The Power of Choice
Engaging Reluctant Readers Through Autonomy
Countless teachers ask themselves, “How do I engage a kid who says reading is too boring, too challenging, or too tiring?” You can start to answer that question by paying attention to what students say about why they don’t want to read. Generally, those reasons aren’t just excuses; in fact, they offer teachers a lot of valuable information.
A student’s rationale behind their aversion to reading may speak to a barrier that is keeping them from accessing reading material in a meaningful way. Kids who say reading is boring may not have found content or a written format that they enjoy. If a student says reading is too tricky, their personal reading level may not match that of their grade level. If reading makes a kid tired, they may have a processing barrier or maybe even a visual impairment.
A teacher who is determined to get their students to read more will see all of those obstacles as opportunities to engage them with texts in new and creative ways.The UDL principle of engagement gives teachers insight into how to address common barriers associated with reading. One thing a teacher can do to increase engagement in their classes is to optimize individual choice and autonomy.
A teacher who is determined to get their students to read more will see all of those obstacles as opportunities to engage them with texts in new and creative ways.
Giving kids options doesn’t always mean giving them different content to read, although giving kids reading material based on their personal interests is a great and easy way to increase engagement! There are many ways to introduce variability, so students feel like they are in control of their reading experience.
Depending on what is developmentally appropriate, a teacher can adjust any of these factors to give their kids as much discretion and independence as possible:
-The level of perceived challenge
-The type of rewards or recognition available
-The context or content used for practicing and assessing skills
-The tools used for information gathering or production
-The color, design, or graphics of layouts, etc.
Read about how teachers all over the world are getting their kids excited about reading in Goalbook’s series, “Reading is too…” Engaging Reluctant Readers.
What strategies do you use to get your students excited about reading?
Learn more about Goalbook Pathways and sign up for a trial by following the links below. Your trial grants you access to reading passages and UDL strategy pages!
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