It is not unusual for many or most students in a kindergarten class, or even in some grade 1 classes, to test into Small-Group Reading Set 1. Set 1 is grade-level instruction for kindergarten.
To form groups in the situation where many students are placed into the same set, consider all the information available to you. The goal is to identify students who are similar in specific characteristics.
You might first look at the results of the placement assessment to support grouping decisions. Are there several students who know the same letter-sound correspondences? Are there several who did very well on high-frequency words and poorly on phonics, or vice versa? Look for patterns to help you group.
After you have taught the first four weeks of Set 1, the mastery test may provide additional information about students’ knowledge. Consider regrouping if necessary after mastery test 1