Cai 17. Vanessa
meeting place for their chosen 8. Olivia 18. T atiana
topic or title. 9. Destiny 19. Lee
10. Ricky 20. Tito

6. 6
select students for groups. Either
name the groups (e.g., after the
assigned leader) or allow students
to name their groups.
■ Count off so that each home
group member has a number from
1 to 4. Then call each numbered
group to meet either with you or
on their own to work through an
assigned portion of the text to
master that text. You may wish for
the jigsaw expert groups to meet
simultaneously while you rotate to
each to observe or facilitate.
■ End the lesson by asking students
to return to home groups and
share what they’ve read with their match up students. Try keeping comprehension. When coupled
team members. The home group partners together all year long to with cooperative group work,
can work on a culminating project bond. comprehension soars. A wonderful
or prepare for a quiz. ■ Set aside a 30-minute time slot first-grade teacher, Jenny Dodd,
for the classes to meet and work came up with this fun and easy
together. lesson that works at all grade levels.
L Buddies, Big Buddies
Little Students select one best sentence
■ Older students select a title based
from their writing and copy onto
Provide opportunities to work on the little buddy’s interests. The
paper strips to combine with those of
with cross-age buddies. When you older student practices reading
other students for Best Line Poetry or
provide time for younger and older the selected book in the classroom
Responses.
students to read together, something and marks it with sticky notes in
magical happens. The first graders spots where he or she will stop Procedure for Best Line Writing
and fifth graders pair up around the and ask questions or promote
room, snuggling with books on the ■ Students write a poem about the
discussion. Model read-aloud
reading or a character from the
floor, at desks, and sprawled together techniques for the older students.
text, or they write a response to
on the carpet. The little ones are ■ The older student reads the literature using a variety of starters
spellbound as they look adoringly selected book to the younger (Oczkus, 2009), including
to their “cool” buddies, and the student, pausing to predict, make
older students puff up their chests • “I was surprised by….”
connections, and ask questions.
as proud, responsible “teachers” When finished, the pair works • “Something new I learned
and leaders. The room hums as the together to write and sketch a was….”
30 pairs of students read, discuss, quick summary of the story. • “I made a connection to the part
and laugh their way through books.
■ Time permitting, you can also where….”
The best news about this free and
engaging intervention is that both
provide time for the younger ■ Students underline their best line
student to read a short leveled text or favorite line and copy it onto a
cross-age buddies improve in their
to the older student. paper strip.
reading (Topping, 1989), especially
the older struggling reader who is ■ Keep the session short! ■ Students work in groups of three
teaching a younger child. or four and combine their best
lines to create poems about the
Procedure for Cross-Age Buddies
B Line Cooperative
Best reading.
R
Reading Responses
■ Select a classroom from a few ■ They prepare to present their best
grade levels above or below yours Teach students to respond to line poems to the class by reading
to partner with for the year. Meet reading. Written responses chorally, dramatizing, or acting out
with the other teacher to carefully help students deepen their their poem.

7. 7
Web Resources Q&A
Reciprocal Teaching at Work
Classroom Video Clips: “Time is my biggest problem. How can I meet with all my designated
www.reading.org/General/ groups during the course of a week?”
Publications/Books/ In the course of a day, you will not be able to meet with every group, but you
SupplementalContent/BK507_
SUPPLEMENT.aspx
can rotate through your groups every few days. You may want to meet with
Reciprocal Teaching lessons show your three to five most challenged readers daily. Literature circles meet in
students in whole-class settings, upper grades at least twice per week.
guided reading groups, and literature A readers’ workshop is another effective way to meet individual needs
circles. while incorporating some guided reading groups. In a workshop, students read
ReadWriteThink: their self-selected books while the teacher circulates to confer with students,
www.readwritethink.org taking notes to keep track of student progress. During readers’ workshop, the
ReadWriteThink is a great resource teacher may opt to gather and teach three or four students who need to work
for hundreds of free downloadable
lessons in all aspects of reading. Try
on the same skills or strategies.
“Book Clubs: Reading for Fun” (Grades Select which types of groupings best fit your grade level and situation, and
3–5) by Traci Gardner. create weekly routines.
Annenberg Learner.org Teaching
Reading 3–5 Workshop:
www.learner.org/resources/
series204.html
Provides wonderful online videos
on a variety of topics for staff
development at no cost to teachers.
Richard Allington and others have
contributed.
Lori D. Oczkus is a literacy coach, author, and
popular speaker across the United States. Tens
of thousands of teachers have attended her
motivating, fast-paced workshops and read
her practical, research-based professional
books, including Interactive Think-Aloud
Lessons: 25 Surefire Ways to Engage Students
and Improve Comprehension (Scholastic &
International Reading Association, 2009) References
Allington, R.L. (2006). What really matters for struggling Slavin, R.E. (1987). Ability grouping and student achievement
and Reciprocal Teaching at Work: Powerful readers: Designing research-based programs (2nd ed.). in elementary schools: A best-evidence synthesis. Review
Strategies and Lessons for Improving Reading Boston: Allyn & Bacon. of Educational Research, 57(3), 293–335.
Kagan, S. (1992). Cooperative learning. San Juan Capistrano, Topping, K. (1989). Peer tutoring and Paired Reading:
Comprehension (2nd edition; International CA: Resources for Teachers. Combining two powerful techniques. The Reading
Oczkus, L.D. (2009). Interactive think-aloud lessons: 25 surefire Teacher, 42(7), 488–494.
Reading Association, 2010). Lori has extensive ways to engage students and improve comprehension. Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of
experience as a bilingual elementary New York: Scholastic; Newark, DE: International Reading higher psychological processes (M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S.
Association. Scribner, & E. Souberman, Eds. & Trans.). Cambridge, MA:
teacher, intervention specialist working Pikulski, J.J. (1994). Preventing reading failure: A review Harvard University Press.
of five effective programs. The Reading Teacher, 48(1),
with struggling readers, staff developer, 30–39.
and literacy coach. She works regularly with
students in classrooms and really knows the
challenges that teachers face in teaching
students to read! You can contact Lori through
her website at www.lorioczkus.com.