Flexible Grouping
Presented by
Charity Dowell
National Conference on Singapore Math
Strategies
2011
What is it?
How can I use it?
Differentiate Instruction…
Foster Independence & ownership….
Manage the classroom…
Assess, re-teach, enrich, & cover curriculum…
… learning gaps…
• 1980’s homogeneous grouping
• Results
– small effect size
– inequality
“…in other words it does little to
narrow the gap between the low
ability students and the middle
and the high ability students”
Marzano, Classroom Instruction That Works, p.85
• Cooperative Learning/Flexible Grouping
• Benefits:
»Positive Interdependence
»Face to Face pro-motive interaction
»Individual and group accountability
»Interpersonal and small group skills
»Group Processing
»Opportunities for decision making, aka
problem solving
Definition of Flexible Grouping:
The informal grouping and regrouping of
students throughout the school day based a
upon a variety of criteria to create learning
experiences that are focused on maintaining
consistently high expectations for all
students.
How does it relate
to Singapore Math
Strategies?
There is a better
way… differentiation
through flexible
grouping.
Research Says Flexible Grouping…
• Raises school achievement (Gentry, 1999).
• Equips students with social skills and conflict
resolution abilities (Frydentall, LeWald, Walls, &
Zarring, 2001).
• Provides ownership of classroom behaviors
(Baugous & Bendery, 2000).
• Provides opportunities for social interactions
(Valentino, 2000).
• Increases individual achievement levels (Gentry,
1999).
8
Teacher or
student
lead?
Planning for Grouping:
Questions to Consider
• When does grouping benefit
students?
• When does grouping facilitate
instruction?
• Which activities lend themselves to
group work?
• How do you determine group
membership?
Classroom Activities
Grouping Options
Teacher’s Role
Student Activities
Whole Group/ Small
Groups
•Explains procedures
•Provides instructional
scaffolding
•Facilitates discussion
•Provides explicit
instruction
•Affirms student diversity
•Outlining day’s
agenda/schedule
•Giving an overview of
concepts
•Sharing personal works
•Presenting strategies
•Developing background
knowledge
Individual
•Guides individual
development
•Encourages individual
student interests
•Independence & Stamina
•Applying key concepts,
strategies and skills
•Composing written
response
•Developing
understanding
•Creating own
investigations
Example:
The Daily 5
Flexible Grouping
Collaborative
•Establishes expectations
•Explicit step by step
instructions
•Scaffolding
•Participate in short term
groups
•Practice concepts
Apply strategies & skills
Performance Based
•Identify student needs
•Guide understanding
•Opportunities for success
•Positive reinforcement
•Concrete & pictorial
representations
•Participate in short term
groups
•Develop understanding of
specific concepts
•Practice strategies & skills
•Succeed
Pairs or independent
groups (never more than
2-4)
•Identify students’
interests & needs
•Models instructional
strategies
•Anchor charts &
expectations.
•Assisting partners
•Tutoring peers
•Collaborating
•Practicing academic skills
•Interpersonal stills
Think Pair & Share
Practice
Games
Interest Based Activities
Skills Based Activities
Management…
• How can flexible grouping
be incorporated into the
classroom?
•Centers/Workstations
•Cooperative Learning
•Peer tutoring
•Assistants, volunteers
•Student choices
Now let’s see what it looks like in a real
classroom…Work Stations…
Who’s in
the group?
Identify specific
needs & interests.
Urgent! Urgent!
What is our purpose?
• Where are the
bubble students?
How much
time should
I spend with
each group?
Achievement gaps occur
when students are “Left
behind”, “Just don’t get
it”. Use cooperative
learning time to address
those needs.
How do
you form
groups?
Be creative
Popsicle sticks with names – last one
picked chooses group
Puzzle pieces
Forming
groups
Stickers on card, find matching sticker
Birthdays in seasons
Share ideas
with your
neighbor.
Ideas for Organization:
• Appointments
Time
Name
8
_______________________________________________
9
_______________________________________________
10
_______________________________________________
11
_______________________________________________
12
_______________________________________________
1
_______________________________________________
2
_______________________________________________
Singapore Math Strategies using
Flexible Grouping
Number Bonds
• Students in K-2 study number facts to 10.
• Students spend a significant amount of time on each
number.
