Strategies for More Choice and Voice in the Classroom

As literacy educators our goal each year is to create a safe learning environment where students feel empowered to take risks, think outside the box, and walk away with a wealth of knowledge. One way we can achieve this is by giving our students Choice and Voice. What does this mean? As scary and hard as it might sound, it’s giving up part of the decision-making process and letting students pick the books they want to read. *Studies have shown that by giving students the independence to decide what is taught and how to present their knowledge, it gives them a greater sense of autonomy, competence, and achievement. The article below gives 5 ways to give students more Choice and Voice in your classroom.

Independent reading is a perfect time and place for teachers to have mini lessons about how to choose just right books, discuss the different genres, and what to do when a reader makes a wrong choice. Our Choice and Voice Classroom Libraries are filled with a mix of genres, high interest fiction and nonfiction titles, and model texts for teachers to use throughout the year.

Click here to read 5 Ways to Give Your Students More Voice and Choice!