How Paraeducators Can Support Self-Determination
Paraeducators can support self-determination in classroom and school activities by frequently offering students choices.
Provide students with frequent opportunities for choice and then encourage students to exercise their rights to choose.
Relate choice making to the daily routine and to the consequences of the choices.
Assist students to monitor and evaluate their choices and decisions. Regularly ask students questions about their choices, how they made a choice and if the outcomes were good or bad.
Give students positive feedback when they do make choices and increase their active participation.
Keep track of the students' activities, and if they are not choosing to participate in many, provide encouragement for making choices and interacting with others.
Discuss students' future plans and help them prioritize their goals. Depending on age and the skill level, the future could be tomorrow, next week or leaving school. For example, give students the lunch menu ahead of time so they can choose their meal before going to the cafeteria. Then, work up to them planning a weekly menu with the school cafeteria manager.
Model choice-making in class and give students opportunities to critique the choices.