Multiple Means of Representation

By providing options for perception, alternatives for auditory information, and alternatives for visual information, students are better able to understand a concept. From the perspective of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), teaching or learning in this manner is also known as using multiple means of representation. This provides students with the greatest number of opportunities to engage in their education. Using inquiry based learning, differentiated instruction, and building upon previously learned information also enhances student comprehension.

Below is a journal in response to UDL and inquiry based learning along with a lesson plan that uses multiple means of representation. The picture board attached to the lesson plan worked for the student who needed it. They began pronouncing ē and a sounds soon after our lessons. Due to budget constraints, the picture board took time to make and the cardboard was awkward to hold and store. If I were to do the lesson again with an adequate budget, I’d print it on poster board and laminate it.

Since the images were enlarged from a guide the students looked at while I pronounced the sounds, the altered visual format appears to have helped this student. I would have also liked try to finding video recordings of other people pronouncing the letters to see whether that had any significant influence. I'm not sure the curriculum would have allowed for this though, the reading mastery program is a strict script. It would be more constructive to have a smartboard or other tool to project these images to the entire class during the lesson.