(fast-paced upbeat music)
- [Instructor] Welcome to our video
for High-Leverage Practice, number 17,
Use Flexible Grouping.
There are 22 High-Leverage Practices for special education
spread across four domains.
Use Flexible Grouping is under instruction domain.
The source for content in this video,
is the HLP for Special Education book published
by CEC and the CEEDAR Center,
and a chapter by Larry Maheady and his colleagues,
In the HLP for Inclusive Practices book
published by CEC and Routledge.
This video is split into two parts.
In part one, we provide an overview
of using flexible grouping to support the needs
of students with disabilities.
In part two, we provide examples of options
for creating and using flexible grouping.
Part One, rationale and definitions.
All teachers use groups
as part of their instructional repertoire.
Group should be deployed with foresight,
and careful planning, to address individual students needs,
given the complexities of the curriculum.
When group size and structure are carefully planned,
flexible groups will oftenly do improve the learning gains.
Effective teachers use flexible grouping of students
intentionally to differentiate instruction,
make instruction more intensive,
and meet individual student needs.
Groups can be flexibly used to accommodate learning needs,
promote in depth academic related interactions,
and teach students to work collaboratively
through explicit instruction
around development of interpersonal skills.
A hallmark for creating effective groups
is teachers making the decision to change grouping patterns,
depending on lesson goals and objectives,
and may include homogeneous,
and/or heterogeneous small groups, pairs of students,
whole class, or the need for individualized instruction
as denoted by the IEP.
These decisions should be driven by the intersection of data
on student performance and the content of the lesson
being taught.
An important note about HLP 17,
is the use of flexible groups is not a standalone practice.
Simply using groups of various sizes and structures,
without regard for how instruction will be provided
to the groups, will not result in desired learning gains.
Instead, use of this HLP should be applied
alongside other high leverage practices,
such as number 13, adapt curriculum tasks and materials.
Number 20, provide intensive instruction.
And number nine, teach social behaviors.
Specific evidence-based practices should also be used.
For example, a teacher would likely
initially use explicit instruction,
to deliver instruction on a new vocabulary term,
during social studies to a heterogeneous grouping
of students within the general education classroom.
However, some students also need intensive instruction
that will be delivered within smaller homogeneous groups.
The special education teacher
might have responsibility for leading
that intensive instruction within the smaller group.
Most evidence suggests that small groups
should be highly structured,
and include specific goals and tasks,
clear instructional directives and expectations,
explicit strategies to maximize and equalize
student opportunities to respond.
Students also need to be explicitly taught
routines and expectations, for working in groups
of various sizes and purposes.
As with all instructional practices,
teachers must monitor student performance,
provide positive and constructive feedback,
and hold students accountable for their performance
when they're working in groups.
In sum for part one,
Using flexible grouping as in HLP
teachers can use in conjunction with other HLPs,
and evidence based practices.
The goal is to differentiate instruction,
build students interpersonal skills,
and address individual student needs
through intensive intervention.
When arranging and working with students in groups,
teachers should structure their teaching
around specific learning goals and tasks.
Use clear instructional directives and expectations,
and ensure the specific teaching approach
that has been selected, is a good match for student needs.
Part Two,
key components of using flexible grouping.
In part two, we highlight three key components
of constructing and utilizing flexible grouping.
These components are,
one, group should be highly structured,
and include clear directives.
Two, some groups should be homogeneous,
and others should be heterogeneous
to provide relevant instruction
that matches student needs and IEP goals.
And three, the use of flexible grouping
does not occur in a vacuum.
Teachers need to match specific HLPs
and evidence-based practices to student needs,
and then determine the appropriate group size and setting.
Component one,
group should be highly structured,
and include clear directives.
We as educators should not take for granted
that students know how to act and function,
within groups of various sizes and structures.
Therefore, regardless of whether a group comprises
homogeneous or heterogeneously group students,
effective teachers provide clear instructions,
teach and review expectations and routines,
and maximize time on task for learning.
Using groups provides explicit,
and implicit opportunities for students
to develop interpersonal skills.
Students with disabilities are more likely
to find success with academic, or other tasks
when expectations are clear,
and the teacher is deliberate and explicit,
about what the lesson is going entail.
In other words, the teacher who removes
ambiguity from lessons, and guides organized movements
within and between groups,
is setting her students up for success.
Regardless of the type of grouping,
teacher should continually monitor group interactions,
provide positive and corrective feedback,
hold students accountable individually and collectively,
and sustain group interactions
through proximity and feedback.
Finally, breaking students into groups
without intentionality regarding
how the group size and structure,
will lead to improved learning gains,
can lead to a false understanding,
that specially designed instruction is being provided.
In the following clip,
Ms. Bree Barns provides an explicit advance organizer
to her students prior to breaking into groups.
She reviews expectations for each setting,
and ensure students understand what she wants them to do.
- In our small group today, we are gonna be practicing
these word problems using those questions.
So, for our stations,
when you come to the teacher table, please bring a pencil.
If you have independent, your job is your coach books.
So, any lesson that is not complete,
you don't have a check, you are working on.
Now, if you finish a lesson,
I don't want you to come to the back table and say I'm done.
You just keep working through the entire station.
What do you think you can do if you have a question?
You're just stuck on something,
you just can't figure it out.
What's a good strategy that you might be able
to use or do, Harper?
- [Harper] Maybe looking your maths notebook,
or your green folder or maybe ask your neighbor.
Try by using a level one source.
