Using Flexible Grouping and Workstations in the Middle School

1
Using Flexible Grouping and Workstations in
theMiddle School
2
Flexible Grouping with Middle School Students

• Students are different from each other and
  challenged when provided programming at the
  appropriate level of instruction
• Teachers must look at each student individually
• Flexible grouping for the delivery of instruction
  is appropriate differentiation for all students

3
When does grouping facilitate instruction?
When it

• allows for quick mastery of information and ideas
  
• allows for additional exploration by students
  needing more time for mastery
• allows for both collaborative and independent
  work
• gives both students and teachers a voice in work
  arrangements

4
When does grouping facilitate instruction?
When it

• allows students to work with a wide variety of
  peers
• encourages teachers to try out students in a
  variety of work settings
• keeps students from being pegged as advanced or
  struggling

5
What activities lend themselves to group work?
6
Activities for Heterogeneous Grouping

• Open ended activities with use of strategies such
  as critical thinking, development of concepts,
  and generalizations
• Multidisciplinary themes
• When presenting new content

7
Group Work
Traditional
Cooperative Groups

• Task is usually a project
• Some students do more work and take most
  responsibility
• Some students are ignored by others in group
• Some students feel success, others feel
  frustration
• Each student cares most about what he/she learns
  and what grade he/she receives

• Task may be a project, brainstorming, problem
  solving
• Shared work and responsibility
• Participation of all students is encouraged
• Each students ideas and work are valued
• Students care about group learning

8
Flexible Grouping

• Begins with whole group assessment or
  instruction
• Students are divided by their need for either
  review, re-teaching, practice, or
  enrichment
• Grouping could be a single lesson or objective,
  a set of skills, a unit of study,
  or a major concept or theme
• Flexible grouping creates temporary groups for
  an hour, a day, a week, or a month or so --
  it does not create permanent groups.

9
Planning for GroupingQuestions to Consider

• When does grouping benefit students?
• When does grouping facilitate instruction?
• Which activities lend themselves to group work?
• How should I determine group membership?

10
When does grouping benefit students?

• When the task requires input from different types
  of learning styles and perspectives
• When the subject matter is new for all students
• When it allows all students to be engaged in real
  learning

11
Group Membership Can be Determined by

• Readiness
• Interest
• Reading Level
• Skill Level
• Background Knowledge
• Social Skills

12
Grouping Methods

• Teacher Assigned
• Student Selected
• Random

13
Pre-Assessment
The purpose of pre-assessment is to determine
what students know about a topic before it is
taught. Pre-assessment will help the teacher
determine flexible grouping patterns and should
be used regularly.
14
Pre-assessment Strategies

• Teacher prepared pre-test
• KWL Charts / Graphic Organizers
• Writing Prompts / Samples
• Guess Box
• Student demonstrations and discussions

• Student products and work samples
• Show of hands / EPR Every Pupil Response
• Standardized Tests / ISM Data
• Teacher observation / Checklist

15
Management of Groups

• Goal of the Activity
• Total number of Pupils in Class
• Number of Groups
• Number of Students in a Group
• Roles within the Group
• Teacher Role

16
Assessment

• A successful end product and/or the fulfilling
  the pre-stated objective.

17
Processing

• Individual and Group accountability activities
  which reflect the success of
• The student
• The group
• The objective for the teacher planned activity

18
Flexible Grouping
for the delivery of instruction is the
cornerstone of appropriate differentiation for
all students. The use of Flexible Grouping
assures Success for Every Student.
19

• Modified from a program developed by
• Elaine McArdle and Gina Woodward
• ELL Coordinators in Montgomery County Public
  Schools