Randomizing Responses is a practice teachers can use to ensure they are providing opportunities for each student to participate in the lesson. During a lesson, it is easy for teachers to call on the same students for responses to questions or to routinely choose students who volunteer to participate; therefore it is critical to plan out how to randomly call on students. This practice is effective at helping teachers check in with and monitor the learning of a wider variety of students during the lesson. Randomizing ensures student engagement, as everybody is expected to participate at various points in the lesson because the chances of being called upon by the teacher are the same for each student. Randomization can take other forms such as calling on students using physical attributes, student interests, hobbies, etc.  “The person wearing the most red today, please come up to the Smartboard.”

• Determine the randomizing response strategy to be used throughout the lesson.
• Prepare the resources (index cards, computer software, name sticks, etc.) necessary to implement the strategy.
• Introduce and practice the strategy with students to ensure they understand the procedure.
• Use the strategy within the lesson(s).