UDL Teacher Breaking Down [video]. Retrieved December 2, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsrBQ6AGo_g Presented by: Kim Cohen, Alyssa Lindsey, Katie Harmon, Carolyn Sutherland, and Stefanie Trentacoste

Project Background…

MTTS: Standard V: Integrating Technology into the Curriculum and Instruction Outcome: Design, implement and assess learning experiences that incorporate use of technology in the curriculum-related instructional activity to support understanding, inquiry, problem-solving, communication or collaboration. Indicators: Assess students' learning/ instructional needs to identify the appropriate technology for instruction. Evaluate technology materials and media to determine their most appropriate instructional use. Select and apply research-based practices for integrating technology into instruction. Use appropriate instructional strategies for integrating technology into instruction. Select and use appropriate technology to support content-specific student learning outcomes. Develop an appropriate assessment for measuring student outcomes through the use of technology. Manage a technology-enhanced environment to maximize student learning. Maryland State Department of Education. (2002). Maryland teacher technology standards. Retrieve from http://www.mttsonline.org/standards/MDTchrTechStdsMTTS.pdf

Profession Development Plan Overview Year 1: Four sessions Intro to UDL Microsoft Word Capabilities Microsoft Excel Capabilities Assistive Technology Year 2: Focus on Reading (2 sessions) Focus on Math (2 sessions) Year 3: Application of skills and lesson study Surveymonkey will be used to survey for teacher interest UDL framework presented to staff Prof Dev on assistive technology available (text to speech, websites such as googlelabs that provides word prediction, and voicethread) Year 2 prof dev will focus on additional speech recognition tools available through windows 7 (magnifier, on screen keyboard, speech recognition), excel and Word. CAST website to explore resources Software/Web 2.0 tools to enhance reading such as Wordle, wordsift and create your own comix Same for math – Broken calculator online game Year 3 standardize expectations for teachers- UDL checklist used in formal observation process Lesson studies will take place. Peer eval and sharing on wiki

In this session, we will: Define Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Increase awareness of what teachers are already doing to implement the concepts of UDL Increase awareness of the tools available for UDL and differentiation of instruction for all students Apply principles of UDL to improve a lesson

Session 1

What is UDL? Take a couple minutes to discuss with a partner what you think UDL means. It DOES NOT MEAN… Umm… Done Listening! Uh Dude Like… Until (I) Die Laughing Uh-nother Damn Lecture

UDL at a glance… UDL at a Glance [video]. Retrieved December 6, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDvKnY0g6e4

Designed from the beginning What is UDL? Alternatives for everyone Not one size fits all- Designed from the beginning Not added on later Access for everyone Not just for some UDL considers alternatives for every one when we think about the curriculum that we use the textbooks that would use they are generally one size fits all they are generally as we consider the bell curve supporting those individuals that fall in the highest point of that bell curve when we think about UDL we are we also need to consider the individuals our student learners one all ends of a continuum In Baltimore County and in many other districts designing curriculum that he’s infused with UDL from the beginning. As you think about your curriculum the lessons that you will be teaching many of those lessons many of the lead to the curriculum has been developed over the years and does not have the components of universal design imbedded. In Baltimore County meet our training curriculum writers to infuse UDL principles into the curriculum from the beginning so that we have the availability for access for everyone. Skip Stahl Universal Design for Learning: Reaching Teaching All Learners CEC 2009

The student is not the problem! Barriers in the curriculum are causing the learning issues. “When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look into the reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce…” ~Thich Nhat Hahn

Why use Universal Design? 11 Audiences have - A variety of cultural, ethnic and racial backgrounds Distinct learning styles Different primary languages Different abilities Adapted from the CAST UDL guidelines

accommodations created for a subset of the population Conveniently, accommodations created for a subset of the population usually result in increased benefit for everyone. Interestingly, when we create an accommodation, a strategy for a small group of students, the results is generally a benefit for everyone. An example of this would be word prediction. Word prediction was developed for individuals with physical disabilities. It enabled them to reduce the number of key strokes when typing. This is where I ask who has used word prediction. Examples are cell phones as we typed words we begin with a water and end and ray room list of words pops up for us to choose from. Skip Stahl Universal Design for Learning: Reaching Teaching All Learners CEC 2009

Universal Design For Learning (UDL) UDL proposes that children with disabilities do not constitute a separate category, but fall along a continuum of learning differences. UDL leads us to make adjustments for learner differences for all students, not just those with disabilities. There are three characteristics that underlie the principles of UDL. The first looks at students along a continuum. Use the example of the teachers in your audience. At some point they may have qualified for NIEP or 504 plan. We do not know. What we do know is that our instruction, the way we engage them, and the way they demonstrate their knowledge will be customized according to their learning styles. In this regard, UDL leads us to making adjustments for all students. Adapted from the CAST UDL guidelines

Universal Design For Learning UDL also encourages us to look at the development and use of curriculum materials. Are they varied and diverse? Do they include digital and online resources, rather than centering instruction on a single text book? The third characteristic is looking at the curriculum material. With regard to UDL we want our curriculum to reflect both varied and diverse instruction. A major component that differentiates UDL from ordinary instruction includes multiple digital and one line resources. Adapted from the CAST UDL guidelines

