41. Small Groups Aligned with the Science of Reading with Christina Winter, Lead in Literacy

In this episode of Literacy in Color, I’m joined by my dear friend, Christina Winter from Lead in Literacy. Together, we dive into one of the hottest topics in structured literacy: small group instruction.

While some Science of Reading conversations debate whether small groups have a place in the literacy block, Christina reminds us that when done correctly—grounded in assessment, efficiency, and aligned routines—small groups can be one of the most powerful tools to differentiate instruction and target students’ exact needs.

Christina walks us through her ABC Framework for small groups:

• A — Assess
• B — Be Efficient
• C — Cut the Fluff

We also discuss how to fit small groups into busy schedules, what effective routines look like, how to handle pacing, and why teachers don't need to feel guilty about not seeing every student every day.

Key Takeaways:

• How small group instruction supports differentiated, targeted reading instruction.
• The importance of assessment-driven groupings based on universal screeners (Acadience, DIBELS, i-Ready, etc.)
• Why consistent instructional routines reduce teacher overwhelm and student anxiety.
• High-impact routines for small group instruction: phonemic awareness, word mapping, high-frequency words, blending, decodable text, comprehension, dictation, and word awareness.
• Teachers should prioritize students below benchmark for daily small groups while others can be seen less frequently.

Resources Mentioned:

• Christina's Free Small Group Toolkit (downloadable resource with lessons & templates)
• Book: A Fresh Look at Phonics by Wiley Blevins
• Dr. Julia Lindsey’s Instagram Post
• Stephanie Stollar’s Reading Science Academy
• Book: Atomic Habits by James Clear

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Connect with Christina Winter:

• Website: https://leadinliteracy.com/
• Instagram: @lead.in.literacy 
• Christina’s Membership Site: Leaders of Literacy

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