Teachers would assign students to read a classic like Tom Sawyer and instead of being enamored with this classic tale, students were often less than thrilled.

What was once known as a rite of passage for students, is now leaving educators to believe that for students to be engaged in what they are reading, you must give them choices.

Giving students a say in their reading journey isn’t just a fun experiment, it’s a game-changer for fostering a love of literature and lifelong learning. Here’s why it works and how to make it happen in your classroom.

The Power of Choice

Think about the last time you read a book you loved. Chances are, you chose it because it intrigued you, aligned with your interests, or came highly recommended.

The same principle applies to students. When they get to select their own books, they take ownership of their reading experience, which naturally increases their investment in it.

Choice also empowers students. It sends a message that their preferences, interests, and opinions matter.

Whether it’s graphic novels, fantasy series, or nonfiction about animals, every student has unique preferences, and embracing those helps build their confidence and sense of individuality.

Research also supports the power of choice. Students who select their own reading material are more likely to finish their books, retain information, and develop a habit of regular reading.

Research conducted at the University of Maryland found that when students are given limited choices from a collection of books, it helps improve their performance on standardized tests, particularly the reading comprehension section.

By giving them this freedom, you’re nurturing intrinsic motivations, something every educator strives for.

The Benefits of Independent Reading

Allowing students to select their own books is paired perfectly with independent reading, a practice packed with valuable benefits. Here’s how it can make a difference.

Boosts Reading Skills

The more students read the more they build their vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency skills. By reading books they enjoy every day, even if it’s only for a few minutes, they are continually building their skills.

Develops Critical Thinking Skills

Choosing books requires students to think about their preferences, what genres they enjoy reading, and what piques their interest.

Then they must evaluate their decisions to choose a book that aligns with these factors. This requires critical thinking skills that they will use far beyond the classroom.

May Reduce Anxiety

When you give a reluctant reader a choice of what they want to read you are taking the pressure off of them. This allows students to choose books that they feel are more manageable and enjoyable to read.

Builds Empathy and Understanding

Allowing students to explore topics and characters they relate to or want to learn about helps build empathy and understanding. When you give a child the choice to read what they desire, they will want to read more.

The best way to get students to read more is to help them find one book in a series that they love, then they will want to continue to read every book in the series.

Practical Tips for Implementing Student Choice

Giving students book choices doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some strategies to make it work.

Create a Diverse Classroom Library

The first thing that you can do is to create a library that has a variety of genres, levels, and formats. Take a survey to see what your students enjoy reading.

Ask them what’s popular, what topics they are curious about, and what book series are their favorite. The more options you have the more likely every student will find something they enjoy reading.

Create a Space for Reading

Create a comfortable “book nook” in your classroom where students can unwind with a good book during free moments or after finishing their work early.

Add a soft rug, a beanbag chair, and natural light from a nearby window to make the space inviting and relaxing.

Dedicate Time for Reading

Dedicate a regular time in your schedule for independent reading to show students that reading is a priority. This uninterrupted time allows them to immerse themselves in their books, develop a habit of consistent reading, and build confidence in their literacy skills.

Whether it’s a few minutes daily or a longer session weekly, giving students this dedicated time encourages focus and fosters a love for reading.

Set Guidelines

While choice is the goal, some guidance is helpful. Teach students how to preview books, check the difficulty level, and decide if a book aligns with their interests.

This ensures they’re making informed choices while still feeling in control.

Celebrate Their Choices

Encourage students to share what they’re reading through book reviews, presentations, or casual discussions. When students see their peers excited about books, it creates a culture of reading in your classroom.

Letting students choose their own books is a proven way to boost engagement and foster a love of reading.

When you give students the freedom to explore books on their own terms, you’re not just building readers; you’re nurturing lifelong learners. So, let them browse, explore, and dive into the stories that speak to them. The results will be worth it.

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What is Student Choice?

Student choice is not just a menu of decisions, but it is about empowering students to establish what they want to learn. It involves a paradigm shift of inspiring possibilities. It allows freedom and power in the classroom. It provides students the autonomy to determine the route in which they want to go to learn new skills.

They also determine which strategies they want to employ. Student choice allows students the opportunity to choose the materials and the resources they will utilize. They explore themes and topics of what they want to learn about and expand their interests. Teachers encourage them to choose the format for their projects, work at their own pace, and provide tutoring and facilitation.

Students will be more accountable by managing their projects by setting deadlines and breaking down tasks. Teachers still need to make decisions because they possess the expertise and wisdom that students need. As enlightening as it sounds to allow students to decide what they want to learn, this is not reality where teachers are accountable for student learning and progress. Offering student choice is an invigorating way to teach what must be taught and increases the ability for students to retain the skills and information.

When teachers incorporate choice, students become lifelong learners and they retain the information at a much higher retention rate. Teachers partner with students and they learn to be creative, self-directed learners. Students enjoy what they are doing and learn more in the process. Everything in class is not a choice, but there are many opportunities to offer student choice in the classroom.

What are the Benefits of Student Choice?

There is a myriad of benefits of incorporating student choice into the classroom. Among these benefits are: tapping into multiple learning styles, encouraging positive behaviors, and empowerment of student ownership. Student choice encourages a positive learning atmosphere where all students are involved and engaged.

Student choice allows teachers to focus on small groups or individual students that may need extra assistance, and the others are engaged in their own tasks. Students ask their own questions and assess their own learning. They are involved in inspiring, creating, and designing the process of knowledge. This becomes a more personalized learning that is more flexible and less rigid. This is a shift in mindset for teachers and students. The learners become creative, critical thinkers. Teachers inspire innovation, authentic learning experiences and practical ways to empower students.

Student choice enhances students’ excitement about topics, curriculum, and their interests. Creativity is an essential skill for our youth, and these experiences increase their imagination. They discover powerful skills and increase their interests. These types of choices allow more meaningful learning to occur.

How You can Bring Student Choice into Your Class

Start simple by offering students easy activities to engage in when they are finished with their work such as independent reading, playing a math game, or writing in a journal. Another idea is to allow students the choice of who they work with. During these unprecedented times, many students are learning virtually and can still work together in small groups or as partners on assignments or projects online.

Teachers may also encourage students to decide the next math skill to be taught. An example of this would be providing a list of skills and asking the students what they would like to learn about next. This automatically increases their interest in what teachers are teaching. Offering flexible seating in the classroom is another opportunity for student choice. In classrooms that are still offering in-person learning, flexible seating may be limited. Students at any age enjoy freedom and autonomy in where they sit.

Free writing is another terrific way for student choice, as students learn the writing process and teachers can be proofreaders for them. There are many times when writing topics are assigned, and students enjoy the ability to write what they want to.

Lastly, a new and exciting way to offer student choice is incorporating written or digital choice boards. The possibilities are endless with this assignment. The choice boards are perfect for allowing students the opportunity to work on the assignments at their own pace, and they make the decision on which assignments they complete. An example of this would be to offer them a vocabulary choice board, and there are a specific amount of different assignments on it. They must complete some of the assignments, and they can choose which of those to complete.

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