Unlocking Voices And Versatility: 4 Reasons To Access Choice Boards In Your Classroom

The best thing about choice boards are your students ability to choose. Giving your students a choice lets student learn on their

terms. Your students will become equip to build their independences. Giving your students a choice will also help to build their

confidence. Choice board let students take charge of their own learning. Learning based on student interest can spark engagement.

Stick around to learn more about four reasons to access choice boards in your classroom and three tips you can use right now.

1. Use Visual Aids

First, what is a choice board? According to the Center for Treatment and Development (2020), “a choice board is visual support that include objects,

photos, pictures, line drawings, or text which can be used by your child to communicate what task, items, or activities they would like.”

2. Provide Objectives

How do you get started? Think about the objectives you want your students to achieve before creating the choice board. After the objective is

determined. You decide what it will look like. Is it going to be a list, menu, or table? A list can be used if you want your students to complete all of the

work. With a list, students can check off each task they complete. A menu choice board provides students with options to choose from. And a table can

give the students a range of task or activities to select from.

3. Give Task-Based Activities

After you create a menu, list, or table, you must decide what task or activities will be placed on the choice board. Usually two to four choice options is

ideal. Students with more experience using choice boards can be given more options to choose from. Think about whether you want students complete all

of task or activities on the board. Or will they just selecting those task or activities that interest them.

4. Integrate Research Projects

Ideas for choice boards can be task, items, or activities your students are working on currently. It may also involve extended or additional task or activities

you may not have had time to introduce or cover in class. These ideas can include review work for students who finish early. A board can give student

opportunities to work on projects as well. A project can focus on research-oriented topics in different areas such as social studies, health, or science.

Students can also be given websites to explore or practice skills. Math activities can provide students with an opportunity to dive deeper into number

recognition or problem solving. Gamification or writing activities can be the focus of a choice board. While links to YouTube videos can allow students to

view or complete book reviews, reports, or literacy activities using culturally relevant, diverse literature

Final Thoughts

Choice boards let students take charge of their own learning. Students can be given opportunities to explore, review, create, or practice skills. It is

important that when choice board are used in the classrooms that student be given instruction on how it is to be used. A choice board can be a valuable

learning option for students of all learning abilities. Because they can build confidence, independence, and engagement.

Here Are Three Tips To Keep In Mind:

· Use Feedback – As you integrate choice boards into your teaching practice, remember to experiment with different formats and content choices to suit your students’ needs. Be open to feedback and adapt your approach based on what works best for your classroom dynamic.

· Encourage Reflection – Encourage your students to reflect on their learning experiences with choice boards. Consider how the choices boards impacted their understanding of the topic and their overall engagement. Empower your students to take ownership of their learning journey.

· Continuous Improvement – Embrace improvements by regularly evaluating the effectiveness of your choice boards. Gather input from your students. Analyze your students outcomes, and adjust your strategies accordingly. Maximize the benefits of choice boards and create a more engaging learning environment for your students.