Elevating Tier 1 Instruction With Differentiated Small Groups

While observing a sixth-grade math lesson, I witnessed a scene I have seen play out countless times in classrooms. The teacher was at the whiteboard, explaining the steps to solve a ratio problem. When she shifted from the direct instruction to the guided practice portion of the lesson, student engagement started to fall apart. A few confident hands shot into the air when she asked a question, but the majority of students stayed silent.

When the teacher asked a few quieter students to contribute, they were unable to answer her questions. In response, she reviewed parts of her earlier explanation. What was meant to be a 20-minute portion of the lesson drew past 40 minutes, leaving some students struggling and confused while others became disengaged and bored, ready to move on.

Scenes like this illustrate a central challenge that plays out in classrooms every day: even the most skilled teachers struggle to reach every student with a single, whole group lesson. In many classrooms, skills span several years, and multilingual learners are juggling the dual cognitive load of learning content while developing proficiency in a new language.

Because Tier 1 instruction is often described as core or universal, it’s easy to assume that it should be delivered to the whole class at once so that everyone receives the same information. Yet, challenging concepts and skills demand a different approach. When the data reveals that students are in dramatically different places in their understanding of a concept, that’s a signal that whole group instruction may not be the best mode of delivery.

In many classrooms, the range of skills, abilities, language proficiencies, and learning preferences requires differentiation within Tier 1 instruction to prevent an ever-growing need for Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions.

Using data to design responsive Tier 1 instruction

Instead of starting with whole group instruction and using small groups to intervene afterward, teachers can be more strategic in their approach to Tier 1. This is where data becomes a critical tool for identifying student needs before instruction. If data reveals that students are in different places with varied instructional needs, teachers can deliver Tier 1 instruction in small groups, differentiating the experience to proactively remove barriers to learning.

A preassessment could have revealed where students were in their understanding of ratios and their ability to solve related word problems. This data might have shown the need to differentiate instruction by strategically grouping students, adjusting the level of rigor and complexity, or offering different levels of scaffolding and support.

Making differentiation doable with the Station Rotation Model

Differentiating Tier 1 instruction in small groups is a high-quality teaching practice and one of the most effective ways to address students’ diverse needs in a classroom. To make that possible, teachers need an instructional model that intentionally builds in time for small group work.

The station rotation model does exactly that. This blended learning structure rotates students through a series of learning stations that include a teacher-led station, an online station, and an offline station. This structure creates time for teachers to deliver targeted instruction, model new skills, provide feedback, and collect formative data to support learners more effectively. The goal is to ensure that the learning experience is within each group’s zone of proximal development.

By design, the station rotation strengthens Tier 1 instruction, reducing the need for Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. When additional support is required, the same small group structure can be used to provide Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention in the general education classroom, avoiding the need to remove students for this support.

Structuring the teacher-led station

In addition to improving the effectiveness of instruction, the teacher-led small group dynamic allows the teacher to actively engage every learner in the experience. One effective structure for this is the gradual release of responsibility with an I do, we do, pairs do sequence. In the I do, the teacher models the process for that specific group, tailoring examples and explanations to the appropriate levels of rigor and complexity.

During the we do, students practice with the teacher, who can prompt, question, and check for understanding in real time. Finally, in the pairs do, the teacher strategically partners students to apply their learning, observing how well they transfer skills and identifying who may need additional scaffolding and support before independent practice.

Shifting the process from whole group to small group allows for more targeted differentiation, active engagement, accurate formative assessment, and stronger relationships with learners. This structure not only clarifies teacher moves but also gives flexibility in how groups are formed and supported.

Designing for skill-level and mixed-ability groups

When teachers design small group instruction using clear structures, like gradual release or concept attainment, they can effectively differentiate instruction for both skill levels and mixed-skill groupings. Skill-based grouping allows teachers to match instruction to each group’s readiness level when introducing a new or complex concept.

By contrast, mixed-skill groups leverage peer modeling and support. In these groups the I do and we do portions remain consistent for all students, since the teacher is doing the heavy cognitive lift. During the pairs do, teachers can adjust task complexity or pair students strategically to provide practice at varying levels of rigor, followed by tiered you do tasks for independent work.

Teaching smarter with small groups

Classrooms today are composed of increasingly diverse skills, instructional needs, learning preferences, and language proficiencies. The teacher-led station in the station rotation model gives educators a structure to embrace that diversity rather than feel overwhelmed by it. When small group instruction becomes a regular part of Tier 1 instruction, differentiation shifts from being an occasional accommodation to an everyday best practice.

This approach empowers teachers to use ongoing data to decide what belongs in whole group instruction and what should be pulled into targeted small groups, ensuring that core instruction is effective and responsive for every learner.

Viewing small groups as a foundation of high-quality Tier 1 instruction, not an intervention strategy, helps teachers feel more effective and students more successful. Teachers can see comprehension and growth in real time, while students experience learning that is accessible, personalized, and relevant.

The station rotation model also blends online and offline learning intentionally, giving students greater control over the pace and path of their learning while strengthening communication, collaboration, self-regulation, and interpersonal skills. Ultimately, differentiating Tier 1 instruction isn’t about doing more; it’s about teaching smarter.