Teachers need to modify the way they teach in order to meet the unique learning characteristics of each of the students in their classroom. Consequently, teachers are looking for instructional strategies that are effective for small group and individualized instruction within their classroom. Small group and individualized modifications take minimal preplanning and preparation to implement and apply within the classroom. There are a combination of factors that influence a student’s engagement and academic responding in inclusive classrooms. The combination of factors are rather simple in their nature and could be easily incorporated into any given classroom. First, the arrangement of one-on-one and small group instruction, rather than whole class instruction, can directly increase of the student’s rate of engagement. Second, when the student is the focus of instruction, the teacher provides: (a)  specific opportunities for responses directed toward one-to-one or small groups of student, (b) specific materials, and (c) feedback given to the student, which improves the student’s rate of responding. Third, providing the student with individualized instruction dramatically increases the student’s engagement and academic responding.

Suggestions for Implementing Small Group and One-to-One Instruction

Sequential Instruction. Teaching students in a sequential manner occurs when each student has a turn to respond while their peers wait their turn. This teaching strategy was introduced by Brown, Holvoet, Guess, and Mulligan (1980). Reinforcing group members who attend to others as they take their turn increases the possibility for observational learning. Alternatively, waiting time can be replaced with other activities for students who are not good at waiting, but students involved in other activities have less opportunity for learning by observing others. When sequential instruction is used, it is better to give turns contingent on being ready or contingent on being prompted to be ready than to give turns to students who are inattentive or misbehaving. Thus turns may not be given in strict sequential order around the group.

Tandem Instruction. The teacher starts with one-to-one instruction and fades in other students one at a time until there is a desired small group. This strategy can be used with students who appear to have difficulties following similar requests to “stay on task to finish your work”, “follow along on your page”, or “look at this”, or participating without continuous reinforcement. Individual student’s attending skills are shaped along with the student’s ability to tolerate less reinforcement while gradually increasing group size. Also, the same attending skills can be shaped in the context of the group itself. Thus, tandem instruction can be used part of the day while the same student participates in some group for short periods.

Concurrent Instruction. The teacher provides direct instruction toward an entire small group of students, with individuals responding or with small group responding in unison. When the diversity of a group is increased, teachers must adjust their presentation of content so all students can understand (e.g., use prepared written directions, specific prepared responses, or concrete objects to describe the group task or concepts being taught) and allow a variety of response levels and modes so that all students can participate.

Combination Groups. Teachers often address a large group of students on a concept, give instructions for specific activity applying that concept (concurrently), and then divide students into smaller groups, often of mixed ability levels. Groups may have both independent or cooperative activities geared to individual abilities and goals. The teacher may provide directions to one group at a time or teach group using turn taking (sequential). Students who have difficulty working in a group may be faded gradually into a group (tandem model) from a one-to-one teaching arrangement in the same classroom. Likewise, students first may be taught to work independently for brief periods (e.g., complete twenty addition problems and match responses to twenty summation picture cards), afer which the student(s) join a small group, where individualized instruction is continued during turn taking.

Student-mediated instruction. Peer tutoring- This arrangement involves two students who participate in a tutor-tutee relationship. There are several formats for  peer tutoring. Among these are small group, cross-age, and home tutoring. In each of these formats, instruction and feedback are utilized to provide instruction.

1.    Learning together - Students are divided into group teams and are responsible for learning all of the material. In addition, each member is responsible for helping the others learn the material.

2.     Group investigation - Teacher provides the information to be investigated by the students. The students then select subareas of the information and problem-solve within groups.

3.     Team-assisted individualization - Students are arranged according to ability level. They complete their own work and assist one another when necessary. Each student is responsible for checking and routing work.

4.     Student teams and achievement divisions - Students work in teams to learn the material that the teacher has presented. Everyone must learn all material, taking quizzes individually to contribute to a group score.

5.     Teams-games-tournaments - Students also work in groups to learn the material presented by the teacher as in student teams and achievement divisions. In this type, however, they compete against peers with peers of a similar ability answering questions about the material practiced in teams.

6.     Learning Centers - Instructional devices that are developed to teach and reinforce specific goals and instructional objectives. They consists of a collection of materials designed to fit the differing age and ability levels in the class and can be used with elementary and secondary level students. Learning centers also can be based on a particular subject matter (e.g., reading), or based on a particular theme (e.g., circus).

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