- Resources, yes
you can look in your math folder,
you can look in your math notebook.
You can quietly ask the neighbor,
if last resort, no one can help you?
put a little circle next to,
and then when I meet with you later,
I can help you that problem.
So, you are coach books when you are independent,
computer we are on dreambox,
what do I expect when you are on dreambox, Logan?
- (Logan) Get message to done without so like say
you're under a map, don't be like playing a while
coz I was so or mine--
- Right you're focused focused focused on the map
getting those lessons done.
And then the only other new station
is the challenge and the challenge is the same one
that your group worked on before.
Alright, we're gonna begin in just a second,
show me using your hands
what level voice you're going to use
when you go to your first station.
Joshua, can you let the class know what level you chose?
- [Joshua] A zero
- Zero, yes, so that's what I want to see
when I say let's start,
you are using a level zero, start seating (mumbles)
- [Instructor] Component two,
Some groups should be homogeneous,
and others should be heterogeneous.
To provide an appropriate setting
for the goals of the lesson.
Homogeneous groups are used to provide focused,
intensive instruction for students
with common instructional strengths and needs.
When planning for instruction
for students in homogeneous settings,
teachers should configure instruction
to meet students IEP goals and objectives.
To configure homogeneous groups,
teachers first identify a limited number of high priority
skills and concepts,
and form small groups of students
with similar academic needs.
Which students are selected,
should be guided by student performance
on progress monitoring measures, the IEP,
and other indicators of learning and skill.
Teachers can then provide explicit instruction,
and other evidence-based practices
to maximize student response opportunities,
increase instructional feedback,
and monitor student progress.
To maximize instructional intensity,
teachers should use smaller group sizes,
and/or allocate additional time to ensure student mastery.
Groups of one to three students
have been shown to be the most effective
for delivering intensive instruction.
Heterogeneous groups include students
of varied knowledge and skill levels,
and conserve multiple instructional purposes.
These kinds of instructional groups
are sometimes called mixed ability.
Teachers use small, heterogeneous groups
to engage all students
in grade level content related conversations,
facilitate student thinking and communication skills,
and improve interpersonal relationships
among students with and without disabilities.
To use heterogeneous groups effectively,
teachers configure small or large groups,
who differ on demographic,
and/or academic related variables.
They then select tasks and materials
that require collaboration, provide directives,
and clear expectations to promote productive
and autonomous interactions,
and embed strategies to maximize and equalize
student response opportunities.
For example, students in heterogeneous groups,
should have structured and reciprocal student roles.
Throughout the time allotted for mathematics,
Ms. Barns cycles through each
of her carefully constructed groups,
providing different supports as relevant
to students specific needs.
Students in groupings have varying responsibilities,
but are always accountable,
and under the watchful eye of the teacher.
Component three, use of flexible groups
does not occur in a vacuum.
Therefore, teachers need to match specific HLPs
and evidence based practices to student needs,
and then determine the appropriate group size and setting.
The HLPs are intended to be used
in combination with one another,
and also in conjunction with evidence-based practices.
In fact, many HLPs are foundational
to the implementation of evidence-based practices.
HLP 17, use flexible grouping is a prime example.
For example, when using an evidence based scripted program
for phonics instruction
as part of a data-based individualization process,
the teacher would conduct the instruction
in a carefully constructed group of students
with similar needs.
A second example is teachers utilizing
HLP 11 through 13, to create short and long term goals,
systematically designed instruction towards those goals,
and identify and implement adaptations,
to help support students
in learning the standards or curriculum.
At each decision point,
the special educator and colleagues,
consider various instructional settings and group sizes
that are appropriate for delivering
specially designed instruction.
In some, the decision to use flexible groups
is made at macro and micro levels.
In this final clip, Ms. Barns welcomes a group
with a first review of expectations,
and then begins an explicit review of word problems
for an upcoming assessment.
The clip demonstrates her seamless use of multiple
HLPs and evidence based practices,
all occurring within an appropriate setting
for individuals with disabilities,
and others who are struggling.
- Already friends,
Ethan can you come sit next to Kylex,
I gonna have you two be learning buddies.
You two be learning friends.
We're be gonna be practicing word problems,
just like we did on smart work.
These questions are gonna
be the kind of questions you're gonna see tomorrow
on as well,
they might be single step, they might be multiple step.
So, we gonna ask ourselves two questions that we did,
who can manage the first question
that we gonna ask ourselves?
- Can (mumbles)
- Yeah, what did you notice?
Did you notice two numbers?
Or did you notice more than two numbers?
What's the second question, Clare?
- Are the two numbers the same thing?
- Are they the same thing?
So, I'm gonna have you to just read the problem,
and then talk about those two questions,
don't do any work yet,
same you too, read the problem and talk about it.
- [Instructor] In conclusion,
teachers can use flexible grouping
to differentiate instruction,
build students interpersonal skills,
and address individual student needs
through intensive instruction.
Homogeneous grouping allows teachers
to intensify instruction in targeted ways
for students with similar academic needs.
Heterogeneous grouping provides opportunities for students
to collaborate and learn together,
while developing interpersonal skills.
When working with students in any type of group,
teacher should address specific learning goals,
provide clear instructional directives and expectations,
and use strategies that will both hold students accountable,
and maximize their opportunities
to respond and receive feedback.
More information about using flexible grouping,
and its role in supporting the needs of students
with and without disabilities,
can be found at www.highleveragepractices.org.
Thanks for watching,
and please continue using resources
from this series on high leverage practices
for special education.