Are you an upper elementary teacher wondering how to teach guided math groups or how to set up guided math groups? Keep reading to learn about small group instruction for math in the upper elementary classroom.
The first step in learning how to teach guided math groups is understanding the purpose of the guided math lesson and the value it has for student mastery.
This article is the 6th in my “Ultimate Guide to Guided Math” series. To start at the beginning, check out the first post. Check it out by clicking the image below:
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Whole Group vs. Small Group Instruction: Are They Both Important?
Yes!! Both instructional methods are essential for teaching upper elementary math.
Why?
They both have different goals and outcomes.
The goal of whole group math instruction is for students to be introduced to a new math skill and to be observers of the skill in action.
On the other hand, the goal of small group math instruction is for students to interact with the new math skill while the teacher is available to redirect any misconceptions. The small group also offers students a safe environment to learn and develop new math skills.
How to Run Guided Math Groups
Teachers will have differing opinions on how small group instruction for math should take place, so as you read my tips please keep in mind that you can adjust and modify each idea to fit your own teaching style and the needs of your students.
Grouping Students
This topic is likely one that has many opposing viewpoints among teachers. Two main ways to group students for math instruction in particular include:
Homogenous Grouping: Students are grouped based upon their level of mastery (or non-mastery) of a skill
Heterogeneous Grouping: Students are grouped with differing levels of mastery (or non-mastery) of a skill
Each grouping strategy has its own benefits and drawbacks.
When students are grouped together based upon their level of achievement (homogenous), they are less likely to feel intimidated and they can typically work at or near the same pace. However, in this type of grouping if students are working without the teacher (like in math centers or stations) then they don’t necessarily have a dependable “leader”.
When students are grouped with differing levels of achievement, students who are on the higher end can become leaders and students who are on the lower end can learn from the others. The drawback of this grouping situation though is that sometimes intimidation can set in and/or higher level students can become bored at the pace of instruction.
Small math groups should be fluid, which means that they can change easily from week to week depending on the skill your students are working on and the observations that you are noticing as you assess them.
For example, during Week A you are introducing whole number multiplication and you assess your students with an exit ticket. You are able to determine that Jimmy, Danny, Maggie, Freddy, and Steve are all struggling to understand the reasoning for the place holder zero, so you place them in a group together for guided math.
Then during Week B, you introduce whole number division and after you assess your students you find that Jimmy, Maggie and Freddy are all struggling with the long division algorithm, while Danny and Steve have mastered the skill already. These five students who were in the same group for multiplication, are now going to be in different groups for division.
How many students should be in each group?
This really depends on your students, but I recommend no more than 7 students per group. Ideally, a group size would be 4-5 students. This allows for the students to have enough peers that they feel comfortable and not “alone” but not so many students that the shy ones get lost in chaos!
What should the teacher be doing during small group guided math instruction?
- Guiding discussion and hands on activity
- Observing and redirecting misconceptions
- Taking anecdotal notes (quick notes of observation that help to drive future instruction/intervention)
- Allowing students to form conversations about math
- Informally assessing students for misunderstandings, needs for intervention and skill mastery
- MAKING MATH FUN!
Your small group time should revolve around a guided math lesson. You will want to introduce/review related math vocabulary and then review the skill with a couple of examples, and then lead students into the lesson activity.
The guided math lesson should involve some type of hands on activity where students are engaged with practicing the math skill. You can choose to allow them to work together or independently, but it is important that you are available to guide them by answering questions, redirecting them when you see misconceptions, and simply observing and making notes.
You will be assessing your students throughout the guided math small group lesson and activity, but you should also end the group time with a simple written assessment, similar to an “exit ticket”.
The feedback from students will give you a snapshot into their learning that you can review after the noise has quieted and make decisions about how to move forward with your instruction. This can be as simple as giving students a blank index card and a question!
Want to try out a sample guided math lesson for free? Check it out below:
Benefits of Small Group Math Instruction
Small group math instruction has many benefits to both the students and the teacher. It is essential for differentiating instruction, closely assessing student achievement, and allowing for real time, immediate feedback.
Focused & Targeted Instruction
When you have 4-7 students, logically you are able to provide more focused instruction than to a whole group of 25-32 students! With this focus also comes targeted instruction because if you use assessment prior to creating your groups, then you end up with small groups of students who are struggling with the same concepts that you can now target in a small group setting.
Quick & Immediate Assessment Feedback
When a teacher is working with a small group of students, he or she is better able to assess the skill level of each individual student. As a result, that student can receive targeted instruction in areas that they need the most, as well as intervention in areas that they struggle.
The teacher is able to more easily and accurately pinpoint the specific needs of each student because he or she will be physically watching the student work rather than grading a quiz or test after the student has already left and forgotten about the quiz!
Student Participation
Some people are gifted in the area of communication and socializing. These people don’t get nervous speaking in front of a large group and aren’t afraid of being judged for their words or thoughts.
On the other hand, those of us who are not comfortable when our peers are “judging” our words have the ability to thrive in a small group setting. The shy student, the unmotivated student, and even the troublemaker will potentially blossom with small group math instruction.
This method and strategy of guided math affords these students the opportunity to experience learning environments in which they feel comfortable and motivated to participate more.
The student who doesn’t normally get to be the one to answer the questions, or isn’t the student who feels the joy of getting a correct answer, has the chance to flourish in a small group setting.
Teacher and Student Connection
Finally, a benefit of small group instruction is the ability for the teacher to develop a deeper connection with students. When a teacher has a small group of students around a table or sitting in a circle on the carpet, it is inevitable that some “non-math conversations” will be initiated.
These conversations allow you, as the teacher, to get to know your students in a way that you wouldn’t be able to explore with exclusive whole group instruction.
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I hope you have enjoyed this article about how to teach guided math groups. Join me in the next part of the series for a look at setting up math stations. Click the image below for the next article in the series!
