This blog post is Part 1 of a two-part series unpacking how whole class reading can be utilised in the upper primary classroom. In Part 1 we briefly unpack our preconceptions around teaching in small groups and present whole class reading as a research based option to include in your literacy block.

Small Group Reading Instruction

For many teachers, small group reading has always been at the core of reading instruction. This is particularly true for those of us who were trained during the ‘balanced literacy era’.

Many of us spent hours administering running records or PROBE assessments, then sorting students into groups based on their ‘reading age’. At the time, this was standard practice, we were trained to do it. We now know these assessments don’t actually measure the core skills that decades of research have identified as essential for learning to read. In fact, the whole idea of grouping students by book level is now strongly challenged.

Small group reading instruction has been aimed at ‘matching’ students with books of a certain level — a practice that is strongly refuted (Shanahan, 2025).

After extensive testing, we quickly realised that students never fit neatly into three or four groups. Instead, we often found ourselves juggling six or more smaller groups, or managing just three very large ones.

Studies have long shown that more than 90% of primary teachers group for reading, with the practice continuing strongly into the upper grades (Austin & Morrison, 1963).

For many teachers, traditional ability grouping created more stress than success. Managing multiple reading groups often felt like a logistical nightmare, selecting sets of books at different levels, preparing follow-up tasks, and trying to keep the ‘non-group’ students engaged. While also trying to manage the pressure of somehow making it through all your reading groups within your literacy block.

To be clear, small group instruction still has an important role in literacy teaching, especially for students who need targeted intervention. However, it’s worth asking ourselves whether we’re using grouping intentionally, or simply because ‘that’s the way it’s always been done’. Taking time to reflect on our current practices can help us ensure we’re making choices that truly support learning.