Reading Small Group Lesson Plan for Special Education: Decoding Example
A finished reading small group for four students: decodable words read, built, and written around the table, with a per-student data grid and the while-you-teach coverage plan.
- Reading
- Ages 6-9
- Group of 4
- 20 minutes
- Free printable PDF
Page 1 of 2. Page 2 is the per-student data grid.
What’s inside this small group plan
Objective: Each student reads, builds, and writes four decodable words at their own word list level.
The goal it serves: Given a decodable word, the student will read it, build it with tiles, and write it, with 80% accuracy across 4 of 5 consecutive sessions.
- 3 min Hook
- 3 min Model
- 9 min Guided Rounds
- 3 min Quick Check
- 2 min Wrap & Preview
4 students at the table, initials only, each with a level, communication mode, and starting prompt. Page 2 is the per-student data grid: one row per student, one cell per round, with the prompt key printed underneath, plus differentiation by support level and the while-you-teach coverage plan for the rest of the room.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a small group lesson plan different from a whole-class lesson plan?
- The whole page is built around the table: an initials-only roster with each student's level and starting prompt, rounds where every student responds every time, a per-student data grid, and a while-you-teach strip covering the rest of the room. A whole-class plan tracks the lesson; this plan tracks each learner.
- Why does the plan list students by initials only?
- The page sits open on the group table where anyone can see it, so it never carries full names. Initials plus level, communication mode, and a works-when note give you the plan without exposing the student.
- How do I run the guided rounds with mixed levels at one table?
- Every student gets a word at their own list level, so the routine is shared while the content is differentiated. The More Support, On Level, and More Challenge lanes on page two say exactly how each band's version changes.
- What do I write in the data grid?
- One row per student, one cell per round: a plus for independent, or the prompt level you gave (verbal, gestural, physical). The prompt key is printed under the grid so a para records the same session the same way.
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