What do I do during Small Group Intervention?
This is by far one of the most common questions asked by teachers using UFLI in their kindergarten, first-grade, and second-grade classrooms. And it's completely understandable! Planning for phonics intervention groups that meet the needs of your individual students is VERY TIME CONSUMING! And let's be real, teachers don't have extra time.
The wonderful thing about UFLI is that all of the instructional guidance you need is included in the manual. However, it can be overwhelming to know exactly what to do with that information, to know how to scaffold the skills appropriately, and how to fit it all into a 15-30 minute block.
So here are some tips to cut planning time and make your small group time more intentional and impactful.
(And if you want it all done for you, I have 12+ pages of Small Group Lesson Plans aligned to EVERY UFLI lesson! Just click here.)
1. Be ready.
Being ready doesn't mean that you must spend hours prepping. It just means you have some instructional stuff at your small group table that is ready to go. Check out the materials list below.
Your UFLI manual for word lists
Magnetic letters for word manipulation
Whiteboards and dry-erase markers (I skip the whiteboards and let kids write directly on the table.)
Games in sheet protectors
2. Only give students what they actually need!
This seems obvious, but when you are monitoring 20+ kids in a classroom, it's not easy. If you're unsure what to do, use the skill progression below. Each task builds on the next, progressing in difficulty! As your students start to struggle, stop and spend time on that task.
1: The HOOK! Use picture cards to start a discussion about the target grapheme in various words.
2: Work on phonemic awareness. Can the child...
identify if a word does or does not have the target sound?
blend sounds together to make a word?
be given a word with the target sound and segmented into phonemes?
notice a pattern about the placement of the sound in a word? Does it occur at the beginning of a word, the middle of a word, and or the end of a word?
3: Practice reading words and isolation. If the students struggle, scaffold the skill by underlining or highlighting the specific grapheme you're practicing.
4: Build and manipulate words using the word chains in the UFLI manual.
5: Practice Heart Words (irregular, high-frequency words) by orthographic mapping and multisensory practice.
6: Spell words.
7: Practice, practice, practice through games at the small group table.
These UFLI-aligned small-group intervention lesson plans have a step-by-step, page-by-page guide for all 7 steps listed above. You can download a full [FREE] lesson plan here.
3. Play games that require practice, practice, and more practice!
Here is your recipe for success:
Every kid reads every turn + feedback provided immediately = Purposeful Practice
Classroom games are meant to practice skills while having fun. Teachers can choose the game type depending on factors like time, number of students, level of difficulty, etc.
It is imperative that teachers provide feedback during gameplay during skill intervention. Correcting misread words will prevent students from reinforcing decoding errors. Students are at your small group table because they don't yet have the skills to read these words successfully on their own.
For a low-prep option, slide your printed games in dry-erase pockets or page protectors to be used with different colored dry-erase markers! You can find hundreds of partner and small-group games HERE.
UFLI Roll-and-Read games are available online HERE.
PS: Small group intervention only works if the teacher can give their full attention.
The other students need to be engaged in intentional practice as well. We all know that independent centers require lots of time teaching and practicing routines and procedures. What do the other students do while you are at your small group table? Skip the coloring sheets and use engaging practice games and quality online apps for the other students. I know, easier said than done! I'll add some helpful ideas below.
Practice with aligned decodable readers (partner read, highlight phonics pattern, read and illustrate, etc.)
All 7 steps outlined in this blog are included!
Happy Teaching!
-Christan @ Flying Through Phonics