Small-group instruction begins after the second unit. Small-group instruction is systematically sequenced, meaning lessons should be taught in the order they appear in the Small-Group Teacher’s Manual.
The instruction is divided into three sets of lessons:
- Letter Names and Letter Sounds (LNLS): This set focuses on teaching letter names and sounds for all consonants and short vowels through direct instruction. One LNLS lesson is taught to each small group per week.
- Writing: This set focuses on skills like proper writing grip, tracing lines and circles, and teaching handwriting stroke sequences for capital and lowercase letter formation. One Writing lesson is taught to each small group per week. The week's LNLS lesson must be taught before the week's Writing lesson because the content is intentionally sequenced across these two sets.
- Oral Language Development (Optional): These lessons are specifically designed for emergent multilingual learners or other students who need additional support with foundational oral language skills and common vocabulary. They teach everyday vocabulary and focus on speaking in complete sentences. These lessons are taught once per week to students who need this additional support.
Each small-group lesson is approximately 12 minutes long. Small-group instruction typically happens simultaneously with play centers, allowing one educator to work with small groups while others are engaged in playful learning.