Universal Design for Learning

UDL

Universal Design for Learning - take into account all of the diversities in your classroom: language, culture, special needs, physical accommodations, learning styles, etc. when planning, implementing, and assessing learning.

Provide Multiple Means of Representation - When you present content to students you need to consider how it will be perceived.  What method will work for your diverse student body.  Content should be presented in multiple ways so that it is accessible for everyone.

Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression - Teachers need to allow students to demonstrate their existing knowledge and their learning in many different ways.  This immediately brought to mind the video we recently watched in our Science course where the student with fine motor skill challenges worked with support to draw his observations.  He described what he wanted to draw and the support personnel guided his drawing with her finger.  The student would not have been able to record his observations in the same manner that the rest of the students had.

Provide Multiple Means of Engagement - Determine what types of activities will initiate and sustain student excitement.  Different activities will motivate different students.

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/learner-diaries

Our focus was on Assessment and Self-Reflection.  There was a section called Learner Diaries.  The site showed how to set up the process (scaffolding) and provide accessibility (voice recordings vs. written diaries) based on varying student needs. The diaries allowed the students to have individual and private conversations with their teacher about their own sense of how well they were learning, their goals, and what support they needed to support their goals. It was a great way to show the kids their progress across the year in their own writing all in a framework where the students were assessing their own learning.  Additionally, it was helpful for students to listen to their own speaking.  This could be valuable for students who are working on specific speech impediments or are language learners.