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3 categories of Digital Learning Resources for Multilingual Learners

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Digital Support Features that can be enabled for Multilingual Learners

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Hyperlinked Digital Tools for Multilingual Learners to use their learning strategies

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Hyperlinked digital tools that promote Multilingual learners to interact with peers

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2 STEM Playlist Templates

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6 Templates for MLs with 2 language and literacy choices per column. These are just samples. Create different order of categories as you see fit.

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This or That Choice Board Templates_2023

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10 Tic Tac Toe Templates

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Book Creator - Love Learning - Book Creator app

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Teachers love it. Students love it. Book Creator is the simplest, most inclusive way to create content in the classroom.

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Restaurant Style Choice Board Templates

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The issue with engagement is that many of us were taught that a classroom should look like the "strategic compliance" level cited in the graphic. This is the "well-managed" classroom that many teachers strive to replicate on a daily basis, and the type of classroom that is often praised in classroom observations by administrators around the world.

When you first walk into a classroom that may be loud, with kids all over the room, using different learning tools, some in partners, some in groups, and some alone, your first thought may not be engaged.
If you're not sure what engagement looks like, begin asking these questions:

1. What type of attitude does the student have towards the learning activity? What is the evidence?

2. What level of attention does the student have towards the learning activity? What is the evidence?

3. What level of commitment does the student have towards the learning activity? What is the evidence?

When you ask these three questions, as a teacher or administrator, the answers will lead you to an understanding of student engagement, compliance, or withdrawal.

HOW CHOICE IMPACTS STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND INSTRUCTION

The reality of most schools is that certain content must be taught. Our goal is to figure out how to teach the same content through a student-choice of instructional experiences.

The key to this approach is getting all students engaged. That means all students must have high attention and high commitment.

One of the best and most manageable ways to do this is through choice boards, playlists, and learning menus.

As a teacher, I used the station-rotation model a lot, and I really believe it has the power to keep students engaged, moving, and working through different types of content.

However, when I asked my students about stations I sometimes received feedback that they didn't like them. Why?

Well, many students said that they only liked a few of the choices and some of the other choices were boring to them. Interestingly, the options they liked and the activities they thought were boring varied widely depending on the student and class.

I had my "Aha!" moment about choice-boards during a fall football practice. As a coach, you want to make sure the players are not only engaged but also focusing on skills that pertain to their position and role on the team. During the station part of our practice, the quarterback and receivers went to one station, the lineman to another station, and the running backs to a different station.

I thought, Why can't I do this in class?
The difference would be allowing students to choose which activities/stations they wanted to participate in, and giving them an opportunity to go deep with the content based on their preferred instructional activity.
When I brought this idea back into the classroom, my students were excited. They now had the power to choose, and from that choice came a level of ownership previously missing in station activities.

DEVELOPING YOUR FIRST CHOICE BOARD

Here's an example of what a "choice board" activity might look like:

First, you take the content/unit that is built into the curriculum. In this case, let's use "photosynthesis" as our example.

Next, as a teacher, you have to decide what instructional resources and methods you are going to use to deliver this content.

Instructional Resources and Methods Options:

1. Direct instruction (full class)

2. Direct instruction (small group)

3. Direct instruction (conference)

4. Read material (textbook)

5. Read material (articles)

6. Listen to material (podcast or audio)

7. View material (video)

8. Listen/View/Read material (interactive presentation with audio)

9. Photosynthesis online simulation

Traditionally, we'll choose one or two of these methods and create a lesson plan or activity based on what we believe is the best way to teach this topic/content.

Sometimes, we'll take four or five of these methods and create a station activity.

Here, you can pick five or six activities and let your students choose two or three that truly pique their interest.

It is important to note that there must be an assessment of some type that you are working towards. In this case, we'll use a photosynthesis lab as our final project-based assessment.

In order for students to successfully complete the lab and analyze the results, they'll have to understand:

1. What photosynthesis is and why it is important.

2. What the process looks like.

3. Key terms and vocabulary for the content.

4. How this connects to other units in science that you've covered.

The "Choice Board" activity provides this information in a variety of formats and experiences. As students choose their activities, you'll get a better grasp of what types of activities work for them, and which ones they find engaging.

