Small Group Reading and Math Intervention - Essay Example

Since each learner or group of learners is unique, it is important that intervention solutions that specifically meet the objectives and needs of each group of learners or each student are designed. It is only through meticulous program designing, planning, implementation, and teacher placement and training that a learning intervention may prove effective on at-risk learners, especially for technical subjects such as math (Angelillo, 2003). Additionally, sound intervention management, student assessments, and reporting are equally important in improving learners’ performances in math.

This paper explores small-group reading as a method of assisting “at-risk” math learners in the 3-8 grades. Small Group Reading Intervention for Math Among the interventions for math preferred by quite a number of instructors are reading interventions, mathematics interventions, and Algebra readiness. In reading interventions, small groups are often formed to help learners who are struggling to improve in their math to muster the necessary skills required for the subject. Consequently, math labs and/or the small groups are formed and used to build weak learners’ confidence in the fundamental concepts of math. . The achievement gap between the weak learners and the general class is thus bridged as the additional instruction given to this special group above the core math teaching helps them obtain the lacking skills and confidence.

Small group reading for math has been found to be particularly effective and beneficial for grades 3–8. Among the core elements of small group reading for math are flexible grouping, small-group reading sequence, appropriate texts, and teaching for understanding (Metsisto, 2001). Elements of Small Group Reading for Math To improve the performance and confidence of the “at-risk” group in a math class, small-group reading, which refers to an intervention in which instructors support, teach, and guide students on their math instructional level before, during, and after reading is always recommended.

The first step in small-group reading for math is the assessment of learners’ instructional levels by instructors. There are several methods of carrying out such an assessment including teacher observation and constant evaluations such as unofficial reading records. By forming small flexible groups, instructors are better placed to match learners’ math needs and abilities with the most appropriate reading resources/materials and partners (Metsisto, 2001). Further, small reading groups assist teachers to observe each learner’s reading behaviors, model-specific reading behaviors and reading strategies.

It is then recommended that each group should consist of between two and six learners with the same level of reading abilities, instructional level, and math abilities. The teacher’s role then becomes assisting math