Date of Award
8-26-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Education
Department
Education
Program
Differentiated Instruction
Capstone Instructor
Kelly Sadlovsky
Second Reader
Dr. Jeanetta Searcy-Cooper and Kristin Blevins
Keywords
Science of Reading (SOR), core components of SOR, decodable books, leveled readers, instructional strategies, effective ways to groups students
Abstract
This paper examined how the Science of Reading (SOR) practices enhance student success in small-group reading. Specifically, the purpose of this research is to analyze which SOR-aligned instructional practices are the most beneficial for promoting student success in small-group settings and to examine practices that may be less effective. Effective reading practices are crucial for small-group instruction (Smith et al., 2022). When instruction is strategically designed around students’ specific reading needs, educators can provide a more targeted and personalized support that may be difficult to achieve during whole-group instruction. During small-group learning, teachers can differentiate instruction by aligning lessons with students' readiness levels, interests, instructional needs, and learning profiles. Key questions in the field include how to group students effectively, which resources best support small-group reading, and which instructional strategies to prioritize. The Science of Reading (SOR) is an instructional approach that focuses on how the brain learns to read and on what teachers must teach to teach reading effectively (Shanahan, 2020). This paper will examine how the Science of Reading (SOR) can improve small-group reading instruction by using evidence-based teaching practices that target students' specific reading needs. Rather than grouping students by overall reading level, this paper will argue that teachers should group students by specific skills such as decoding, fluency, or comprehension to provide more focused instruction.
Keywords: decoding, differentiated instruction, phonemes, Science of Reading (SOR), and small group reading instruction
Recommended Citation
Morman, D. (2026). How Does The Science of Reading Approach Enhance Small Reading Group Instruction? (Thesis, Concordia University, St. Paul). Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/teacher-education_masters/188