What is it?
Self-selected reading is a literacy practice where students choose their own books or reading materials based on their interests, preferences, and reading levels. In the context of literacy instruction for students with disabilities, self-selected reading is especially powerful because it promotes engagement, ownership, and motivation while honoring individual strengths and needs. By providing accessible, high-interest reading options and the necessary supports—such as adapted texts, audiobooks, or visual supports—educators can create meaningful opportunities for all students to develop reading skills, build confidence, and foster a lifelong love of reading.
How to use it?
To implement self-selected reading in the classroom, create a welcoming environment with a wide range of accessible reading materials, including books, magazines, adapted texts, cookbooks, comics, and digital options. Offer choices that vary in format, reading level, and topic to match diverse interests and abilities. Provide supports as needed, such as audiobooks, text-to-speech tools, or visual adaptations, and allow students to explore and choose what they want to read without pressure. Set aside dedicated time for self-selected reading, model enthusiastic reading behaviors, and encourage students to share what they enjoy, helping to build a positive, inclusive reading culture for all learners.
Why use it?
Self-selected reading in the inclusive classroom is important because it empowers all students to engage with texts that reflect their interests, abilities, and cultural identities, fostering a sense of ownership and motivation in their literacy development. Offering choice supports diverse learners, including those with disabilities, by honoring individual strengths and providing accessible options that reduce barriers to reading. This approach builds confidence, promotes a love of reading, and helps students develop essential literacy skills in a way that is meaningful, personalized, and inclusive for every learner.
