Student Choice
Overview
Providing students a voice in their learning is critical for making learning meaningful. When students are able to make choices about their learning and participate in instructional decisions, they are more engaged and intrinsically motivated to learn. Providing choice can also be powerful in assessments. Providing individual choice, flexibility, and autonomy to students aligns with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, which promotes personalized learning by recognizing and addressing the diverse needs, preferences, and interests of individual learners. Choice is especially important for students with learning disabilities who benefit from individualized support and accommodations to access content and maximize academic achievement. For students who have difficulty with Self-Regulation as it pertains to classroom norms, choice has been found to be an effective behavioral support. Educators who provide flexibility in assessments allow students to determine how they can best show their knowledge, increasing their Learning Mindset. It is important to distinguish student choice from free choice: while student choice typically refers to the idea of giving students the freedom to make decisions about their learning, free choice often focuses on play.
Example: Use This Strategy In in the Classroom
Design It into Your Product
Additional Resources
Additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.
Factors Supported by this Strategy
More Teacher Modeling & Support Strategies
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Self-advocacy is the ability of an individual to understand and effectively express and assert their own rights, needs, desires, and interests.
