Classrooms are more diverse than ever, variability is the norm and the myth of average is clear. A one size fits all classroom, with everyone doing the same thing at the same time is not meeting the needs of anyone. Some of us may find ourselves in a place that no matter how much time we spend on our lessons, we are not meeting the needs of all learners. We have to do things differently. But what? And how?

Responding to learner needs, meeting each learner where they are and helping them progress through their own learning journey is where we find ourselves. But how?  Our Responsive Teaching and Learning policy now holds all of us accountable to ensure we are designing learning environments that are responsive to all learners, to all needs.  The principal of this policy guides the delivery of education in NL so that "students have equitable access to authentic teaching and learning opportunities responsive to their needs."  

We need to do better. 

Universal Design for Learning offers the blueprint on how to make learning equitable for all.  The approach, this mindset is our way forward. 

What's your 'why' for being here? How does that align with the principles of UDL?

UDL is not something 'you do', it is not just planning a project. It is more than providing a choice board and more than giving learners a choice of how to represent their learning. It is how you think, it is what you believe and it becomes who you are.  UDL begins with the belief that every learner is different and that is the norm.  We call these differences variability and we must acknowledge and embrace each. When we see each learner with different strengths and challenges, we are more open to identifying the barriers to their learning. It is then that we begin to see that it is the curriculum that is disabled, not the learners. It is here that we believe we need to provide multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation and multiple means of action and expression to enable all learners equitable learning. When given different opportunities to learn, honouring this variability, everyone find success. As educators, it is our job to teach them as they come. 

What are some of your beliefs? How do they align with the above? What are some things about these core beliefs that interrupt your thinking?

It wasn't too long ago that the advocates for education were promoting 'equality' in education.  There have been many reports, policies and recommendations in the past that demanded 'equality' for all. When you dive deeper into what equality in education really looks like, one must see a 'one size fits all' mantra. Every student in a class would get the same lesson, delivered in the same way, using the same material, and then made to show their 'learning' in the same way. Everyone gets treated the same. Equality. But doing this we assume each learner, each individual student, comes to the classroom with the same readiness to learn, the same background knowledge and skill set and when treated the same, will be successful.  Now, we know very well this is not true. We know every single individual in our classrooms are different, they are unique and bring with them variabilities that are further complicated  by context.   So, why then, as an educational organization, would we want 'equality'? 

Equity on the other hand, speaks to the individual learner. Equity in education means we provide our learners with varying levels of support as needed to remove barriers to learning. We see each as individuals and adhere to the variability that exists in the different contexts of learning .  It is here we acknowledge  that some learners need more support than others at any given time to ensure they all have access to the same learning goal. 

If we let our minds wander a little more, we end up landing on expert learning. It is here that learners are empowered to take control of their own learning.  Expert learners understand their strengths and areas of growth and are given a say in what supports they need as an individual. It's not about being good at everything, but understanding what supports you need in the areas you need to grow in. 

Our educational organization then, needs to unlearn what it means when we proclaim 'success for all". To truly achieve  success for all, universal design for learning is the means in which we go about it. To ensure the success of each learner in our organization , we must get rid of 'equality', embrace equity and strive for expert learning. 

For more on this, read the blog "Expert learning, equity and making cookies", by Katie Novak

Are you wondering how this all looks in a classroom? Are you thinking "ok, this is all great in theory, but how does it really look?" Well, you are not alone. Many times we are presented with a lot of great ideas, new ways of doing things, but never shown how it really looks. So this video is for you. Here is a very quick snap shot of an example of a teacher who shares his experience as a teacher implementing UDL. 

As you watch the video,  think about how this aligns with what you have been learning? Does this video answer any questions you had? What are you still wondering?

We have all said it. I am a visual learner - I need to see it to understand it. Or, she is an auditory learner, she can understand best just by listening. We have all prepared lessons thinking about little Johnny and Susie knowing they need hands on learning ( Johnny is a kinaesthetic learner). But, how do you explain Susie responding better to listening to a story than reading it herself but when she is trying to read how to complete a science experiment, she insists on reading it herself?  Context...