Lesson 4

Lesson 4: Monitoring Progress and Adjusting Groups

Lesson Overview

Small groups should change as student needs change. After small-group instruction, teachers need to review new evidence of learning to determine whether the instruction worked and what students need next.

In this lesson, you will use evidence collected during and after small-group instruction to evaluate student progress, determine whether students need continued support or additional practice, and decide when students are ready to exit or be regrouped.

Learning Objectives

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

Evaluate student responses to determine progress toward the small-group instructional objective.
Determine whether students need continued support, additional practice, or are ready to exit the group.
Regroup students based on evidence of student progress.

Did the Small Group Work?

In Lesson 3, Students 1, 4, 5, 6, and 11 received targeted instruction on CP3: Multiply by the tens place. The objective was for students to accurately multiply a decimal by the tens place.

The check for understanding now gives the teacher new evidence. Instead of asking whether the group as a whole was successful, the teacher should look at each student's response and determine progress toward the objective.

The new evidence may show that some students demonstrated mastery, some are making progress but still need practice, and others continue to need support.

Decide What Happens Next

Teachers can use three questions to determine the next step:

1. Did the student meet the objective?
Students who independently demonstrate the skill are ready to exit the group.

2. Is the student making progress?
Students who demonstrate understanding but are not yet consistent may need additional practice.

3. Does the student still have a gap in understanding?
Students who continue to struggle may need continued support, a different instructional approach, or a different group based on the new evidence.

For example, after the CP3 small group:

Students 1, 4, and 5 demonstrate CP3 independently and are ready to exit the group.
Student 6 demonstrates the correct process but makes an inconsistent error and needs additional practice.
Student 11 continues to show a gap in understanding and needs continued support with CP3.

The original group no longer needs to remain together because the new evidence shows that their instructional needs have changed.

Regroup Based on New Evidence

Small groups are flexible. Teachers should use new evidence to determine whether students remain in a group, exit the group, or need to be regrouped.

This process continues as teachers collect new evidence of student learning. The goal is not to keep students in a small group until a set amount of time has passed. The goal is to provide targeted support for as long as the evidence shows that support is needed.

Putting It Into Practice

Effective small-group instruction is a continuous process. Teachers use data to create purposeful groups, determine what students need, plan targeted instruction, and then use new evidence to decide what happens next.

In the Lesson 4 Discussion, you will reflect on how you know when a small group has accomplished its purpose and what evidence you would use to determine whether students should remain in the group, receive additional practice, or be regrouped.
In the Lesson 4 Assignment, you will review student responses after small-group instruction, evaluate student progress, and determine whether students should receive continued support, additional practice, exit the group, or be regrouped.
In the Lesson 4 Quiz, you will check your understanding of how to use evidence of student progress to determine next steps and adjust small groups.

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