At-risk students and their nondisabled peers profit from opportunities to make choices about their literacy learning. While not a panacea, experiencing self-determination in school empowers students in ways that will last a lifetime. Literacy educators can encourage a positive momentum in this direction by demonstrating how to select reading materials; providing time during the school day for reading immersion; engaging in read-alouds to expose students to a wider variety of resources than they would experience in their own; and using teacher-made and commercially prepared tape recordings of books. These strategies set the stage for learners to experience success, as they pursue a sense of self-determination. (Contains 14 references and a 10-item list of works of children's literature cited.) (RS)