Why should I do it:
- Way of empowering the student
- Prevents power struggle
- Makes students feel engaged and a part of the decision making process
- Increase compliance
- Students respond better to choices
- Improved coping when having to do an undesired task
- Decreases conflicts, refusals, defiance, and opposition
- Builds rapport
When should I do it:
- Offering students choices should be a regular part of classroom management and strategy
- When telling any student to do something or giving a directive
- When a student is reluctant to do something
- When a student is stuck on making a decision
- When a student engages in a power struggle or is argumentative
- When students become oppositional and defiant
- When students make excuses
- When students are reluctant
- When giving consequences
- When giving rewards
How do I do it:
- Speak in calm, neutral tone
- Provide the student with two or more choices that you will fully accept, for example, “you can either do your work sitting at your desk or sitting at the table”
- Have the student decide in ten seconds, or you will choose for them, for example, “I gave you several choices. If a choice isn’t made within 10 seconds, I will choose for you” (this prevents the choosing process from going on all day)
- Present the entire class or group with choices when assigning work, for example, “Students, you can either do the odds or evens, you choose”
- Give choices when rewarding, for example, “Johnny, do you want computer time or a fancy pencil?”
Resources & Support for technique:
