TAG PresentationTAG PresentationGrouping StrategiesGrouping Strategies

GOALS: Create a common language for

grouping strategies in PPS Apply understanding of grouping

strategies to 6-8 Language Arts classes

Why Group?Why Group?

Effective differentiation requires a classroom organization and management system that promotes students’ independence and responsibility, makes efficient use of instruction time, and limits the intensity of teacher preparation for instruction.

Bertie Kingore, Ph.D.Reaching All Learners

Follow-up to the Follow-up to the Dr. Karen RogersDr. Karen Rogers Presentation: Presentation: Organizing the Learning of Organizing the Learning of Gifted Gifted Gifted learners need to be grouped for substantial

blocks of time for learning and for socializing

◦ Magnet Schools, Full-time Gifted Programs◦ Cluster Grouping◦ Within Class Grouping◦ Cross-Grade Grouping◦ Pull-out/send-out Programs◦ Like-ability/performance Grouping◦ Cooperative Grouping◦ Academic teams and competitions◦ Affective support groups◦ Service learning and other group projects

Research on Instructional Research on Instructional Management:Management: Grouping PermutationsGrouping Permutations

Full-time ability grouping- Magnet schools (ES= .49)e.g. Those receiving full-time ability grouping had 1.49 years of academic

growth in one year’s time.

Regrouping for specific instruction (ES= .34)

Cluster grouping of GT students (ES= .59) Send-out grouping (ES= .45) Within class ability grouping

(ES= .34) Cross-graded classes (ES= .45) Mixed ability cooperative groups (ES= 0) Like ability cooperative groups (ES=.28)

Karen Rogers, Ph.D.

The HOW of Grouping

Within the schoolWithin

the classroom

Common times

for Instruction

Within a Grade levele.g.. All 3rd grade

reading at the same time

Across Grade levelse.g.. K-3 all have

math at the same time

Common classroom for

Students (Clustering)

Common time for teachers to meet and plan

Whole class

Mixed ability

Similar ability

Individual work

Cooperative work

Ability or AptitudeAbility or Aptitude

Students are grouped according to scores on standardized test of aptitude, intelligence or ability.

Can become TRACKING if groups stay together for most of the day every day.

PerformancePerformance

Students are grouped according to grades or performance in a particular subject, for example accelerated, enriched, advanced classes. Performance data can come from teacher observations, classroom pre-assessment data, etc.

Can also become TRACKING if groups stay together for most of the day every day.

STOPSTOP

TURNTURN

TELL WHAT YOU TELL WHAT YOU LEARNEDLEARNED

Common Language - Common Language - GroupingGrouping

Cluster groupingTracking **Defined here, but NOT

recommended.Flexible grouping

◦Performance-based◦Ability-based◦Heterogeneous and cooperative◦Whole group◦Pairs, triads, tetrads…

Cluster GroupingCluster GroupingPurposeful classroom placement

of 3-6 similar ability students (usually in the top 5%) together in a mixed ability classroom.

Ideally, the teacher has an interest and knowledge in teaching this group of students.

Cluster GroupingCluster GroupingBenefits

◦Provides a full-time gifted program requiring minimal funds

◦Prevents gifted kids from becoming the group which benefits least from heterogeneous grouping

◦Keeps TAG students together in area of strength and allows for taking risks which may not occur in heterogeneous grouping.

Example of a Classroom Example of a Classroom Composition for School Cluster Composition for School Cluster GroupingGrouping(for a single grade level)(for a single grade level)

30 students

in 3

classes

Group 1:

Gifted

Group 2:

High

Achieving

Group 3:

Average

Group 4:

Below

Average

Group 5:

Far below

Average

Classroom A 6 0 12 12 0Classroom B 0 6 12 6 6Classroom C 0 6 12 6 6

Reflective ThinkingReflective Thinking

Turn and Talk

Do you have cluster grouping at your building? Does it work?

If not, would cluster grouping work at your school? Why or Why not?

“The flexible use of student groups is the heart of differentiated instruction.”

When you group flexibly, you create instruction groups and prescribe specific activities that respond to students’ learning needs.

Diane Heacox, Ed.D.Differentiating Instruction in the Regular

Classroom

Flexible GroupingFlexible GroupingTeacher uses curricular needs, student needs, ability, performance, interest, strengths, and preferences to determine the group make-up.

Used as needed to provide a better instructional match for students.

Flexible grouping is changed regularly to match student need to the task at hand.

Group MembershipGroup Membership

Can be determined by:◦Readiness◦Interest◦Reading Level◦Skill Level◦Background Knowledge◦Social Skills

PRE-ASSESSMENTPRE-ASSESSMENT

The purpose of pre-assessment is to determine what students know about a topic before it is taught. Pre-

assessment will help the teacher determine flexible

grouping patterns and should be used regularly.

Pre-assessment Pre-assessment StrategiesStrategies

Teacher prepared pre-test

KWL Charts /Graphic Organizers

Writing Prompts/Samples

Guess BoxStudent

demonstrations and discussions

Student products and work samples

Show of hands/EPR Every Pupil Response

Standardized Tests/ISM Data

Teacher observation/Checklist

“Assessment is today’s means of modifying tomorrow’s instruction.”

Carole Tomlinson

STOPSTOP

TURNTURN

TELL WHAT YOU TELL WHAT YOU LEARNEDLEARNED

Whole Class InstructionWhole Class Instruction

Used to introduce new materials and strategies

Builds common experiencesProvides a shared basis for

further explorationHelps identify prior knowledge

and experiences

Performance Grouping Performance Grouping (Leveled Groups) (Leveled Groups)

Teacher looks at current assessment data in a particular content area to determine group membership.

Examples include◦ Lit Circles◦ Writing Folders◦ Reading/math groups

Heterogeneous and Heterogeneous and Cooperative GroupingCooperative Grouping

Grouping for collaborative work, either by the teacher or by student choice

Grouping for the purpose of developing cooperative skills

Gifted students may have much to lose and little to gain from traditional cooperative groupings – ones that aren’t structured

Reflective ThinkingReflective Thinking

Turn and Talk

What types of flexible grouping are most commonly used at your school?

What types of flexible grouping do you most use in your classroom?

When planning for When planning for grouping consider grouping consider these questions:these questions:

1. When does grouping benefit students?2. When does grouping facilitate

instruction?3. Which activities lend themselves to

group work?4. How will I determine group

membership?

Content & SkillsStudent Needs

Student Background Knowledge

New information for

all students?

Students vary in readiness,

rate of learning,interest in topic?

Need multiple perspectives?

Whole class?Small mixed-ability?

Performance Groups?Interest Groups?

Similar rate or level? Cooperative Groups?

Pre-Assessments

When to Use What Group

Reflective Thinking – Reflective Thinking – Quick WriteQuick Write

Which grouping option(s) will best fit my next unit? Lesson? Why?

How will I pre-assess?How will the groups be

determined?What management problems do I

need help solving?

Flexible Grouping for the delivery of instruction is the cornerstone of appropriate differentiation for the gifted student as well as all students. The use of Flexible Grouping assures Success for Every Student.