Executive Function Category: Planning, Self-Control, and Motivation

Purpose: When a student is provided choices, he or she feels a sense of ownership in the ability to make the choice and 'control' what happens next, which leads to further motivation.

Learning Goal: The student will select a choice when given 2 or 3 options in order to complete a task successfully.

Materials: Post-it notes, visuals, paper/pencil, verbal choices, and/or choice board

***Materials are optional. What you use really depends on how your student learns best.

Lesson Steps:

1. When your student is expected complete work, give the student 2 adult-selected choices of work to complete. This means, make sure you are okay with your student choosing either of the options you give.

Examples:

• • "Would you like to do your math worksheet, or write 3 sentences for your writing assignment?"

  • "You may choose to start your school work with 15 minutes of reading, or watching the lesson your teacher has sent."

  • For a student that needs limited verbal information, you can show the 2 options, or point to the options as you simple state, "Which one? Math or writing?"

2. Once your student has made the choice, that is the activity that should be completed. If your student is still struggling to get started, you can use some strategies from the other lessons on this site, such as a Learning Contracts or First, Then to help move the task forward.

3. This is a strategy that can be used to help your student complete school work, daily chores, or really any task that needs to be completed.