PROMOTING
EARLY
LITERACY
Small Groups, Big Impact
Using Small-Group Instruction to Underpin Literacy Skills
NORLINE R. WILD
Miss Norline sits with two children at a small table, their heads bent in concentration as they decorate textured, gray pebbles. This hands-on activity was inspired by Lubna and Pebble, by Wendy Meddour. Miss Norline has read this book several times during whole group. Now, in this small-group setting, children are delving deeper. As they create, Miss Norline asks them open-ended questions about the story’ s characters to check in with each child and assess their literacy learning.
Miss Norline: Thinking about Lubna and her pebble, what made their connection special?
Charlotte: The pebble was her friend. She could talk to it when she was lonely.
Anna: Yeah, it made her feel better when she missed her home.
32 |
Educating Young Children |
Vol 1 No 4 |
Winter 2026 |
NAEYC. org / EYC |