I had a fifth grader who wasn’t progressing in reading. She was brilliant. On the autism spectrum. Highly capable in so many ways. But no matter what I tried in her leveled reading group, nothing moved the needle. I kept thinking: more practice, more time, more exposure to text.I adjusted the books. I changed the…
You already know what struggling readers need. You’ve done the training. You’ve read the research. You know that effective intervention requires targeted practice, repeated exposure, and systematic instruction. The hard part isn’t the knowledge. The hard part is actually providing it, consistently, day after day, without burning yourself out. Because here’s the reality:Intervention isn’t just…
Small groups after winter break can feel… off. Students forget routines. Materials are scattered. The flow that worked in December suddenly feels chaotic in January. And it’s easy to think, Maybe I need to start over. Maybe I need a whole new system. But here’s the truth: January small groups feel messy for a lot…
You’ve assessed your students. You’ve created your small groups. But a few weeks in, things start to shift.Some kids are breezing through the lessons. Others are stuck. And your carefully grouped students? Not so aligned anymore. This is where most reading group plans fall apart, not because teachers don’t care or don’t try, but because…
Reading groups can feel overwhelming. You have students who need very different things, but you’re often expected to sort them by level and hope for the best. But what if we stopped grouping by reading level altogether? Skill-based grouping is a better way to meet your students where they actually are. Instead of lumping students…
Setting up effective reading groups can transform your classroom by providing targeted instruction that meets your students’ unique needs. However, getting started can feel overwhelming. This guide will walk you through each step, from assessing your students’ skills to planning engaging lessons and monitoring progress. By focusing on skill-based grouping aligned with the science of…