CHAPTER 7

Skill Groups Model

Another powerful way to co-teach is by using the Skill Groups Model. Of all the models, this one most clearly expects teachers to provide instruction at a variety of readiness levels within a single lesson.

At a Glance

Ms. Silva, a board of education member, has made arrangements to visit co-teaching classrooms in several of the district’s schools. While she has been a vocal advocate for inclusive practices, she wants to see for herself what co-teaching looks like in action.

Her first stop is a fourth-grade class, co-taught between Mrs. Eley and Mrs. Harrington, a specialist in gifted education. She enters the classroom expecting to find Mrs. Harrington working with a small group of advanced learners at a back table. Instead, she finds a room buzzing with activity. Some students are at their desks, others on the floor, and several are at standing work stations. Some students are working quietly while others are engaged in lively discussion with peers. Both teachers are wandering the room, monitoring student work and facilitating learning. The classroom teacher excuses herself momentarily from the students and hands Ms. Silva a lesson plan to peruse (see Table 7.1).

TABLE 7.1: Skill Groups Lesson Plan

Objective: Students will be able to generate ideas for creative writing
GENERAL APPROACH TO LESSON	ADAPTATIONS TO RAISE COMPLEXITY
Mrs. H. will use www.RedKid.net, a sign generator website, to grab attention with whole class Mrs. E. will provide a mini-lesson introducing Pen the Tale—a strategy for mixing and matching different characters, actions and writing formats Mrs. H. will model her thinking aloud for an unusual combination Students will work independently or with peers to Pen the Tale Mrs. H. will develop/provide a worksheet for students to add to writing journal	Pen the Tale will include some challenging formats that have not been introduced in the fourth-grade curriculum Mrs. H. will set up and guide a computer station with a synonym generator website (www.visuwords.com)
	ADAPTATIONS TO SIMPLIFY COMPLEXITY
	Students will be directed toward choosing simpler combinations and formats Restickable dots will add tactile interaction Multiple ideas will be recorded in a journal prior to deciding which to write about

See Appendix A

After the observation, the co-teachers have an opportunity to debrief with Ms. Silva. Mrs. Harrington describes their philosophy: “Whenever possible, we try to design whole group instruction which subtly addresses various instructional levels, rather than separating a small group of students. By doing this, we can expose all the students to higher order thinking skills and challenging activities. Sometimes we are pleasantly surprised to see a less advanced student rise to the challenge!”

The Skill Groups Model asks the co-teachers to take a heterogeneous group of students and divide it into two or three more homogeneous ability-based groups for the purposes of planning and instruction. Sometimes these groups are physically separated, moving into different areas of the room and participating in different activities. But sometimes, as in the example above, the students work in a whole-group environment, with various levels seamlessly woven into the whole-group structure. The whole-group option allows all students to benefit from the expertise of two adults and be exposed to various instructional levels and strategies.

Teachers occasionally decide that students will benefit most from being divided into small groups based on readiness level. This decision is usually based on the recognition that one or more of the groups needs intense, focused instruction from a teacher. When partners make this decision, it is extremely important that the instruction they design for all groups is engaging. Problems are sure to arise if one group is involved in a stimulating, hands-on experience while the others are offered worksheets or humdrum review activities.

The following questions can guide teachers in choosing between the two options:

• Are students expected to show mastery at the end of this lesson? If so, do we need intense, focused, small-group instruction to accomplish that?
• Does the lesson allow for lots of individual work time naturally? Will we be able to wander and support individual students working at their own levels?
• Can we design a whole group lesson that includes strategies for simplifying the complexity while simultaneously including strategies for increasing the complexity?
• Have we committed to any individualized objectives that can only be addressed in a smaller group setting?

Roles and Responsibilities

The Skill Groups Model is often a component of the Duet Model. During their collaborative planning time, the teachers determine that a specific objective will be most effectively attained by addressing multiple instructional levels. This decision leads the teachers to confer about the benefits of separate small groups versus a large group approach. After reaching a conclusion, the partners split the responsibilities.

The Skill Groups Model can also be used without the in-depth planning required in the Duet Model. When a specialist has limited time for planning or for providing services in the general education classroom, the teammates might agree that the Skill Groups Model will be used for each of her visits. For example, a specialist in gifted education may be scheduled to co-teach in a specific classroom once or twice a week. She will need to ensure that her time provides a “bang”—a very direct, impactful lesson for the targeted students. Her responsibilities will be more limited than if she was able to fully share the role of teacher. Table 7.2 shows common responsibilities for partners using the Skill Groups Model.

TABLE 7.2: Collaborative Teaching Responsibilities Checklist—Skill Groups

Pros and Cons

One of the key components of differentiated instruction is readiness level. Any class will contain students functioning at a range of levels. The dedicated teacher, the teacher who has a desire to move all students forward, recognizes that instruction must accommodate multiple instructional levels. As a solo teacher, this is a laudable but difficult goal. As a co-teacher, this goal becomes reachable. Two adults, purposefully constructing and implementing lessons together, can provide students with instruction catered to their current readiness levels. The Skill Groups Model is the only co-teaching model that is clearly defined by this goal.

“Two adults, purposefully constructing and implementing lessons together, can provide students with instruction catered to their current readiness levels.”

Specialists who are spread thinly across multiple classrooms appreciate the focus of the Skill Groups Model. Rather than being fully involved in all aspects of educating a particular class of students, the specialist can concentrate his or her skills on meeting the needs of targeted students while still having an influence on instruction for students who have not been labeled. In the previous example, Mrs. Harrington has suggested a writing activity that will challenge the students identified as gifted while also enriching the writing experience for all the students in the class. At other times, she may design an activity for a small, more homogeneous group of students who are at an advanced readiness stage with the specific content of the day. This group will be composed primarily of labeled students, but will likely include others who are ready to be challenged. While the specialist is providing a stimulating small-group lesson to her group, the other groups are also receiving interesting leveled instruction and activities.

Another benefit arises from the Skill Groups Model when co-teachers use the whole-group option. Because targeted students are not pulled aside into a homogeneous group, the fact that they are “different”—struggling, learning English, and so forth—is deemphasized. They are less likely to experience embarrassment or a sense of isolation than when they are physically separated. Therefore, many co-teachers make it their goal to mix the two approaches as much as possible.

The most significant risk of this model arises from the use of small, separate groups. A sense of tracking can occur if the small groups always have the same membership, and the specialist is always the one who works with the targeted group. Students may voice complaints about being pulled aside, about being embarrassed, or about not having access to the activities other students are experiencing. Co-teachers will want to be sensitive to student perceptions and feelings when designing small groups.

An additional risk to only using small groups—the rest of the class is less likely to benefit from the specialist’s expertise. Because specialists have a bounty of skills that can enrich learning for all students, co-teachers will want to develop ways to spread the wealth.

GUIDING QUESTIONS WHEN CONSIDERING THE SKILL GROUPS MODEL

• Are we both comfortable with a moderate level of noise in the room as multiple groups are engaged, perhaps in different activities?
• Can we think of ways to avoid having students feel like they are in “the dummies” group?
• Would we design the whole lesson together, or each take on the responsibility of designing for specific groups?
• Do we have strategies for quickly moving students into groups so that time is not wasted?
• Are there natural spaces in the room that lend themselves to dividing up into groups?

TO SUM UP

• In the Skill Groups Model, teachers place a strong emphasis on differentiation. Instructional design incorporates multiple readiness levels so that student needs are met.
• Teachers must carefully design the levels of instruction so that students who struggle are not embarrassed by easier work. Teachers can take proactive steps to develop a classroom culture that respects individual learning differences.