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Small Groups for Big Readers
Ten Questions Answered About Core Reading Instruction in the K–5 Classroom
This book promotes small-group reading as a key tool for K–5 teachers, offering frameworks, videos, and text strategies. Teachers can differentiate instruction with evidence-based routines, creating a dynamic learning environment that nurtures readers and aligns whole-class instruction with small-group lessons.
Benefits
- Understand and apply evidence-based routines that promote equitable, accessible literacy instruction.
- Enhance students’ reading and knowledge building through carefully planned interactions and opportunities with text.
- Empower students by establishing clear goals and guidelines for small-group lessons.
- Plan for extended learning opportunities that provide sufficient, deliberate practice for literacy development.
- Extend professional expertise by selecting and adapting strategies to differentiate literacy instruction, using a flexible, choose-your-own-adventure format to customize learning based on individual goals and needs.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: What Do I Know About My Students as Readers?
Chapter 2: How Does Differentiating Small-Group Instruction Promote Access and Equity?
Chapter 3: How Do I Connect to Whole-Group Instruction?
Chapter 4: How Do I Plan for Small-Group Instruction?
Chapter 5: How Do I Select and Evaluate Text?
Chapter 6: How Do I Engage My Readers During Small-Group Instruction?
Chapter 7: How Do I Monitor and Respond to My Students as Readers?
Chapter 8: How Does Writing Connect to My Small-Group Instruction?
Chapter 9: How Do I Build My Readers’ Knowledge?
Chapter 10: What Are the Rest of My Students Doing While I’m Teaching a Small Group?
Appendix: Leading the Learning Action Guide
PRINTABLE REPRODUCIBLES
Introduction
- Figure I.1: The Small-Group Reading Implementation Quick-Guide
- Figure I.2: Self-Assessment of Small-Group Reading Practices
- Figure I.3: Teacher Reflection Tool
Chapter 1: What Do I Know About My Students as Readers?
Chapter 5: How Do I Select and Evaluate Text?
Chapter 6: How Do I Engage My Readers During Small-Group Instruction?
- Figure 6.1: Reflection and Observation Tool for Small-Group Instruction With an Emphasis on Building Foundational Skills
- Figure 6.2: Reflection and Observation Tool for Small-Group Instruction With an Emphasis on Fluency, Comprehension, and Metacognition
Chapter 7: How Do I Monitor and Respond to My Students as Readers?
- Figure 7.1: ABC Reader Profile Framework Reader Observation Tool
- Table 7.1: Prompts Based on the ABC Reader Profile Framework for Decoding and Word Recognition
- Table 7.2: Prompts Based on the ABC Reader Profile Framework for Fluency and Bridging Processes
- Table 7.3: Prompts Based on the ABC Reader Profile Framework for Comprehension, Self-Monitoring, and Metacognition
Chapter 9: How Do I Build My Readers’ Knowledge?
SUGGESTED RESOURCES
Books
- Dixon, J. K., Brooks, L. A., & Carli, M. R. (2019). Making sense of mathematics for teaching the small group. Solution Tree Press.
- Gregory, G., Kaufeldt, M., & Mattos, M. (2016). Best practices at Tier 1: Daily differentiation for effective instruction, elementary. Solution Tree Press.
- Kise, J. A. G. (2021). Doable differentiation: 12 strategies to meet the needs of all learners. Solution Tree Press.
- Kramer, S. V., Sonju, B., Mattos, M., & Buffum, A. (2021). Best practices at Tier 2: Supplemental interventions for additional student support, elementary. Solution Tree Press.
- Maeker, P., & Heller, J. (2023). Literacy in a PLC at Work: Guiding teams to get going and get better in grades K–6 reading. Solution Tree Press.
- Mattos, M., Buffum, A., Malone, J., Cruz, L. F., Dimich, N., & Schuhl, S. (2025). Taking action: A handbook for RTI at Work (2nd ed.). Solution Tree Press.
- Rogers, P., Smith, W. R., Buffum, A., & Mattos, M. (2020). Best practices at Tier 3: Intensive interventions for remediation, elementary. Solution Tree Press.
