This month we will continue our review of the High-Leverage Practices (HLPs) developed by the CEC (Council for Exceptional Children) by looking at HLP 17: Use Flexible Grouping. As a reminder, HLPs are considered critical practices that teachers should master to improve student outcomes. To learn more about HLPs, click here.
Flexible groupings are used to meet the individual needs of students and to differentiate instruction. When considering flexible grouping you need to consider the lesson goals and objectives. You may consider small groups of same or mixed ability, whole-class, pairs, and individual instruction. These types of arrangements are used to accommodate learning differences, promote in-depth academic discussions, and facilitate collaborative student interactions. Special education teachers use data to identify what flexible grouping is best for their students. (McLeskey, J., Maheady, L., Billingsley, B. S., Brownell, M. T., & Lewis, T. J. (2022). High-leverage practices for Inclusive Classrooms. Routledge.)
Watch this video learn more about HLP #17!
Want to learn more…understood.org has a great resource for immediate application in your classroom.
Kennedy, M. J., Cook, L., Morano, S., & Peeples, K. N. (2019). High-leverage practice #17: Use Flexible Grouping. https://highleveragepractices.org/hlp-17-use-flexible-grouping