Throughout the activities, students should be recording what they are learning, and what they understand through a guided set of notes.

The end result is that all students should be prepared to successfully complete the photosynthesis lab activity.

Previously, in a traditional classroom setting, students may have not been engaged through a presentation or did not connect to the instructional delivery method. Here, they have the choice to go with what works best for them as a learner.

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR YOUR CLASSROOM: CHOICE BOARDS

1. Identify a unit/concept or skill and what you want students to know/do/make in order to demonstrate their understanding/proficiency.

2. Create or choose an assessment/performance task that allows students to demonstrate mastery.

3. List various instructional methods, resources, and strategies to prepare students for the assessment/performance task.

4. Choose four-six instructional methods to turn into choice-board activities. Each activity should be a similar length in time and cover common material. Here is where you can add different types of technology or hands-on experiences to the learning process.

5. Create a workflow for the students to follow. Have notes and formative checks as part of the choice-board design process. Allow for reflection during each activity when planning how long students will complete the activity.

6. Introduce the different choices to students and describe what the goals of the activity are (as well as the assessment this is leading up to).

7. Let students pick activities based on their interests/needs.

8. As the teacher, a few of the activities/options might need more guidance than others. Make sure you aren't just "managing" this activity, but instead truly acting as a guide and expert learner when the opportunity is available.

9. Once the choice-board activities are complete, put students into small groups to "jigsaw" their reflection. Bring students from different activities together to reflect on their learning experience and share (this can be written, audio, or video reflections - think Flipgrid).

10. Listen to reflections and check the formative pieces for each activity to see if students are prepared for the assessment. If not, feel free to go through one more activity together as a class or talk about any topics/concepts they did not understand during the activity.

11. Give the assessment/performance task.

12. BONUS OPTION: Make your assessment into a choice board with multiple performance tasks that allow students to demonstrate an understanding of the content and skills.

As you can see, the process takes more time on the front end from the teacher, but you'll know that students are prepared for a performance task by going through this activity.

When I began using this strategy in the classroom, these activities also turned into online experiences that could be done at any time. My ultimate goal as a teacher was to see my students succeeding and demonstrating their understanding of concepts and skills at a high level. The simple act of "giving students choice" changed how my students viewed our assessments, and how they prepared for assessments.

EXAMPLES OF CHOICE BOARDS AND LEARNING MENUS

THE TIC-TAC-TOE CHOICE BOARD

Here's what Catlin Tucker has to say about the Tic-Tac-Toe Choice Board option in her article, " Designing Your Own Digital Choice Board " (she has fantastic resources on this approach):
The classic 9 square model is ideal for a tic-tac-toe approach to a choice board that requires students to complete any three activities in a row across the board. Teachers can organize a choice board so that each column focuses on a particular skill or standard. Elementary teachers, who are teaching all subjects, may combine reading, math and vocabulary activities on a single board. On the other hand, a secondary teacher might design a board focused on one aspect of their curriculum, like reading or writing. As teachers consider what types of activities to design, it's important to keep differentiation in mind. Teachers can choose to differentiate by allowing students to decide:
what they will produce.

1. how they will engage with the information (learning modality).

2. which level of complexity they are ready for.

3. which activity appeals to their interests.

Some teachers choose to color code the squares and encourage stronger students to tackle more challenging activities. While others prefer to assign points to each box based on how challenging that activity is in relation to the other options.
Here are a few different examples for subjects and grade levels of the tic-tac-toe choice board:
Catlin Tucker Example Tic-Tac-Toe Choice Board

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The Ultimate Guide to Choice Boards and Learning Menus - A.J. Juliani

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Take a moment and think about your favorite learning experience ever. What did you enjoy about it? Why did you get so much out of this experience compared to the thousands of other learning experiences you've had over the years?

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Differentiate with Learning Menus and Choice Boards

"...at its core, differentiated instruction means addressing ways in which students vary as learners." - Carol Ann Tomlinson

[Tweet "Interactive Learning Menus with @GoogleforEdu #edtech#gsuiteedu"]

What Are Learning Menus?

