Teaching with UDL To further my understanding of teaching with UDL (Universal Design for Learning), I chose to create a lesson using the CAST Lesson Builder within the CAST UDL Exchange. CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology) seeks to guide educators to incorporate UDL into their curriculum to provide students with greater opportunities to learn in an environment that is more flexible and accommodating for all learners. Below are screenshots of the project I created using the CAST Lesson Builder that I posted to the CAST UDL Exchange. I'm currently teaching a unit on war and society so I wanted to create something that I could implement in the classroom. Common Core Standards were built into the lesson builder. Here is the link to the NPR story on Just War Doctrine since the project is presented as screenshots.
UDL Guidelines 2.0 The goal of education in the 21st century is not simply the mastery of content knowledge or use of new technologies. It is the mastery of the learning process. Education should help turn novice learners into expert learners—individuals who want to learn, who know how to learn strategically, and who, in their own highly individual and flexible ways, are well prepared for a lifetime of learning. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) helps educators meet this goal by providing a framework for understanding how to create curricula that meets the needs of all learners from the start. The UDL Guidelines, an articulation of the UDL framework, can assist anyone who plans lessons/units of study or develops curricula (goals, methods, materials, and assessments) to reduce barriers, as well as optimize levels of challenge and support, to meet the needs of all learners from the start. Learn more about the UDL Guidelines: Three primary principles guide UDL—and provide structure for the Guidelines:
Differentiated Instruction with UDL By Tracey Hall, Nicole Strangman, and Anne Meyer Note: Updated on 11/2/09; 1/14/11; Please visit the AIM Center home page. Introduction Not all students are alike. This report on differentiated instruction and UDL begins with an introduction to differentiated instruction in which we provide the definition, a sampling of considerations and curriculum applications, and research evidence for effectiveness. The literature review in this paper is also available as a stand alone document, with annotated references. Top Definition To differentiate instruction is to recognize students' varying background knowledge, readiness, language, preferences in learning and interests; and to react responsively. Figure 1. Image description:This graphic organizer is entitled "Learning Cycle and Decision Factors Used in Planning and Implementing Differentiated Instruction" and is made up of a series of seven labeled boxes connected by arrows. Identifying Components/Features Content Process Products Figure 2.
Universal Design for Learning By David W. Cochran, Ed.D. When Alice Mickland, a fourth-grade teacher at Grover Cleveland Elementary School, looked at her class roster, she was immediately struck by the diversity represented on the list. While the genders were balanced, several students were immigrants from other countries; three students had identified special needs in math, reading, and language; one student spoke very little English; two others were identified as gifted and talented; a group of others were identified as having basic skills deficits; and another student was visually impaired and required special equipment to see and read. Alice was overwhelmed by the combination of students and was uncertain how she would be able to help every student master the content and skills in the district and state standards. The good news for Alice and other teachers is that embracing the tenets of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can help them achieve daunting tasks like the example above. Flexibility Is the Key
How do you teach? UDL & the Common Core State Standards The Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSS) is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Grounded in evidence and research, and internationally benchmarked, these rigorous education standards establish a set of shared goals and expectations for what K–12 students should understand and be able to do in English language arts and mathematics in order to be prepared for success in college and the workplace. For more information about the CCSS visit Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is included in the application to students with disabilities section of the CCSS. The CCSS can be considered the "What" in education, i.e., the goals and expectations. The "What" & "Why" of the Common Core State Standards Several videos explain the purpose and history of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The "How"—Applying UDL to reach the CCSS
UDLStrategies - home Disability Support Services - The George Washington University Home>Newsletters>Fall 2005>UDL Four Ways to Incorporate Universal Design for Learning into Your Assignment Instructions By Robbin Zeff, Assistant Professor of Writing Have you ever noticed how some products just make sense: a wider handle on a potato peeler for easier gripping or software that automatically corrects commonly misspelled words. Universal design originated in architecture. Moreover, the usefulness of the modifications quickly started to extend beyond its original purpose of aiding those with disabilities. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) applies the concept of universal design to the learning process by developing, designing, and delivering instruction and instructional material that makes learning more accessible to all students. UDL asks the instructor to identify the key goal(s) and objectives of a course or an assignment and then provide multiple and flexible methods of presentation, expression, and engagement. For More Information on UDL Online Resources Articles
100 Helpful Web Tools for Every Kind of Learner For those unfamiliar with the term, a learning style is a way in which an individual approaches learning. Many people understand material much better when it is presented in one format, for example a lab experiment, than when it is presented in another, like an audio presentation. Determining how you best learn and using materials that cater to this style can be a great way to make school and the entire process of acquiring new information easier and much more intuitive. Here are some great tools that you can use to <a href=">cater to your individual learning style, no matter what that is. Visual Learners Visual learners learn through seeing and retain more information when it's presented in the form of pictures, diagrams, visual presentations, textbooks, handouts and videos. Auditory Learners Auditory learners do best in classes where listening is a main concern. Kinesthetic Learners Kinesthetic learners do best when they interact and touch things.
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