Universal Design for Learning
Gone are the days when education was a one-size-fits all system for students. The face of education is rapidly changing, as are the dynamics, needs, and demographics of the classrooms we serve. Each student has specific, diverse learning needs that must be met in order for them to absorb the information being served to them. This is where the Universal Design for Learning approach can prove helpful for educators. It’s a tool that educators can use to create lessons that are inclusive to all types of learners. Students, in turn, will become independent thinkers with a greater sense of autonomy. When you plan to meet the needs of the minority, it’s better for everyone overall. It’s a fantastic approach to make sure your lessons are as equitable as possible and knocks down the barriers that can stand in the way of learning. Plus, student engagement will increase, because you are giving them choices to fuel their interests and autonomy.
UNIVERSAL: curriculum that can be used and understood by everyone
DESIGN: flexible and accommodates all types of users
for LEARNING: not one thing; addresses the what, how, and why of learning
Click on the graphic below to view it in your browser.
Check out the video below for an overview of what UDL is.
After learning more about UDL, I do feel there are areas I can improve upon in order to implement UDL’s approach better. Most of these questions can be answered by thoroughly studying UDL’s guidelines on CAST’s website. Perhaps they offer professional development sessions I can participate in. I know I also need to learn more about how to make my lessons more accessible for my ELL students, specifically regarding 1.2 (offering auditory information) and 1.3 (alternatives for visual information). First, I can start by studying the best strategies to use for these students and obtaining my ESL certificate. I can meet with the ESL teacher on my campus for him/her to evaluate my lessons and let me know how I can improve the accessibility for these learners. Likewise, I can explore sites geared towards meeting the needs of these learners, such as Colorin Colorado. I took a hard look at where I am in regards to the implementation of UDL by principle and guideline. You can see the results of this evaluation in the table below. Now that I know what I need to work on, I can’t wait to dive in to make my lessons more accessible for all types of learners. I hope you feel the same now that you know a little more about UDL too.
Principle 1: Providing Multiple Means of Representation: Present your content and information in multiple media formats and with varied supports to meet the needs of all learners.
Principle 2: Providing Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Give students options for expressing what they know and provide models, feedback, and supports for varied levels of proficiency
Principle 3: Providing Multiple Means of Engagement: Give students choices to fuel their interests and autonomy
References
CAST. (2010). UDL at a glance. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDvKnY0g6e4&t=2s.
The UDL Guidelines. UDL. (2021, May 8). https://udlguidelines.cast.org/.
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