When you Should be Using Strategy Groups for Reading

We have all heard of the buzzword “strategy groups.” Our principals tell us to work on strategy groups. We say “oh of course we are doing strategy groups…”. But in reality we have no idea what a strategy group is.

What are strategy groups?

Strategy groups are groups that are pulled by the teacher when a student is struggling on a specific skill. These groups should be seen once… maybe twice for each student for skills. That means we should not see the same student 10 times for the same strategy. The strategy group is meant to be a quick and effective way to teach students in a small group setting.

Guided Reading vs. Strategy Groups

Yes, this is different from Guided Reading. Guided reading provides a text for the students on their level and supports them at their level. Strategy group will teach the students how to tackle a strategy and it my not be on their level.

When do you pull strategy groups?

Can we work with a schedule? .You can absolutely work with the schedule. Below are three different options that I’ve use in my classroom to support my students and their strategy groups.

These groups are not perfect, nor do they need to be set in stone. Some weeks, I will not pull a strategy group because I don’t have a strategy that my students are working on. This is completely up to you and how you see fit in your classroom.

If you are looking for a Guided Reading Schedule, check that out here. If you need some ideas for different strategies, check out the book below with great tips and tricks.