Universal Design for Learning
THE PURPOSE OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offers us ways of thinking about the learning environments and experiences we create for our students so that they are inclusive and accessible for learners with a variety of needs, including physical, linguistic, social, and special education needs.
Applying UDL guidelines and strategies helps meet the needs of ALL learners.
The slide deck below offers specific strategies to use in your classroom to design lessons and classrooms that
engage and motivate all learners;
provide a variety of means to represent information for learners to understand what needs to be learned; and
allow for multiple ways for students to act on and express their understanding of what they are learning.
HIGHLIGHTING UDL STRATEGIES TO CONSIDER
VISUALS: Incorporate visuals as often as possible in order to bring context to language (written & spoken).
CHUNKING: Break down tasks (e.g., activities) into smaller steps/chunks of time and provide them to students one at a time.
ORGANIZATION AND GOAL SETTING: Model and use of daily agendas, checklists, graphic organizers, calendars, and other organizational tools.
STUDENT CHOICE AND VOICE: Provide opportunities for choice, integrate students' interests and lived experiences, and give opportunities for students to actively contribute to their own learning.
UDL SUPPORTS: ENGAGING WITH THE LESSON
While planning for instruction, consider how students will engage with the lesson:
Does the lesson provide options that can help all learners
be engaged and interested?
sustain effort and motivation?
regulate their own learning?
Consider the slide here with links to example strategies to use to engage all students.
UDL SUPPORTS: PRESENTING INFORMATION TO LEARNERS
While planning for instruction, consider how information is presented to students.
Does the information provide options that help all learners
perceive what needs to be learned?
understand the symbols and expressions?
reach higher levels of comprehension/understanding?
Consider the slide here with links to example strategies to use to present information to students.
UDL SUPPORTS: EXPECTATIONS FOR LEARNERS TO ACT AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES
While planning for instruction, consider how learners are expected to act strategically and express themselves.
Does the activity provide options that help all learners
physically respond?
express themselves fluently?
act strategically?
Consider the slide here with links to example strategies to to help students act and express themselves.
