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Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Same Strategy, Same Group


Another way to group students for small group reading instruction is by the strategy that they need.  Much can be read about strategy lessons in Jennifer Serravallo’s book: Teaching Reading in Small Groups (especially in chapter 4: “Guided Practice Toward Independence: Strategy Lessons for Comprehension, Print Work and Fluency”).  The main purpose of strategy groups is to provide students with additional guided practice opportunities around a specific strategy.  This could be a strategy that has already been taught in whole group, or perhaps conferring notes reveal a group of students who could benefit from some guided practice with the same strategy. 

The basic structure of a strategy group lesson has four components:

·         connect and compliment

o    explain the purpose of the group and provide positive feedback

·         teach

o   short explanation, demonstration or example

·         engage

o   give students the opportunity to practice in their own independent text and provide coaching

·         Link

o   encourage students to continue the work as they move to independent time 

(Serravallo, page 99) 

With strategy group lessons, the demonstration is a short time, and the guided practice time is longer.  As students move into their independent text, it is important to check to make sure that the text they are using matches the strategy.  During this coaching time with their independent text, the teacher spends time with each student: “I spend, on average, two minutes per student.  I do not linger for two minutes with each student, though.  Instead, I move among them with the urgency of a plate spinner, giving them just the right support as they practice…” (Serravallo p. 107).  This analogy paints a picture of how the teacher not only engages students but supports them and communicates the importance of reading and this strategy. 

If you are interested in exploring the use of strategy groups in your classroom and would like to collaborate, please contact your literacy coach.


Joanne Harmsen (jharmsen@owatonna.k12.mn.us)

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