What is Flexible Grouping?

UFT Teacher Center Professional Development

Linda Hoffman, Literacy Coach/UFT Teacher Center

What is flexible grouping?The purposeful reordering of students into different kinds of working

groups to ensure that ALL students have opportunities to work:

(1) with a wide variety of classmates in different settings

(2) in a wide variety of learning contexts

(3) with a wide variety of learning activities and experiences

(4) during a relatively short span of classroom time

Student Behaviors for Flexible Grouping

Accept the teacher’s decision to place you in a

particular flexible group

Move around the classroom without causing

disruption

Work at a noise level that does not distract others

Be accountable (Do the work and share it!) to

other members of your group

Cooperate with all members of your group

Stay on task and expect others to do the same

Understand that flexible groups are temporary

Flexible groups …

Are instructionally (not behaviorally) motivated

Are determined by the teacher’s evidence of students’ different learning needs

Are determined by frequent, on-going assessment data

Are used as needed to maximize instructional time

Are changed regularly to match student needs to the task at hand

Flexible groups …

◄ Address appropriate learning goals for small groups

◄ Prescribe specific activities that respond to students’

learning needs

◄ Allow students time in homogeneous groups for skill

building with similar learners

◄ Allow students time in heterogeneous groups to process

and share their thinking about content at various levels

of understanding

One type of flexible group …

Readiness-Based Instructional Grouphomogeneously groupedsame ability levelsimilar problem with a particular

skill/conceptsimilar needs for skill buildingsimilar need for strong teacher supportsimilar need for small-group intensive worksimilar need for additional practice

Another type of flexible group …

Mixed-Ability Instructional Group mixing different ability levels asked to work cooperatively with the same content at different levels of challenge (e.g. assigning different types of questions to answer or different types of evidence with different graphic organizers) utilizing strategies to mix up and match diverse learners tapping into students’ strengths acknowledging all of their contributions to the mixed-ability group

Kinds of Flexible Grouping

Students work with peers with similar readiness (ability) levels – homogeneous grouping

Students work with peers with mixed readiness (ability) levels – heterogeneous grouping

Students work in both kinds of groups at various points in the lesson

Students work with similar peers when there is the need for similar skill building and practice in a homogeneous group

Students work with dissimilar peers when there is the need to draw on multiple approaches to learning, to make each learner

respond as an expert, and to provide opportunities for each student to make and share a significant contribution to the learning of the heterogeneous group

Readiness (Ability) Grouping: Homogeneous

Grouping depends upon finding the appropriate level of challenge (the appropriate entry level) of the student Grouping depends upon taking into account pre-assessment and formative assessment dataGrouping depends upon the teacher knowing the student’s background knowledge and current skill levelThe homogeneous group enables the student to start with what he/she already knows with similar learners and stretch a manageable amount with the right amount of teacher support

Mixed-Ability Grouping: Heterogeneous

Grouping depends upon finding the appropriate level of challenge (the appropriate entry level) of the student

Grouping depends upon taking into account pre-assessment and formative assessment data

Grouping depends upon the teacher knowing the student’s prior knowledge and current understandings and skills

The heterogeneous group enables the student to work with peers having different readiness or abilities

The heterogeneous group draws on multiple approaches, intelligences or perspectives to learningThe heterogeneous group allows each learner respond as

an expert in the mixed-ability groupThe heterogeneous group provides opportunities for each

student to make and share a significant contribution to the learning of the mixed-ability group

Activities for Mixed-Ability Grouping …

Think-Pair-ShareNumbered Heads TogetherJigsaw: Home/Base Groups

and Expert GroupsSocratic SeminarFishbowlLiterature CirclesReQuest StrategyExit Slips/CardsSum it Up!Stop and JotQuick Writes

One Model: How might flexible grouping look in the classroom?

Teacher introduces the learning objective/learning goal/aim Teacher references the standard the lesson will addressStudents are able to say in their own words (paraphrase) what

they think they will be learningTeacher conducts the whole-group mini-lesson/whole-class

teaching point WHOLE CLASS: Teacher works with the whole class to practice together (guided practice) and then assesses to find out who

gets it and who doesn’tSMALL GROUP: IF everyone can work independently, then the teacher could set up flexible mixed-ability small cooperative

groups to engage in further practice through different activities with the same content

WHOLE CLASS: The teacher brings the whole class back together to present their work, discuss, share and summarize the small groups’ learning.

Another Model: How might flexible grouping look in the classroom?

Teacher introduces the learning objective/learning goal/aim Teacher references the standard the lesson will addressStudents are able to say in their own words (paraphrase) what

they think they will be learningTeacher conducts the whole-group mini-lesson/whole-class

teaching point WHOLE CLASS: Teacher works with the whole class to practice

together (guided practice) and then assesses to find out who gets it and who doesn’t

SMALL GROUP: Teacher uses the assessment evidence to flexibly group some students who can work independently in small cooperative groups (These students could be grouped by choice, interest, mixed-abilities or same ability.)

SMALL GROUP: For those students who still need targeted intervention, the teacher flexibly forms a small group of students who need further assistance with skill-building or concept understandings (They didn’t get it, so they need re-teaching, additional practice, review and on-the-spot re-assessment. They are flexibly grouped based on their same need.) Teacher works with the flexible group of targeted students in order to gain evidence that they have mastered the skills or concepts in which they were deficientWHOLE CLASS: The teacher brings the whole class back

together to present their work, discuss, share and summarize the small groups’ learning.

Still another model for flexible grouping …Teacher has taught a lesson or series of lessons

Teacher recognizes that not everyone is on the same level –

that everyone does not have the same depth of knowledge

Teacher decides to use flexible grouping in order to have

TIERED ASSIGNMENTS for the different learners in the class

Teacher decides upon which concept the assignments will

support

Teacher decides what essential understandings will be

evidenced by these assignments

SAME CONCEPT: _____________________________________

Same Essential Understandings:

►________________________

►________________________

Teacher designs THREE different types of assignments for:

Struggling Learners - With Teacher Support Level TASK - Group A

On-Grade Learners - With On-Grade Level TASK - Group B

Advanced Learners - With Challenging TASK - Group C