UDL: Making Space for YOU

• UDL is a way of thinking strategically when designing learning experiences

• it is "human-centred" approach to creating assessments, instructional goals & methods, and materials (ie. it guides delivery of class-wide strategies that

• these can then be customized and adjusted to meet individual needs (aka adapting & modifying programs). 

1. Each learning style is unique as a human fingerprint

   1. Each has a unique set of interests, background knowledge, strengths, and challenges that are constantly in flux

2. The Curb-Cut Effect: Each time you design for someone with unique needs in mind, (margins vs. “Average”) more than just they benefit

3. A teacher's job, in UDL, is to provide ”Genuine learning opportunities” for ALL students. 

   1. Genuine as in - something that actually fits their unique learning fingerprint

   2. Opportunities - something at the "optimal level of challenge" that they can actually succeed at!

Neuroscientific research has shown that learning occurs along 3 neural pathways: 

• 1 for perceiving information (WHAT / Recognition Networks)

• 1 for HOW (Strategic Networks / Executive functioning)

• 1 that connects the intellectual with the emotional - Engagement / Motivation pathways.

Understanding the common learning process that all humans undergo, and explicitly targeting them explicitly during educational design gives teachers an effective foundation for sound educational design.

Understanding neuroscience is step 1.  Step 2 is meeting diversity head on using the principle of MULTIPLE MEANS.  In other words, within a lesson and/or unit, teachers incorporate a variety of ways of showing the same or similar content, a variety of ways to intearct with it, and a variety of ways to show they have learned it. These methods align with the 3 neural networks. See below for an example

MULTIPLE MEANS OF:

1. REPRESENTATION (Present content in several ways)

   1. Use Graphics & animation

   2. Provide Varied supports

2. EXPRESSION / ACTION (Participation)

   1. Provide models (physical, virtual etc.), feedback, supports for differing proficiency

   2. Options for showing what they know

      1. Words, drawings, written/verbal

      2. Math: symbolic + physical

3. ENGAGEMENT (what one is interested in does not interest another)

   1. Provide Choices to fuel their interests and autonomy

Differentiation occurs in all 4 elements of the classroom, which can be remembered using the acronym PEPC

Process (Activities)

• Interest centres - explore subsets of class topic

• Developing personal agendas (custom “homework”)

• Length of time

• Tiered activities

Environment (physical/sensory + culture: collective thinking/behaving (values) - cognitive, emotional, cultural)

• Collaborative spaces + quiet distraction free spaces

• Materials from variety of cultures and home settings (ie. non-dominant culture pieces)

• Clear guidelines for independent work that matches individual needs

• Routines that allow students to get help when teacher are busy

• Help students understand that some learners need to move to learn and others learn better sitting

Products (Culminating projects: students review, apply, and extend learning)

• Rubrics that match and extend student varied skill levels

• Student options, encourage create own assignments

• Flexible grouping

 Content = what to learn or how students will access info

• Ie. The “Text” + Supports - Reading materials, audio, video; vocab lists

• Who read with (Reading buddies)