Discussed in this Episode:

✅   Limit choices to two options only. Instead of a full shelf of puzzles, offer two specific puzzles (e.g., ‘the Dora puzzle or the number puzzle’). The same applies in secondary — instead of an open research topic, offer two pre-selected poems or topics.

✅   Model making the ‘wrong’ choice out loud. Say aloud ‘I’ve read two pages of this book and I don’t like it — I’m going to put it back.’ This demonstrates that changing your mind is acceptable and teaches children the process of self-correction.

✅   Use a grazing plate approach for food exploration. Place new foods alongside a known safe food without any pressure to eat. Let children sniff, touch, and explore at their own pace, as done with Victoria who expanded from dry noodles to 20 different foods within one school year.

✅   Use parallel play to introduce new activities. Sit beside a child doing a new activity without requiring them to join. Let them watch. One boy named David only ever chose the same blocks until his teacher sat with him and modelled other activities through quiet parallel engagement.

✅   Introduce the Tomorrow Box. Allow children to place tasks they can’t face today into a ‘tomorrow box,’ giving them a sense of control. The key is consistency — children almost always return to complete the task the next day.

✅   Give ODD students control over order, not content. One ODD student was not given a choice of what work to do, but was given a ‘now, next, later’ board and allowed to choose the order in which he completed set tasks. He grumbled — but he completed them.

✅   Make choices visually concrete. Display the two choices as real objects or photos, not just verbal instructions. Visual supports help ADHD children with working memory issues — they can look back to recall what the choices were rather than having to hold them in their heads.

✅   Use indirect language with PDA learners. Swap commands for collaborative questions: instead of ‘You need to start your maths now,’ try ‘Would you like to work with me here or find a quiet space in the library?’ or ‘How many questions do you think you can do?’

✅   Give ADHD students a deadline for research. One secondary student named Chloe told her teacher she needed a cut-off date to stop researching. Set a specific date and time to stop. Add a visual timer alongside the Now/Next/Later board to manage time blindness.

✅   Let ODD children help peers instead of completing tasks independently. Offer ‘Do you want to help Noah or Elijah today?’ — they choose who to assist, and through helping they still participate in the learning. This sidesteps the adult-authority power struggle.

Learn more about MAKING CHOICES!