IT'S ALL ABOUT CHOICE! Learning menus (aka choice boards) are a form of differentiated learning that gives students a menu or choice of learning activities. Learning menus and choice boards can be created in a variety of styles and mediums. They've been around for a long time and originated in a static, paper format. But with digital tools, we can bring the menus to life with interactivity and creation. Menus can be a simple list, a tic-tac-toe or bingo-style game, or get as creative and intricate as you like. Check out my Pinterest board for ideas.

Learning Menus Can Be Used with Any Age Group

I have found that menus and choice boards tend to be more popular among elementary teachers, but I used them in my middle school classroom, and now I use them in professional learning workshops with adults. Any grade level can use learning menus!

Learning Menus Can Be Used in Any Subject Area

Since learning menus are so flexible, they can easily be created and adapted for just about any subject area. So no excuses! Any teacher who is willing to try can make use of this student-centered strategy.

[Tweet "Any teacher who is willing to try can make use of this student-centered strategy. #edtech"]

Are Learning Menus Hyperdocs the Same Thing?

No, but they could be part of a Hyperdoc assignment. I love Hyperdocs! But these two are not one in the same. Keep in mind the definition of learning menus stated above. It is simply a menu of choices from which students can choose. Student choice is the big idea behind learning menus and choice boards.

A Hyperdoc is a complete packaged assignment that also meets some additional criteria. A Hyperdoc doesn't have to include choice, but it could. To learn more about Hyperdocs, visit their site or read the AMAZING book by Lisa Highfill, Sarah Landis, and Kelly Hilton.

Creating a Tic-Tac-Toe Learning Menu in Google Docs

One easy way to dip your toes into the learning menu water is a Tic-Tac-Toe menu. A Tic-Tac-Toe can be used for anything from short activities to more long-term projects, both assessment FOR learning (formative) and assessment OF learning (summative).

Below is an example of a Novel Unit Tic-Tac-Toe menu that I created as a summative project. It was created in Google Docs, nothing fancy, just a table and some color. Depending on how you want to use, you can add links, rubrics, images, video and more. (Click here to use my blank tic-tac-toe template.)
CLICK HERE to use the Novel Study Tic-Tac-Toe template. On mobile? CLICK HERE to make a copy.
Learning Menu Design

Remember when you are creating a learning menu to align it with your learning goals! First, I use the middle square as my non-negotiable, the one activity that I want every student to complete. This could be reading an article, watching a video, or in this case; every student will write a summary and add it to a collaborative Google Slide deck where they will also add links to their other projects. Everything in one place!

Some teachers also make the middle square a free space where students can propose their own ideas to demonstrate their learning. LOVE THIS IDEA!

I had some students who would try to find the easiest or fastest way to complete the tasks. But if you pay attention to the learning design, you can design it so that it gives choice and flexible learning paths, not just an easy completion grade.

I use the color to guide the learning design. Because I use the middle square as a non-negotiable, I control how they make the tic-tac-toe just a little bit more. Every student will do the middle square and one from the blue and one from the yellow. In this summative example, students are mostly creating, but in the example below, you will see how it can also work for activities that guide the learning.

Below is a professional learning example that I designed for teaching Google Chrome. As a trainer, I typically have very mixed groups in my training sessions (multiple grade levels, subject areas, and tech savviness). I usually address general skills, and apps and extensions that are applicable across all grade levels and subject areas as a whole group.

Then I move into an activity like the Chrome PD Tic-Tac-Toe learning menu to allow teachers to dig deeper into their own subject areas and grade levels AND move at a pace that is comfortable for their level and learning style.
CLICK HERE to use my Chrome PD Tic-Tac-Toe template. On mobile? CLICK HERE to make a copy of the template.
Other Types of Learning Menus

As I said, a tic-tac-toe is just one type of menu. It happens to be a favorite of mine because they are easy to design and are not too overwhelming. But I have used many other types of menus, and I have been curating ideas on this Learning Menu Pinterest Board.

