One size fits all doesn’t even work for something as simple as a t-shirt. So how can you expect that approach to work in a learning environment? Education is something personal in and of itself. Your students are going to take the things they learn and apply them to their everyday lives, and every one of their lives is going to be different. By personalizing learning, you’re preparing your students for an easier future.

1. Let the Learners Take Control

Once in a while, it’s good to dial back the level of control you have over the classroom. Give learners the tools they need to teach each other. Break down a larger project into smaller segments. Assign those segments to a group, or to an individual. Have everyone come together to present that information. They’ll become masters of their portion of the subject, and they’ll be able to learn other parts straight from other students who have also achieved  level of mastery.

2. Provide Learners with Choices

Offering alternatives isn’t a compromise. It’s allowing your students to determine how they’re best able to use their own skillsets. It won’t always work, but that’s part of the learning experience. When you’re preparing an assignment, envision several projects that will all lead to the same outcome. Allow students to choose their own journey.

3. Utilize Feedback

When your students tell you they didn’t like something, they aren’t trying to hurt your feelings. They may not always say it in the nicest way, but you should still be willing to address the root cause of a potential issue. Maybe it isn’t because they’re lazy or they aren’t interested in the subject matter. It could be that your approach isn’t working. Listen to all of the feedback your students give you, and figure out how to apply it in your next round.

4. Let Learners Trust Their Judgement

You want to see your students succeed, and sometimes, it feels like the best approach is to micromanage. You could be micromanaging without even realizing that you’re doing it. It’s good to check on students’ progress and give them tips along the way, but doing it too frequently can actually inhibit their educational growth. If a student has a different way of doing things and the result is still correct, encourage them to innovate. Let them use their best judgement without pressuring them to conform.

5. Incorporate eLearning

If you have access to eLearning programs, you should give some serious thought to implementing them. Most eLearning courses are designed to allow students to learn at their own pace, and they frequently review past information. Nothing gets more personalized than eLearning. If you have the option, check it out and decide if it’s right for your classroom.

6. Allow Students To Check Themselves

Let your students check their own work when it’s feasible to do so. Drawing a big red “X” next to a question they got wrong doesn’t help them discover where things went awry. Instead, go over every question and explain how the correct answer is derived. They’ll be able to look at their work and see where mistakes were made. We all learn from our mistakes in retrospect – even our academic mistakes. Give them the opportunity to do so.

7. Encourage Creative Passions

Everyone has something that they’re interested in outside of the classroom. Education takes up a lot of your students’ time, but it doesn’t define who they are. Let them bring in their special skills and talents. Allow them to work with the things that inspire them. This will foster a stronger connection to the material you’re learning, and make the classroom feel like a creative place.

No matter how you decide to implement personalized learning, turn to your students for suggestions first. What do they enjoy? What methodology does and doesn’t work for them? Do they have any ideas of their own? You’ll never know unless you ask!

Kelly Smith works at CourseFinder, an Australian online education resource. She is passionate about writing and innovations in the digital world.