Reading Professional Development For Teachers: Classroom Management Strategies: Creating Small Groups to Support Struggling Readers in Large Classes

You have a large class of older students. Through data collection, you find that a few of them are substantially behind in reading. You want to help these struggling readers, but your class is just too big. There’s no time, very few resources, no extra money, and too many distractions. Plus, you have to stick to the curriculum, leaving little room for small-group instruction. 

So, what do you do to help create the best reading programs for struggling readers within your classroom? Here are four potential options to help not only your small group of struggling readers but your whole class as well:

A) Talk to your teaching team to find creative ways to work together and make it happen. They have struggling readers too. Create professional learning communities. Collaborating with colleagues can help distribute the workload. Research shows that "collaborative teaching strategies improve student outcomes in various subjects, especially literacy" (Friend, 2014). Working together allows for shared responsibility in managing instruction and providing individualized attention, even in large classes.  Your colleagues might have tricks you have not tried.  For example, you might want to take time to assess a student.  Your team might also have students that need assessing.  While they work with your students, you can pull students from all the classes. 

B) Get parents or volunteers involved to assist with managing small groups or other tasks. They can be part of your professional learning community. Parental and volunteer support has been shown to improve classroom engagement and create more individualized instruction time (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002). Parents and volunteers can manage small groups or help facilitate reading activities, freeing you up to focus on your struggling readers. This involvement can foster a more personalized learning environment, even with limited resources.  Parents can play games with groups in the hall, in the class, or in another space.  Parents may not know what to do, but you set them up with games or activities.  Students are learning, and you can focus on a small group.

C) Rotate small groups throughout the week, giving each group a clear task so you can meet with everyone. Rotating small groups is an effective strategy that maximizes limited instructional time. According to research by Fountas and Pinnell (2018), small-group instruction can lead to more targeted and impactful learning, particularly when used to focus on specific skill gaps. Even in large classes, strategic group rotations allow teachers to differentiate their instruction while ensuring all students receive focused attention.  This here is my favorite, and I’ve been very good at it for many years.  How easy is it to make groups of 2-4 (5 gets too big) students?  It has so many levels. They practice their independence as learners, they experiment with their role in the classrooms as leaders.  The most disruptive student ends up becoming a leader.  I’ve worked with educators who struggle with this.  But most of the time, it’s because they give up, aren’t consistent, or have not established clear expectations.  It works.  It’s great.  I love this part of the day.  I love watching learners talk to each other, walk around the classroom with purpose, and use resources with meaning, while I focus with groups consistently day by day on what they need.

Maybe you don't want to have small groups, but you can still meet with each student, even if you are in a large class. This is one of my favorite activities and one that gives me the most authentic data on a student's reading level. You sit and have a conversation with a student.  Sounds too easy to be true. The data you get is huge, and you can mine individualized strategies as you have that conversation. They read a bit, you might ask them to read a small chunk to you. Then, you take notes in your journal, ask specific and well-thought-out questions, and guide them on a strategy. Then, check back with them. Try and systematize your conversations by putting each student on a weekly rotation.  It would be great if you could get to all of them, but if you can't, prioritize your conversations around struggling readers.

D) Do nothing and focus on getting through the curriculum before the school year ends. While it's tempting to push through the curriculum, research shows that neglecting struggling readers has long-term consequences. According to Snow, Burns, and Griffin (1998), older students who don’t receive targeted interventions to address reading struggles are more likely to fall further behind, with lasting academic and social impacts. 

I bring this up because it’s one of the most common challenges I hear from teachers when it comes to small-group instruction. Just last week, during a workshop Q&A, a teacher shared that her class size was too large to fit in time for small group work or assessments.  Another educator commented, “It’s different here, we don’t have resources and our classes are too big.”

I have visited classes of over 50.  I wasn’t the teacher, but the teacher (who was 9 months pregnant by the way) had great discipline, which stemmed from the class trusting her.  She met with her 4 low readers daily.  It was “their” time.  Everyone had time.  She and her class spent at least 2 months setting up this high expectation and she was able to offer differentiated learning to her low readers.