• Students study number facts (bonds) to understand
part-whole relationships.
• After students master numbers through 9 they work
on making bonds of 10. Ten is an anchor number.
Number Bonds
 Number Bracelets
Addition is commutative:
Young mathematicians need
hands on experience to
discover this principle.
Practice number
bonds & whole to
part.
Tens Frame
How many number bonds are there for a for
any given number?
Answer: Always one more than the number itself.
Continue
making
number bonds
with tens
frames.
How many
bonds were
you able to
create?
Tip: Use a circle
map to record your
answers.
Ten
bracelet
Number
bonds
9+1
10+0
0+10
2+8
4+6
3+7
Tens family
song
10
5+5
7+3
1+9
8+2 6+4
My
toes
My head
My hands
Number Bond Books
Create number bond boards for
all of the bonds you are working
on.
Leave out 1 of the numbers. In
the blank box include a piece of
Velcro.
Have a set of numbers 1-9 with
velcro on the back.
Students fill in the missing
numbers to complete the
number bond
“Make Eleven”
•
•
Groups: Three students
Materials: None
Directions: This game is great when you have a few minutes between classes or
subjects and want to practice addition without getting out materials.
All three students stand in a circle and put their right hands in a closed fist position,
behind their backs. Without anyone seeing, each student opens their fist to
show one, two, three, four, or five fingers.
Together, they count to three, and then put their opened right hands inside the
circle. They count their fingers. The goal is the make a sum of eleven.
“The Facts of Life”
(A.K.A. Math War)
• Groups: Two or more
• Materials: Playing or Number Cards
• Directions: A student distributes cards, face down, to
student players. Each player turns over two cards and
adds them. The student with the greatest sum is the
winner and gets all the cards. In the event of a tie,
cards from the “round” are left on the table. Another
round of adding is done. Winner takes all!
“Facts on the Brain”
• Groups: Three students
• Materials: Playing or Number Cards
• Directions: the object of this game is to practice finding sums and missing
addends. One player will be the sum finder, while the other two will be addends.
• 1. The sum finder gives each addend a pile of cards that are face down.
• 2. The sum finder counts aloud,” 1,2,3!”
• 3. On “3,” each addend lifts a card from his or her pile and places it on their
heads.
• 4. The sum finder announces the sum of the two numbers.
• 5. Knowing the sum, each addend looks at their partner’s number to determine
their missing addend.
• 6. The first student to announce the correct missing addend wins that round and
gets both cards.
• 7. The students repeat steps 2 through 6 and continue until their cards decks are
used.
• 8. When finished with the decks, students rotate roles and begin practicing
again.
How do I assess this type of
learning?
Aspects of formative assessment
Teacher
Peer
Learner
Where the learner
is going
Where the learner is
How to get there
Clarify and share learning
intentions
Engineering effective
discussions, tasks and
activities that elicit evidence
of learning
Providing feedback
that moves learners
forward
Understand and share
learning intentions
Activating students as learning
resources for one another
Understand learning
intentions
Activating students as owners
of their own learning
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http://www.eduplace.com/science/profdev/articles/valentino.html
http://www.syntiro.org/resources/handouts/PDF/handout%20-%20fg%20%20tips%20on%20managing.pdf
http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Dozen-Surefire-Tips-on-Flexible-Grouping-and-Small-GroupLearning&id=4872300
Marzano, R. (2001). Classroom Instruction That Works: research based strategies that work.
McRiel: Danvers, MA.
Moser, & Boushey. (2006). The Daily 5: Fostering literacy independence in the classroom.
Crystal Spring Books:
http://www.learner.org/workshops/readingk2/pdf/session6/FlexibleGroups.2.pdf
www.rtsd.org/59996823234213/.../FLEXIBLE_GROUPING_WS.ppt
http://www.fcpsteach.org/docs/Differentiation.packet.pdf
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/25205421/IMPROVEMENT-OF-OFF-TASK-BEHAVIOR-OFELEMENTARY-AND-HIGH-SCHOOL
http://www.eduplace.com/science/profdev/articles/valentino.html
Bellanca, J. & Fogarty, R. (1991): Blueprints for Thinking in the Cooperative Classroom. H.B.E.
Forsten, National Conference on Singapore Math Strategies 2010