Grouping students for learning can be one of the hardest aspects of classroom management. Whilst research tells us that students working collaboratively has a significant impact on learning (Visible Learning MetaX, 2023), there are many factors to consider and many factors that you cannot control when sorting groups. What are some ways you might already group students?
Random - see Micro Move #3 for ideas to make this visible,
Homogenous - similar skill or academic achievement,
Heterogeneous - differences in skills or academic achievement,
Interest
Student Choice
How else?
Each of these ways of grouping students for learning has its pros and cons and varying impact on student learning.
What about flexible grouping which is grouping so that students get the right support, at the right time, in the right way? Flexible groups have these characteristics.
data-driven,
temporary - only until the identified skill or knowledge has been achieved,
can be heterogenous or homogenous,
can change based on student needs or interests,
vary in size,
are implemented for all students - everyone works in a small group regardless of academic or skill level, and
increase interaction between students as groups change frequently.
Flexible grouping has been shown to result in progress. (Bates, 2013, Kim et al., 2020)
How do you currently group students?
Idea 1: Students selecting groups based on known needs
Imagine students doing their own grouping based on what they need to learn. Figure 1 shows a teacher recording student focus for small groups collected at the end of a writing lesson. This is part of a routine prior to the 90 minute writing session the next day. The teacher will also be reading student work to support leading these small groups. Each group has a maximum time of 10 mins with the teacher.
Figure 1
Idea 2: Exit slips to inform grouping
At the end of this middle school history lesson students were asked to complete the exit slip in Figure 2. As a result of this self assessment and teacher observation during the lesson, the teacher was able to determine small groups to move learning forward. In this instance, not all students were in a small group for the next lesson.
Figure 2
Another idea!
The University of Waterloo Centre for Teaching Excellence have provided a number of suggestions to help implement grouping for learning.
References
Bates, Celeste. (2013). Flexible grouping during literacy centers: A model for differentiating instruction. YC Young Children. 68. 30-33.
Kim, S., Lin, T., Jing, C., Logan, J. a. R., Purtell, K. M., & Justice, L. M. (2020). Influence of teachers’ grouping strategies on children’s peer social experiences in early elementary classrooms. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.587170
Visible Learning - Collaborative learning Details. (2023, June). Visible Learning MetaX. Retrieved January 8, 2024, from https://www.visiblelearningmetax.com/influences/view/collaborative_learning
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