Small Group Phonics for Tier 1?

🙋‍♂️I Have A Question About Tier 1 Phonics Instruction—What’s Best? ⁉️

Back in 2018, I wrote a white paper asking, “What Is the Evidence for an Uninterrupted, 90-Minute Literacy Block?” Like many literacy leaders, I had recommended this whole-group, Tier 1 structure for years, but without knowing why. Surprisingly, the research wasn’t easy to find. I conducted a literature review and shared my findings—and that paper has since been widely cited.

Recently a friend raised a related question: Should Tier 1 phonics be taught in small groups instead of whole-group? Many leaders are asking this as they reevaluate their 90-minute literacy blocks. Some curricula even recommend it during core instruction.

Curious about this, I started digging again. What I found surprised me. Two voices I respect in the Science of Reading world offer differing views:

In Favor of Small Groups:

Linda Diamond (2023) argues that replacing whole-group phonics with small groups can boost success. She highlights:

📖 Small groups allow for differentiated instruction that is tailored to students’ prior knowledge.

📖 A “mastery-based approach” that is “accelerative” in small groups (e.g., walk-to-read, push-in support) may be more likely to produce faster and more meaningful gains.

📖 Whole group instruction may be a mismatch for students between phonics content and the pace learners need, reducing efficiency.

These points make sense, but many of her citations focus on small groups during intervention or upper grades—not Tier 1. That raised questions for me, especially around feasibility and time.

In Favor of Whole-Group:

Timothy Shanahan (2024 and 2025) makes a strong case for whole-group phonics instruction:

✅ The existing research does not support small group for Tier 1. Inferences from meta-analyses favor a whole-group approach for a variety of reasons. Research on the effectiveness of small groups typically comes from intervention settings, not core instruction, where it makes more sense to use small group models.

✅ Given school time constraints, small groups during Tier 1 can reduce overall instructional time, so any benefits from a small group context are outweighed by overall lost instructional time (i.e., students may get more tailored instruction in small groups, but they get far less of it).

✅ Phonics skills do not have to be taught strictly in a sequential order. While the typical sequence is useful, students can still benefit from learning with their peers—out of “mastery” order. This means that whole group instruction still provides benefits for those educators may think aren't ready for it.

[After this blog was first posted, Dr. Shanahan updated his blog on this topic in June 2025. He provides an excellent explanation of why small group teaching during core instruction creates a disadvantage to both teachers and students. I highly recommend it for further insight!]

Where I Land:

Mastery-based phonics learning matters, and the idea of accelerating it makes sense if people choose to change their Tier 1 approach to a small group model, but I would have concerns about that. 

I remain in favor of whole-group Tier 1 phonics. 

Given all of the original reasons why the whole-group 90-minute reading block is the standard for Tier 1, small-group Tier 1 instruction creates risks. It can lead a system back down the old “tracking” route that was popular in the 90s. It creates the potential for students to be leveled in ways that never allow them to catch up. It also adds unnecessary complexity to teacher planning processes, and it reduces overall instructional time if not expertly managed. 

Whole-group Tier 1 instruction creates consistent and reliable access for students to grade level learning and maximizes instructional time on task. For these reasons, I remain in favor of whole-group Tier 1 phonics. 

References

Diamond, L. (2023) Small group reading instruction and mastery learning: The missing practices for effective and equitable foundational skills instruction [White paper]. Collaborative Classroom. https://cdn.collaborativeclassroom.org/white-paper/small-group-reading-instruction-and-mastery-learning.pdf

Shanahan, T. (2024) Small Group Phonics in the Classroom — Good Idea or Not? [Blog] Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/blogs/shanahan-on-literacy/small-group-phonics-classroom-good-idea-or-not?

Shanahan, T. (2025). Should Reading Be Taught Whole Class or Small Group? [Blog and Podcast] Shanahan on Literacy. https://www.shanahanonliteracy.com/blog/should-reading-be-taught-whole-class-or-small-group-1

Underwood, Steve. (1998). What is the Evidence for an Uninterrupted, 90-Minute Literacy Instruction Block? [Brief]. https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/uninterrupted-literacy-block-brief.pdf