Digital Menu for Student Creation with Google Slides by Tommy Spall

Below is a Google Slide example of a learning menu that takes on the look of a restaurant menu from my friend, Tommy Spall. Follow him @TommySpall. (You can thank me later!) Click here to make a copy of Tommy's template that includes linked slides to lots of Googley projects and room for you to make it your own. (If you are on mobile and having trouble with the template link, try this make a copy link.)

Professional Development BINGO Board by Amber Teamann and Melinda Miller

Another option is to make it a full out BINGO board, like in this example from my friend Amber Teamann and her collaborator Melinda Miller. (Follow them at @8Amber8 and @MMiller7571, and yes, you will thank me for this one, too!)

Amber and Melinda are both elementary school principals. They issued this BINGO PD Challenge to her teachers over the summer, and I thought it might inspire you with some other options for choice and challenges in your classroom or professional learning. You can learn more details about PD Bingo in Amber's blog post.

Using G Suite to Create Learning Menus

The possibilities are truly endless! Consider all the ways you could use G Suite to create learning menus and the extended activities and links. Try thinking of the ways you could create menus using these G Suite tools:

Google Docs

Google Slides

Google Drawings

Google Sheets

Google My Maps

Google Sites

How to Use Google Templates and Assign in Google Classroom

If you enjoyed this post, you will love the more in-depth look at the power of choice boards and more examples in this post and podcast episode.

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

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Interactive Learning Menus (Choice Boards) Using Google Docs

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I love learning menus, and it is one of my favorite ways to incorporate student choice and to differentiate learning. And with digital tools like G Suite for Education, it's super easy to make menus interactive, digital, and more dynamic! Digital Differentiation offers teachers and students many ways to reach all learners.

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"A choice board is a graphic organizer that allows students to choose how they will learn a concept. The choice board below has nine squares. (There is no minimum or maximum, however nine seems to be a good number.) Inside each square is an activity. Students can choose one or several activities to complete. Choice boards can be organized so students need to finish one square before moving to the next, they can be random, or can be organized in a specific way. The level of difficulty of the activities can vary or stay consistent."

Tic-Tac-Toe Boards and Menus are two different types of choice boards.

"A menu offers students a way to make decisions about what they will do in order to meet class requirements. A menu could be for a single lesson, a week-long lesson, or even a month-long period of study. Once the teacher has decided on what the essential understandings and/or skills are, she/he can begin to create a menu."

"Tic-Tac-Toe choice boards give students the opportunity to participate in multiple tasks that allow them to practice skills they've learned in class or to demonstrate and extend their understanding of concepts. From the board, students either choose or are assigned three adjacent or diagonal tasks to complete.

Choice boards address student readiness, interest, or learning preferences. They are easily adapted to a subject area."

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Choice Boards, Menus, & Tic-Tac-Toe by Sarah Dillard

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Student choice is becoming more popular in classrooms! A great way to organize student choice is by creating a choice board. Choice boards are a simple instructional strategy affords students the ability to choose how they want to demonstrate content understanding and content mastery. Choice boards come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the most popular choice boards come in the form of tic-tac-toe boards, learning menus, or "This or That" option boards!

The Student Choice Board Pyramid provides students with multimedia activities that they can choose from and then encourages students to work on a project that they can publish for others to see. That's right... I said publish! Often times, students get assigned a project which they work on for a few days, turn into the teacher, it gets graded, and then it goes to the Academic Graveyard... never to be seen again! The activity options in the Student Choice Board Pyramid are structured to be put on a class website, YouTube Channel, or attached to a Teach Newsletter!

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Student Content Creation Choice Board - Welcome to GotTechED

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Student choice is becoming more popular in classrooms! A great way to organize student choice is by creating a choice board. Choice boards are a simple instructional strategy affords students the ability to choose how they want to demonstrate content understanding and content mastery. Choice boards come in all shapes and sizes.

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CAL SIOP offers professional development services specifically tailored to grade level and content areas to help educators understand how the SIOP Model's components can be successfully implemented for their students.

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NSTA 2023 ML Digital Choice Boards_Particpant Slides