While no two classrooms are the same, all classrooms have one thing in common: not every child in one classroom will learn in the same way as their peers nor will they all like to learn in the same manner as their peers. Mainini and Banes (2017) note that disengagement often occurs when the instruction is not meeting student’s level of understanding. Furthermore, if the instruction is too easy or too difficult for the student, their learning will not be maximized. The purpose of my study is to determine if data-driven, differentiated planning during small group mathematics instruction will increase student achievement in math. As a result, the articles addressed in this literature review are articles that further examine what is considered best practice when teaching students mathematics in order to best meet individual student needs. This year, I have 26 students with varying abilities and interests and based on the data I have gathered, my students’ abilities range greatly. Through collecting and examining various student data sources I have concluded that the on-level mathematics curriculum, alone, will not meet the needs of the majority of my students. From the examined literature, some common themes included the guided math model, strategies that build math skills such as math talks and math games, and progress monitoring have emerged. As such, the organization of this literature review will highlight these main themes to provide an overview of what is considered best practice,  at this time, when it comes to instruction in the area of mathematics.