Teaching Writing in Small Groups (and What the Other Kids Are Doing While You Do It)

Let’s be honest: the idea of teaching writing in small groups sounds amazing. In theory. The kind of thing you jot down on a PD day with a hopeful little star next to it—right before the real-world questions start swirling.

Like:
“But how do I fit it in?”
“What will the rest of the class be doing?”
“Is it even possible to keep it quiet enough to focus?”
And the kicker:
“Will this actually help my students become better writers, or is it just another thing to manage?”

Yep. I’ve had all of those thoughts. Probably more than once.

But I’ve also seen—and created—some truly magical writing growth when students get that small group attention. Guided writing instruction, when it’s done with intention (and a bit of patience), is powerful. It’s where the real breakthroughs happen. It’s where you catch the things that whole-group mini-lessons can’t quite reach.

And, yes, it’s totally doable—even if it doesn’t always look Pinterest-perfect.

Let’s dig in.

Why Teaching Writing in Small Groups Works

There’s something about a small group that shifts the vibe.

Maybe it’s the lower pressure.
Maybe it’s the chance to talk more, listen more, try more.
Maybe it’s just that feeling of being seen.

When we are teaching writing in small groups, we’re able to truly tailor instruction to what each student—or cluster of students—needs. Are they stuck on starting a sentence? Still working on encoding words with digraphs? Need to revisit that one sneaky punctuation rule again?

In a small group, you can go back. You can slow down. Or speed up.

And because you’re not trying to manage 20+ kids’ writing at once, you get to really notice things—those subtle little lightbulb moments (or the times a student writes “sed” for “said” and you realize it’s time for a quick encoding mini-lesson).

But Wait… What Are the Other Kids Doing?

Ah, the million-dollar question.

Because here’s the thing: the only way small group writing instruction works is if the rest of the class is independently engaged. Not just busy. Not just quiet. Engaged.

This is where a strong writing center setup becomes your best friend. Not fancy. Not elaborate. Just purposeful and predictable.

Think of writing centers as your classroom’s quiet hum while you’re deep in your group. Done right, they give your students meaningful practice with writing, encoding, vocabulary, or even a bit of choice-based creativity. All while freeing you up to really focus on your group.

Some writing center favorites that work well for first and second grade:

• Using Your Classroom Writing Center
• List Writing (seasonal topics are always a hit!)
• Pick a Prompt- Picture Writing Prompts
• Directed Drawing with Writing Prompts
• Roll-a-Sentence Games
• Word Banks with Labeling Pages
• Write the Room (with clipboards—somehow always exciting?)
• Partner Story Starters (collaborative, but structured)

Each activity should be something students can do with little to no help from you. That’s key. It might take some training at the beginning of the year (okay, definitely will), but once those routines are set? Game-changer.

What a Small Group Writing Lesson Might Look Like

I say “might” because there’s no single right way to do this. And that’s good news, actually.

Your small groups might run on a rotation schedule. Or they might be flexible and informal, pulled when you see a need.

Maybe you meet with three groups per week. Maybe just one or two. Some weeks, it won’t happen at all. That’s okay too.

Here’s one possible flow:

1. Quick Check-In (2-3 minutes)
How did writing go yesterday? Any questions, quick shares, or “I didn’t get it” moments? This is a great time to gather anecdotal info and ease into the session.

2. Mini-Lesson or Focus Skill (5 minutes)
This is where guided writing instruction shines. You might model how to use a transition word, or walk through how to stretch out a tricky word for encoding. Keep it super focused and short.

3. Guided Practice (10-12 minutes)
Students write with your support. You’re coaching, prompting, nudging. Sometimes you’re working sentence by sentence. Other times, you’re pointing out something a student did well and having others try it too.

4. Share or Reflect (2-3 minutes)
Not always possible—but when it is, it’s gold. A student shares a sentence they’re proud of. Another mentions a word they encoded successfully. You celebrate the effort.

Small group writing time doesn’t need to be long—20 minutes is plenty. And it doesn’t need to happen every day. In fact, a few times a week is often enough to make a meaningful impact.

A Note on Encoding Instruction

Here’s where things get especially meaningful in early elementary writing.

Encoding (the ability to take a spoken word and spell it using known phonics patterns) is a crucial skill. And small groups are the perfect place to teach and practice it.

When students write, they’re encoding constantly. But it’s not always obvious where the struggle is happening unless you’re sitting beside them.

In small groups, you can:

• Guide students in stretching words out slowly.
• Provide support with spelling patterns they’re working on (like short vowels or digraphs).
• Encourage sound boxes or phoneme-grapheme mapping.
• Reinforce what’s being taught in your phonics lessons with authentic, applied writing practice.

That connection between encoding instruction and writing fluency? It’s where the magic lives.

What About Grouping Students?

You don’t have to group by ability all the time. In fact, you probably shouldn’t.

Here are a few ways to flex your groups:

• By writing stage (sentence-level, paragraph, expanding ideas)
• By genre (personal narrative, opinion, informational)
• By need (students struggling with conventions or reluctant writers)
• By interest (same prompt or project, different levels of support)

Keep it fluid. Kids grow fast. A student might need help with capitals one week and be working on juicy details the next. That’s the beauty of small groups—you can move with them.

Real Talk: It Won’t Always Be Quiet

If you’re picturing a small group at the kidney table with the rest of the class silently writing away in perfect harmony… that’s adorable. But also, no.

There will be chatter. A marker will roll across the floor. Someone will forget where to put their paper.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t working.

Some days will feel amazing. Others will feel like chaos in a tote tray.

But if your students are growing, writing more, thinking more about their writing—then you’re on the right track.

Even if it doesn’t always look that way in the moment.

TL;DR – Quick Tips for Teaching Writing in Small Groups

• ✅ Keep your writing center routines tight and consistent.
• ✅ Use small group time for focused, targeted instruction.
• ✅ Embed encoding instruction into real writing tasks.
• ✅ Choose flexible groupings based on student needs and goals.
• ✅ Embrace imperfection—it’s all part of the process.

Final Thoughts (Sort of)

Teaching writing in small groups isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters most with the time and attention you have.

And no, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Just intentional.

Start small. Try one group a week. Rotate through. Use what you notice to guide your next move. And when you’re not sure? Let the writing tell you what’s next.

If this post resonated with you, I’d love to invite you to join the Primary Planet Newsletter! I share tips, tools, and ideas to support you in your teaching journey—and you’ll get a free sample of one of my small group writing resources to try out with your students. Pin the image below to keep this information on hand!

Happy Teaching!
Hilary 🌟