Effective Classroom Management Strategies for Large Classes

Now that you’ve implemented small groups, problems arise: the students are disruptive and confused, and you can’t focus on your struggling readers. What can you do? Managing a large class requires clear, consistent classroom management strategies. Research indicates that proactive behavior management strategies are effective for maintaining order and improving engagement (Simonsen et al., 2008).

Here are 3 strategies you could implement:  Hot tip!  This will take time to implement.  Some students will pick up on it fast.  I think 8 weeks is a good rule of thumb.

1. Set clear goals and expectations: Establishing rules and expectations with students and sticking to them is essential. Communicate clear behavior expectations at the start of the week and review them frequently. A study by Emmer and Evertson (2013) found that students in classrooms with clear routines and expectations displayed fewer disruptive behaviors and improved academic outcomes.  You know your class best.  Rules work best when students are involved with their creation.  Let them help you and adjust as you go.
2. Stay consistent: Consistency with classroom expectations is essential for creating small groups. This helps struggling readers (all students)  feel safe and supported, knowing they can rely on routine. Establishing an effective small-group system in the first few days or weeks takes patience and persistence, but it will come together. Stay the course! I remember when a doubting team member visited my classroom while we were transitioning into small groups. “It’s too much work and there are too many in the class.  Plus you have students X, Y, and Z.  It will never work”  At first, she couldn’t believe her eyes. What appeared to be chaos was actually students preparing for small group work after about three months of practicing the same routine. In just five minutes, students were gathering books, meeting with partners, and finding resources. Soon, they were focused and on task, while I quietly worked with my struggling readers.  Extra work?  No.  At the front end, what you create, you keep (and share).  Your toolbox of resources and data grows. 
3. Use peer support: For the most disruptive students, pairing them with a more responsible classmate or trusting them with authentic leadership roles (like being the timekeeper) can redirect their energy into positive contributions. Leadership roles have been shown to enhance students’ self-regulation and focus (Johnson & Johnson, 2017).  I happen to be drawn to students who struggle more with independence.  I have seen them, over and over, create leadership habits in the classroom, and succeed. 

By implementing these strategies, you can manage a large classroom more effectively, allowing you to focus on your struggling readers without compromising the rest of the class.  Also remember, you created a professional learning community.  You are not alone.

The Two-Minute Rule: Making Reading a Habit for Struggling Readers

Once you’ve established classroom management and set up small groups, How do you implement your reading program for struggling readers? it’s important to help struggling readers develop strong reading habits. But how do you make reading less overwhelming for students who already feel behind? The answer lies in starting small and building momentum. James Clear, in his book Atomic Habits (2018), describes the "Two-Minute Rule"—an approach that can be adapted to foster a reading habit in even the most reluctant students.

Start by setting an easy goal: "Read for one minute." This is a simple, manageable target. As Clear suggests, "When you start a habit, it should take less than two minutes to do." Once the student can comfortably read for one minute, they’ll build up to two minutes, then five, and so on. Over time, this consistent habit will grow into sustained reading practice without the overwhelming pressure.  Any reading program for a struggling reader you set in place, won’t work unless they have stamina and are on the road to building a reading habit.

Examples:

• Instead of setting a goal to "read for 20 minutes each night," break it down to "read for 2 minutes."
• For a more reluctant reader, even "grab a book and look at the pictures" can be a non-threatening start that leads to deeper engagement over time.

Research by Morgan and Fuchs (2007) supports the idea that incremental progress in reading habits, particularly in struggling readers, leads to long-term gains in reading fluency and comprehension.

Managing a large class while implementing reading programs for struggling readers is a challenge, but with strategic planning and consistent effort, it’s possible to create an environment where all students will grow both in skill and confidence. Whether it’s collaborating with your teaching team, engaging parents and volunteers, or rotating small groups throughout the week, there are multiple ways to provide targeted support for struggling readers. Classroom management plays a critical role in ensuring these strategies work smoothly, and fostering leadership in students can improve their engagement and confidence.

Once you’ve established routines, building strong reading habits—starting with small, manageable steps like the Two-Minute Rule—can help struggling readers gain confidence and make consistent progress. The key is persistence and a belief in the process. With time, patience, and a commitment to your student's success, even large classes can become a place where every student gets the reading support they need. Remember, you are not alone in this journey; joining a professional learning community can provide valuable resources, fresh ideas, and shared solutions to help you create successful reading programs for struggling readers.