Using Universal Design to Enhance Preschool Learning Experiences Su Theriault, Early Childhood Specialist

Universal Design Universal Design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. –Ron Mace sutheriault@gmail.com

What is Universal Design? Universal Design considers the needs of the broadest possible range of users. sutheriault@gmail.com

More UD in Daily Life Closed captioning Curb cuts Unisex bathrooms sutheriault@gmail.com

What is Universal Design for Learning? Universal design for learning is an approach that strives to meet the needs of the broadest range of students. Environments Curriculum Instruction Assessment Family Involvement sutheriault@gmail.com

Accommodations Support one student Require extra planning time Highlight differences sutheriault@gmail.com

Emphasizes meeting many students’ needs Provides learning alternatives Universal Design Emphasizes meeting many students’ needs Provides learning alternatives Enhances access to curriculum Removes learning barriers Provides flexibility sutheriault@gmail.com

Either Accommodations or UD Both Accommodations and UD + sutheriault@gmail.com

Implementation To best serve individual children and families, teachers must cast a wide net to ensure that ALL children and families have access to the classroom environment, curriculum, instruction, assessment, and culturally relevant activities to ensure family involvement. As a result all children will be able to participate regardless of differences, including learning style, language, or ability. sutheriault@gmail.com

Universal Design Emphasizes meeting individual needs of a broad range of students Provides alternative ways students can engage in the learning process Enhances access to the curriculum and instruction for all students Removes physical barriers to successful learning Provides flexibility without watering down the curriculum sutheriault@gmail.com

Activity Who is in your classroom? Column 1: List all of your students. Column 2: List something you have observed about each student’s interests, development or learning style. Column 3: Indicate how your planning considers the elements in Column 2. sutheriault@gmail.com

Key Elements of Universal Design for Early childhood Environment Curriculum and Instruction Assessment Family Involvement sutheriault@gmail.com

Environment Design environments that enable all children to fully participate in all activities Create a classroom climate that is welcoming, safe, caring, and nurturing. Respect all learners and value diversity of all kinds. Use physical space to enhance student participation and engagement. sutheriault@gmail.com

Teach Intentionally structure curriculum content and instructional strategies identify and engage all learning styles offer information and learning activities in multiple ways provide resources, tools or technology individualize responses sutheriault@gmail.com

Effective Instructional Strategies Present content in more than one way Allow varied methods of representation Incorporate student interests Value exploration and discovery Offer multiple access to achieve same goal Keep in mind multiple goals and objectives Provide adjustable levels of challenge. Allow time to fully explore/practice. sutheriault@gmail.com

Differences in Intelligence Linguistic/verbal Logical and mathematical Kinesthetic & bodily Spatial/visual Musical/rhythmic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalistic Multiple Intelligences - Howard Gardner sutheriault@gmail.com

Effective Instructional Strategies Choose books, materials, activities sensitive to diversity. Face children; speak clearly. Avoid indefinite pronouns. Use visual prompts, concrete objects. Use/create books with audio counterparts. Over in the Meadow http://media.umb.edu/medow  As the Crow Flies http://media.umb.edu/crow sutheriault@gmail.com

Application How could you provide multiple methods of instruction at circle time? Dramatic play? Learning centers? Think back to the peg board. What are multiple goals and objectives that could be reached? How can you adjust the level of challenge in an activity? sutheriault@gmail.com

Teach intentionally, reflect constantly. - David Dickenson Did all the children have the necessary skills/knowledge for this activity? Were all the children engaged? Who was not? Why? What did you observe about: the group? individual children? What needs to happen next? How will we accomplish it? sutheriault@gmail.com

Assessment Information about individuals and groups of children can inform decision making about: classroom environment curriculum instruction assessment sutheriault@gmail.com

Offer multiple ways for children to demonstrate what they know and are able to do, over time. Portfolios Anecdotal/running records Time sampling Photographs Multiple ways to represent sutheriault@gmail.com

Best Practices in Assessment Systematically assess children’s learning and development over time. Monitor progress in content, skills, strategies and supports. Use both formal and informal assessment/observation. sutheriault@gmail.com

UD Strategies for Assessment Do not limit observation and assessment to one time Document assessment with examples of a wide variety of student work and modalities Provide flexibility in the way students demonstrate their knowledge sutheriault@gmail.com

What would you like family engagement to look like for the children and families in your classroom? sutheriault@gmail.com

Family Involvement is… engaging families as partners in children’s educational experiences in a variety of ways. Flexible scheduling Cultural relevance Linguistic support Family supports Variety of ways to share information about the child and classroom sutheriault@gmail.com

Ways to Engage Families Stress the importance of their role in their child’s education. Provide transition information and resources. Ask about their goals for their child. Use parents as resources to enhance/expand curriculum. Empower parents to advocate for their children. sutheriault@gmail.com

Use technology: Internet Digital photos Record stories Family Involvement Use technology: Internet Digital photos Record stories www.teacherweb.com www.wikispaces.com sutheriault@gmail.com

Reflection Were you able to list all your students? Were you able to note something about each student? How did you use information about individual children to guide your planning? Did you make any changes in the environment, adapt instructional learning or change your method for documenting what a child knows or is able to do? Did you communicate any differently with a child’s family based on your observations? The children you did not observe or were unable to recall would be the starting point for your next observations. sutheriault@gmail.com

Universal Design Resources Planning the Environment The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) www.cast.com The Center for Universal Design http://www.design.ncsu.edu:8120/cud/resources/resources.htm The Universal Curriculum Design Website www.eeonline.org Planning the Environment Environments (classroom labels and signs) http://www.eichild.com/ Lakeshore classroom plan http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/classroomDesign/requirements sutheriault@gmail.com

Next Steps Curriculum and instruction? Assessment? Family involvement? What did you learn about Universal Design that you will incorporate into your: Curriculum and instruction? Assessment? Family involvement? Classroom environment? How will you implement these strategies? What will coaches see as you implement these? Write down your answers to these questions on a notecard. sutheriault@gmail.com

All children can learn! “All students can learn and succeed, but not all on the same day in the same way.” - William G. Spady sutheriault@gmail.com

Wrap Up What did you learn about Universal Design? How is your view of your classroom altered? How will you use the list of students and what you know about them to inform planning? What will you do differently as a result? sutheriault@gmail.com