Universal Design of Learning Hamilton Elementary Erica Wylie January 27, 2010

What would be your ideal classroom? Classroom teacher is in control Relies on textbooks and pencil/paper routines Presents material in only one way Believes that if students do not understand then it’s not my fault, but that the students were not paying attention Constructive learning environment Incorporates technology and presents material in various formats Teacher believes that one size does NOT fit all. Understands that students may not grasp it right away. Presents opportunities for learning

Did you choose yet?….. The right column should be the choice that many of you chose. This description is a classroom that embraces UDL or Universal Design for Learning

What is UDL? UDL is an approach to learning that addresses and redresses the primary barrier to making expert learners of all students: inflexible, one-size-fits-all curricula that raise unintentional barriers to learning. Learners with disabilities are the most vulnerable to such barriers, but many students without disabilities also find that curricula are poorly designed to meet their learning needs. (Center for Applied Special Technology. (2009).

Where did UDL come from? The Center for Applied Technology started working 25 years ago in helping students with disabilities gain access to the general education curriculum. The focus at that time was to “fix” the child. In the 1990s, there was a shift in the thinking to changing the curriculum and how we can make it learnable for EVERY child. One size does not fit all! After careful collaboration, the UDL guidelines now focus on access to learning.

3 Principals of UDL 1) Representation 2) Action and expression 3) Engagement

Representation How we perceive our surroundings and take everything in through our senses. Known as the “what” of learning What can I do in the classroom: * Activating prior knowledge * How text is displayed * Language used/emphasizing key concepts * Graphic organizers

Action/Expression This is the “how” of learning How we take in the curriculum and make sense of it What can I do in the classroom: * Provide multiple forms of assessment * Manipulatives/technologies * Using multimedia tools * Scaffolding * Goal-setting

Engagement This is the “why” of learning There is no one right way for children to express themselves What can I do in the classroom: * Vary levels of challenge and support * Individual choice * Develop self-reflection and assessment

Technology in the UDL Classroom Technology should be designed from the beginning to be flexible enough to accommodate the unique learning styles of a wide range of individuals, including children with disabilities. Some examples of UDL include: accessible Web pages; electronic versions of textbooks and other curricular materials; captioned and/or narrated videos; word processors with word prediction; speaking spell checkers; talking dialog boxes; voice recognition; and picture menus (Universal Design for Learning and Assistive Technologies, 2009). Technology embraces diverse learning styles for all children and allows for children to creatively express themselves. It also allows for young children to use their motor skills in being introduced to technology. It gives students flexibility in their interests and learner differences.

The Mighty Brain There are three networks in the brain: recognition, strategic, and affective. These three networks work together to carry out tasks and in learning

Recognition Networks Networks in the brain that enable us to identify and understand information, ideas, and concepts; networks specialized to sense and assign meaning to patterns we see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. Although human brains all share the same basic recognition architecture and recognize things in roughly the same way, our recognition networks come in many shapes, sizes, and patterns. Can you just imagine all of the learning differences?recognition networks

Strategic Networks This network says that we plan, execute, and monitor our internally generated mental and motor patterns- actions and skills. Differences in strategic networks manifest themselves in various ways in the classroom. For example, routines such as solving a math problem or forming letters.strategic networks Variation within students' strategic networks also influences their abilities to use different kinds of learning tools. For example, using a mouse on a computer or speech difficulties.strategic networks

Affective Networks Students experience the same situation in very different ways. Affective differences exert powerful influences on learners' ability to engage with learning and to progress. Understanding affective issues can help teachers support all learners more appropriately. Consider these differences: some students prefer to read in a quiet environment; others are comfortable reading in the middle of noisy activity. Some like the predictability of reading familiar stories multiple times, whereas others find rereading boring.

How does this work for Hamilton?

Our Future Our students are the learners of the 21st century and as diverse as they are; we should provide a positive learning experience highlighting their strengths to help them believe that school is a safe place. We already have SFA in place which differentiates reading instruction, but how can we go further?

Our Future Professional Learning Communities to discuss how our teachers are implementing UDL in their classrooms Make sure we know and understand the principles of UDL Know that our student test scores would increase along with students’ problem solving skills.

Online Tools and Resources This website offers information about state guidelines, assessments, materials, and curriculum content resources for each subject area. Our primary/intermediate teachers can benefit from the assessment portion. This website has online modules for teachers to view and a more in depth look at UDL. This site engages students with learning from digital books and is a great resource for teachers to use with their students.

Resources Center for Applied Special Technology. (2009). UDL guidelines, version 1.0. Retrieved from 1.html 1.html