Basics of Student Choice
This is the main reason teachers offer students choices.
“What is to increase student engagement and ownership?”
This “board” offers students a menu of learning tasks to pick from.
“What is a choice board?”
Student choice encourages this sense of ownership and control over learning.
“What is motivation?”
Too many options can overwhelm students — this is known as what?
“What is choice overload?"
When students take active ownership of learning, it’s called this.
“What is student agency?”
the capacity for self-governance, meaning to make one's own choices and decisions based on one's own values and interests.
“What is autonomy?”
This “menu” provides structured activity options that meet standards.
“What is a learning menu?”
Offering choice supports this instructional framework that emphasizes flexibility.
“What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?”
Teachers can address this challenge by offering structure with limited options.
“What is student confusion or overwhelm?”
Offering choice throughout instruction and assessment — not just at the end — builds this.
“What is ongoing engagement?”
Letting students choose between writing an essay or making a video is an example of this.
“What is giving students choice in how they demonstrate learning?
This classroom strategy allows students to pick how they present what they know.
“What is offering choice in assessment format?”
Allowing students to pick reading materials is an example of promoting this.
“What is voice and choice?”
Giving students choice does NOT mean lowering this classroom expectation.
“What are academic standards or rigor?”
Letting students decide the order of class tasks is a simple example of this practice.
“What is daily student choice?”
This is what teachers must ensure when giving choices — all options meet these.
“What are the same learning objectives?”
Limiting the number of meaningful options helps prevent this problem.
“What is choice overload?”
Ultimately, giving students choice builds these lifelong skills.
“What are independence and self-direction?”
Choices should never include skipping these essential lessons.
“What are core subjects or standards?”
Giving students choices can lead to deeper learning and higher levels of this.
“What is engagement?”