ABSTRACT
Learning contracts are "bargains" between the teacher and a student or group of students. Learning contracts may be on any topic and may be considered abbreviated lesson plans or mini-units. That is, learning contracts list standards, concepts, goals, activities, resources, products, and assessments in a format that is student-friendly. Learning contracts are used as an alternative to regular instruction, especially when students have been compacted out of a portion of the curriculum. In a classroom, the learners are at various levels of readiness. To accommodate these differences, many teachers begin a unit of instruction by pretesting the entire class on the planned content. To provide clearly articulated learning experiences for the students who have already mastered the planned content, a learning contract is often an appropriate choice.