Multiple Means of Engagement The first principle of UDL is multiple means of representation. This refers to the ways in which we presented the information to be learned, the process of instruction. Ask the participants to think about a lesson they will be giving in the near future. Ask them to share the different ways in which they prevent the information. Multiple Means of Representation Song and Dance, Sign Language, Act things out http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01217/Cirque_du_Soleil2_1217933c.jpg

Multiple Means of Engagement The second principle of UDL is engagement. This is just what it sounds like. This is how we capture and sustained the attention of our audience. Ask the audience to share out the ways in which they engage their students. This can be ways they group the students, present information or any other form of engagement. Multiple Means of Engagement Role plays, Hands-on, Groups, inside and outside of classroom, choice making http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01217/Cirque_du_Soleil2_1217933c.jpg

Differentiating The Curriculum Through Universal Design for Learning 4/26/2017 The third principle of UDL is multiple means of expression. This refers to all of the ways that our students demonstrate that they get the knowledge that they get the information that they are learning. Ask the audience to share about the different ways that they have their students demonstrate new knowledge. “provides flexibility in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills Multiple Means of Expression Art (paint, clay, etc), Voice, Music, Acting Out, Writing http://abluteau.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/cirque-du-soleil-1.jpg mkaplan@bcps.org mmurphy@bcps.org

Making the instructional connection Learner preference Differentiation Good teaching Let’s move into making the connection between instruction and UDL. This slide simply highlights the fact that that instruction and UDL reinforce the consideration of learner preference as well as good teaching strategies.

Instruction UDL Multiple choices Multiple means Content Representation Instruction & Universal Design for Learning Blending, Collaboration, Coordination Instruction Multiple choices Content Process Product UDL Multiple means Representation Engagement Expression Teachers look at instruction through content process and product. My view of UDL and instruction blends the two. We look at this slide, we see that through instruction we are looking at multiple choices of process and product. We do not have multiple choices of contents because we are told what curriculum we will be teaching. With regard to UDL we are looking at multiple means of representation how we teach the information where the process, Multiple means of engagement, and multiple means of expression or product.

Putting it into Practice Think about a lesson previously taught. Use the UDL checklist in order to determine if principles of UDL are already included in your plan. Identify barriers.

UDL Checklist The lesson plan form should focus on UDL instruction, including goals, methods, assessment and materials. Provide information in multiple formats and media (Recognition Networks) Included Not Included Barrier Provide multiple examples, Show the range of examples, provide examples and counter-examples. Represent information in multiple media and formats (e.g., text version of book, online or digital resources) Highlights critical features (e.g., teacher tone of voice, marker underline, etc.) Provide supports for limited background knowledge, and establish a context for learning Provide multiple pathways for students’ action, expression (Strategic Networks) Provide flexible models of skilled performance Provide ongoing, relevant feedback (e.g., (a) questions and answers in classroom) Provide flexible opportunities for demonstrating skill. (e.g., written, oral , or visual presentation, explanations, word process) Provide novel problems to solve (e.g., unique problems outside the initial instructional set to promote generalization and transfer) Provide multiple ways to engage students (Affective Networks) Offer choices of content and tools (e.g., choice of books to study literature) Provide adjustable levels of challenge: (e.g., range of materials at different reading difficulties) Offer choices of rewards Offer choices of learning context (option to work in study carrel v. open classroom, student use headphones)

Does your lesson need help? Try: www.udlcenter.org Educator’s Checklist http://www.udlcenter.org/sites/udlcenter.org/files/Guideline%20Ed%20Chklst%208_31_09.doc Take your audience to this web site. If you click on implementation you will be able to access the next two resources.

If you download this file, you can type right onto it. There is a trick. When you type, the text is actually the same color as the background. You will need to highlight what you type and convert it to black. http://www.udlcenter.org/sites/udlcenter.org/files/Guideline%20Ed%20Chklst%208_31_09.doc

When you click on a guideline you will see this window When you click on a guideline you will see this window. When you click on the guideline it will expand indicating additional information. Look below and you will see the checkpoint indicator. Click on the checkpoint indicator to see examples of strategies and resources as well as a direct connection to UDL. www.udlcenter.com

Putting it into Practice Open the Educator’s checklist. Explore each of the principles looking for resources that support your curriculum. Can any of the resources provided help you to eliminate barriers? What is one new idea that you would incorporate if you were going to reteach the same lesson?

Best Practices… If the only arrow in your “working with at‐risk kids” quiver is to change the kid rather than the system, you’re shooting yourself in the foot. Two Options: 1. Redesign schools based on best practices OR 2. Get different kids Dr. Tim Westerberg 2007 Presentation Dearborn, MI

Q & A

Really Cool Websites!! Karen Janowski Great tools resource blog and Wiki http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com http://teachingeverystudent.blogspot.com/ The UDL Tech tool kit is an amazing resource. When you click on this link you will find that in Baltimore County this center of the page does not show, however this sidebar has all of the information that you need. This new resource is hosted by an 80 specialist in Massachusetts. Karin locates resources to support UDL and all types of learners. This is an excellent resource to locating strategies to support your students.

CAST TOOLS Case Stories Videos from the field Planning Self Check http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/casestories /cs2/index.cfm?page_id=42 Videos from the field http://www.udlcenter.org/resource_library/videos/fro mthefield Planning Self Check http://udlselfcheck.cast.org/check.php Lesson Builder http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/