Large Group Vs. Small Group Reading Instruction

Generally group learning is cost effective for employers, employees/learners and providers. Enabling continued and multi use of materials, resources and facilities. Group learning also ensures a consistent, common message and programme.

In elementary, my fellow students and I would often get split into different reading groups based on how well we could read. Being in these small groups where we were all at the same level made it easier to learn the material. We all moved at the same pace and could finish our books at the same time. Being placed in a reading group with students who were faster than me would have made the process more difficult. Being with students who read slower would have been much too easy. It was like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Which bed was perfect for me? Instead of separating children

Most of the other students in her 2nd grade classroom are able to read classroom text and complete work independently. They also read books for enjoyment on their own. The reading time in her classroom consists of a block during which the teacher works with small groups and the children are expected to work quite independently when they are not working directly with the teacher. The class uses a trade book format and this is utilized across the curriculum. Students are provided with short skills building lessons in large and small groups. Most of the time spent during explicit reading instruction is targeted to helping students develop reading fluency.

Despite this, the disparity in responses of “some” between the two instructional styles indicates that, while lecture may be the dominant type of teaching style, group work still plays a major role in a significant part of student’s classes.

This article discusses the most effective ways that we can follow to organize large classes in order to implement and carry out collaborative learning effectively, and allow both teachers and students to shift smoothly from whole-class discussions to individual and group work. Gena Rhoades begins her article by indicating the problem that many teachers confront in their classes and making them pulling out and neglecting using group work. According to the researcher the only reason behind this problem is the feeling that most teachers have of being unable to control their classes.

While observing literacy centers and guided reading, I noticed that students were the ones doing most of the taking. Most of the conversations were between peers, with a majority about the center activity they were working on. In the library center, there was only one students that finished her center work early enough to self-select a text to read. She read the book titled, Polar Bears Closeup. The briefly looked at the pictures on each page but never attempted to decode the text. In the guided reading center, the teacher selected a text called, Me, for students to read. To support the students while reading, Ms. J used magnetic letters to review letter sounds and support letter recognition. She also helped students stretch tricky words, having

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.R1.PK.10 - With prompting and support, actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.

In researching the evolution of reading instruction, the method that stood out to me as the most productive is literacy circles. In teaching a reading level grade, there are many approaches and methods that are needed to produce effectiveness of reading in our students. Literacy circles as stated from Devick-Fry and LeSage (2010) are “small student-directed groups in which each group member agrees to read the same story, poem, article, or book and selects specific responsibilities to perform during the discussion” (p.35). In addition, utilizing writing circles urges students to orally also; graphically speak to their reasoning about the literacy choice through the setting of their part (Devick-Fry and LeSage, 2010).

Grouping heterogeneously except for reading instruction (commonly referred to as "The Joplin Plan") improves reading achievement.

For this group, I added more handouts and individual work than I normally would due to the learning constraints in the room. After several attempts to have students work in groups, I learned that they simply cannot work in a group setting well. Several times, I had to improvise for students who were gone a lot due to sports, sickness, etc. However,

Early intervention reading programs are crucial in helping struggling readers develop the necessary strategies for successful reading. Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) is a supplemental peer-tutoring program that has been proven to be an effective intervention for helping increase the effectiveness of reading instruction. This paper fully describes the PALS program, and it also explores the strengths and weaknesses of the program.

1995; Springer et el. 1999, as cited in Hillyard, Gillespie & Littig, 2010, p.10). As students do assignment in a form of group, brainstorming for the given assignment is everybody’s responsibility, everyone shares diverse perspectives, hence, it also shares the workload rather than handling it individually. Furthermore, group work enhances the motivation to learn, retention of knowledge, depth of learning and appreciation of the subject being taught (Felder and Brent 1996, p.43). Yet, student will have to put themselves physically and spiritually in group work, as they will get to do a lot of discussions in together, interactions between each group member, the exchange of opinions will increase the desire to learn new knowledges or opinions. As far from the survey of sophomore, junior and senior students from four different disciplines by Phipps et al. (2001), carried out that interpersonal small group skills were rated positively, unfortunately, cooperative learning in general was rated negatively. It is obvious that students prefer small group learning rather than learning in a form of class but individually. Groupwork also promotes students to learn actively (Ruel et al. 2003). By learning actively, students can improve perceptions and attitudes towards information literacy (Detlor et al. 2012, p.148). Group work is undeniable as one of the most effective ways in helping students in learning.

According to author Bowman, (2015) in tomorrow’s classrooms, the teacher’s challenges will be to create teams and groups to support ELLs. On a lower level, one could imagine a teacher changing the collective intelligence of a group by changing some or all the students in it, and replacing some students with others who demonstrate higher levels of social intelligence. In our future classroom setting, other factors such as group size will likely affect a group’s progressing. Also, small group work does not always progress smoothly, some strategies may reduce the problems considerably, however selecting group sizes to support ESL students in reading and writing strategies the teachers must think critically when it comes to creating learning groups. These groups must be created so all students can engage in group activities if teachers form groups work but have the students sitting with students they feel comfortable communicating with even if they are not proficient in the English language. When creating groups for student’s things teacher can remember the generally smaller groups is better and students will feel more comfortable engaging in oral communication. ELLs working in pare share groups is the best way to motivate students talk to because each student is either talking or being talked to. Grouping up students will easily start and maintain involvement, this is especially valuable with the short attention spans of today’s students. Small group reading and

Some researchers have shown a disadvantage in group work with student learning. Lower achieving students could fall behind due to their passive nature or lack of confidence (King, 1993). If the high achieving students dominate the group and discussions, the lower achieving students may not feel comfortable sharing in the discussion. In this instance, the learning opportunity could pass them by without anyone realizing the lack of understanding. Other shortcomings of cooperative learning is the time required for some groups to work cohesively and the inability to teach the curriculum in a small group Cooperative Learning setting (Good, Reys, Grouws, & Mulryan, (1989;1990).

Other researchers have shown a disadvantage in group work with regard to teaching students. Slow learning students may lag behind due to their passive nature or lack of confidence (King, 1993). When the quick learning students dominate the group and discussions, the lower achieving students may not feel open and free to contributing in the discussion. In this case, the learning opportunity could pass them by without anyone noticing the lack of understanding. Other limitations of cooperative learning is the time required for some groups to work in unity and unable to teach the curriculum in a small group Cooperative Learning setting (Good, Reys, Grouws, & Mulryan, (1989;1990).