Does small group instruction improve student achievement? This year we have made small group instruction our instructional focus in my school. It is expected that small group instruction be used to meet the needs of the students who have some achievement gaps or to accelerate those who have mastered standards. Small group instruction is required to be implemented three times a week. Teachers must include small group instruction in their lesson plans. Our student body has 30 percent of the population in Tier 2 intervention. Our school has implemented strategies to help improve student knowledge, such annotating the learning objective and explaining the academic language so that students can grasp an understanding of the concept. We are expected to teach using the gradual release model, "I do, we do, and you do!" We are expected to craft assessments that require use of higher order thinking skills and implemented student choice within our lessons. This has helped promote self-efficacy of the students where they are taking ownership of their learning and they are more willing to experience productive struggle.Through my data collection and analyzing, I am attempting to show that the small group instruction occurring in my classroom is helping to increase students' mastery, and this will be shown through their benchmark scores. The data will show if there is a significant difference when small group instruction is given.

Methodology

Data was collected from my homeroom class which has 18 students. The students were given a place value assessment which was used to collect data. After completion of the first test, students were given additional instruction with small group instruction. At the conclusion of five days, students were retested. The same assessment was given for the retest. The assessment had 5 questions all used to assess the state standard for place value.

What type of test should I use to test? What can be my variables in this test