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Small-Group Reading Sets, K–2

Supplemental Small-Group Reading Instruction

Not all reading programs come with the essential, targeted small-group instruction that ensures all students are being met at their point of need. To address this, Being a Reader Small-Group Reading Sets, a component of the comprehensive core reading program, Being a Reader, is available as a supplement to any comprehensive, whole-class reading program.

These easy-to-use resources help K–2 students build and practice phonics and foundational skills, improve language comprehension, and develop independent thinking skills. 


How It Works

The instruction in Being a Reader Small-Group Reading Sets 1–12 is based on a developmental continuum that spans kindergarten through second grade. Skills, strategies, and texts become more complex as students advance.

Differentiated Small-Group Instruction

An initial placement assessment determines the entry point for each student. The teacher then groups students with similar needs to provide focused instruction. The small-group design enables teachers to observe and monitor student progress and make informed instructional decisions. 

Predictable Lesson Structure

A predictable lesson structure offers young learners a stable framework and routine, fostering a conducive environment for focused learning. For teachers, this predictability streamlines planning and instruction. Teachers have all of the tools and guidance needed to confidently advance students or provide targeted support.

Support for Emerging Readers

Sets 1–5 focus on phonological awareness; phonics, including decoding and spelling; and high-frequency words. These sets support students in the alphabetic and spelling-pattern phases of reading development.

Support for Developing Readers

Sets 6–12 focus on fluency, provide explicit instruction in reading strategies, and place an increasing emphasis on self-monitoring and self-correcting.

Grade LevelInstructional Focus
Kindergarten
(Sets 1–4)
Short vowels, single consonants, CVC words
Initial, final, medial sounds 
Consonant blends, digraphs, trigraphs
Inflectional endings: -s, -ed, -ing 
Long vowels, final -e, vowel patterns, r-controlled vowels
Grade 1
(Sets 3–8)
Consonant blends, digraphs, and trigraphs 
Inflectional endings: -s, -ed, -ing 
Long vowels, final -e, vowel patterns, r-controlled vowels
Silent letters and two-syllable decoding 
Word recognition and analysis 
Fluency, comprehension, independent thinking
Grade 2
(Sets 5–12)

Complex vowels
Silent letters, two-syllable decoding 
Word recognition and analysis 
Fluency
Comprehension and generating independent thinking with complex texts

NOTE: Students who complete Sets 1–5 will have mastered first-grade standards for single syllable phonics.
Additional instruction is needed beyond Set 5 for students to engage in polysyllabic decoding.


High-Quality Trade Books and Decodable Texts

Lessons are built around a collection of diverse, high-quality fiction and nonfiction texts that span a range of genres, while also ensuring wide appeal and equitable representation.


Aligned with SIPPS

For schools also looking for Tier II or Tier III intervention, SIPPS® provides an aligned scope and sequence to Being a Reader Small-Group Reading Sets instruction.

Using both programs together:

  • Ensures that ALL students master foundational reading skills
  • Provides students who need additional intervention with seamless support through an aligned scope and sequence, common routines, and a similar lesson structure

Digital Resources

  • Learning Portal: All essential digital resources plus access to digital texts for Sets 7–12
  • BookRoom! app (digital versions of books in Sets 1–6)
  • ClassView Pro: Data management for individual students and small groups

Get Sample Lessons

Access free sample lessons from Being a Reader Small-Group Reading.