Sitting down to plan small groups for special education can be HARD! Where do you start? How do you create groups? Who needs pulled, and when?
It can be challenging. But in my opinion, it starts by grouping students with similar goals. To do that, I created a template that makes this process easy.
Print the Template
To start, print this Small Group Planning Template. This template has blank, editable columns on the left hand side. Customize with the grade levels for the students you service.
Gather Your Goals
Since everything we do is driven by IEP goals, you’ll need to make a list of the IEP goals that your students have. Depending on the time of year, you may already have or know this information.
Group Based on Similar Goals
Start plotting students onto the planning page based on their grade level and IEP goal. I typically create one of these for reading and a separate one for math.
Look for Outliers
There will always be a kid or two that just doesn’t fit in with others in their grade level. Sometimes, you have to get creative with scheduling them. Maybe they can tag along with another grade level. Maybe they would really benefit from that one on one time with you, if time allows. These students need special planning to figure out how to meet their needs the best.