Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to teaching aimed at meeting the needs of every student in a classroom. It can be helpful for all kids, including kids with learning and attention issues. But UDL takes careful planning by teachers. Here are just a few examples of how UDL can work in a classroom.
Having goals helps students know what they’re working to achieve. That’s why goals are always made apparent in a UDL classroom. One example of this is posting goals for specific lessons in the classroom. Students might also write down or insert lesson goals in their notebooks. The teacher refers to lesson goals during the lesson itself.
Assignment options
In a traditional classroom, there may be only one way for a student to complete an assignment. This might be an essay or a worksheet. With UDL, there are multiple options. For instance, students may be able to create a podcast or a video to show what they know. They may even be allowed to draw a comic strip. There are tons of possibilities for completing assignments, as long as students meet the lesson goals.
Flexible work spaces
UDL promotes flexibility in the learning environment. That’s why in a UDL classroom, there are flexible work spaces for students. This includes spaces for quiet individual work, small and large group work, and group instruction. If students need to tune out noise, they can choose to wear earbuds or headphones during independent work.
With UDL, students get feedback — often every day — on how they’re doing. At the end of a lesson, teachers may talk with individual students about lesson goals. Students are encouraged to reflect on the choices they made in class and whether they met the goals. If they didn’t meet the goals, they’re encouraged to think about what might have helped them do so.
Digital and audio text
UDL recognizes that if students can’t access information, they can’t learn it. So in a UDL classroom, materials are accessible for all types of learners. Students have many options for reading, including print, digital, text-to-speech and audiobooks. For digital text, there are also options for text enlargement, along with choices for screen color and contrast. Videos have captions, and there are transcripts for audio.
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CAST (opens in a new window) develops innovative approaches to education based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
Examples of universal design features are step-free entries, curb ramps, levers, wide doorways and handheld adjustable showerheads. Places designed for all ages and abilities are more flexible, efficient and comfortable. Properties with universal design often have higher value and longevity.
Universal Design for Learning recommends providing multiple means of representation so that all students can understand and engage with the content. This could mean using a variety of multimedia, including text, audio, images, and videos.
For example, in a grade 3 math unit on fractions, a UDL-aligned learning goal could be to compare and order fractions with like and unlike denominators using different strategies and representations.
Building Inclusive Classrooms. Universal design for learning (UDL) is a teaching approach that works to accommodate the needs and abilities of all learners and eliminates unnecessary hurdles in the learning process and improves the learning experience for all.
In an education setting, UDL requires teachers to optimize their lessons for a variety of learning styles or “modalities” based on scientific brain research about how students learn. The goal is to create an inclusive, flexible lesson from the start, thus proactively eliminating issues.
Offering different options for an assignment. There is not always one way to complete an assignment—or at least, not one way that works for every student. ...
Examples of providing multiple means of engagement include: Inviting students to choose their own topic for an assignment or project. Incorporating authentic activities that reflect real-world situations. Generating multiple examples to connect new content to students' backgrounds and experiences.
UDL-aligned strategies are instructional methods and tools used by teachers to ensure that ALL students have an equal opportunity to learn. All of our strategies are aligned with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines.
The UDL method recognizes that if a student cannot access materials, they will not be able to learn. As a teacher, you can make materials accessible to students in a variety of formats, such as online and printable worksheets, audiobooks and traditional books, and more.
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