1. UDL & Differentiation CAROLYN THOMPSON EDU 673 PROF. GINA STAFFORD FEBRUARY 5, 2015

2. As educators in the 21 st Century, we are expected to provide students with academic lessons that will keep them engaged, encouraged and enthusiastic about their learning. This task may not be an easy one, but it has been given to us with a tool, The Common Core State Standards, which is a guide for teachers, students and parents to use and follow. Two of the most important points that we must remember, in order to make the Standards effective and allow our students to reach their academic goals and potential, is to maintain a differentiated classroom and include Universal Design for Learning in our lesson plans.

3. DIFFERENTIATION Differentiation is important for a diverse group of learners. In my 6 th Grade Language Arts class, it is a must that I create and implement lessons for every student in the class. I have several students who have ADHD, a few ELL students, students with IEP’s and other students. This diverse group of students have learning challenges and those challenges have to be met with creative and innovative lessons that will ensure that they have every opportunity to meet and/or exceed The Common Core State Standards.

4. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Universal Design for Learning is the way in which I will approach the learning material and the method in which I teach Language Arts lessons. Universal Design for learning is a framework for flexible learning environments that ensures all students have access to the same curriculum and learning opportunities as their peers (Puckett, 2013). Therefore, it is imperative that I develop lesson plans that is inclusive of the various types of learners in my classroom. This does not mean watering down lessons, but making information and skills attainable for every student.

5. Compare and Contrast Both Differentiation and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), indicates that every student should be given the opportunity to learn and according to their learning style, creativity and innovative learning skills. Both is a way to make learning visible to students, foster reflective learning and acknowledge and celebrate learning (Stefanakis & Meier, 2010). However, Differentiation focuses on the specific learning style of a student and their readiness for the lesson being introduced. UDL focuses on the way in which the curriculum/lesson will be presented to cause learning for all the diverse learners. As teachers one of the greatest challenge is to create a classroom environment that both nurtures and propels students to learn; having a differentiated classroom and implementing UDL gives us a greater chance of doing so (Voltz, Sims & Nelson, 2010).

6. Differentiation and UDL EXAMPLE OF DIFFERENTIATED CLASSROOM: VOCABULARY WORDS Write vocabulary words 5xs each Spell vocabulary words verbally Match words to definitions Use words in a sentence Write a song, poem or short story using each of the vocabulary words Match English spelling of vocabulary words to Spanish spelling of vocabulary words EXAMPLE OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING: VOCABULARY WORDS Handouts will be provided with the vocabulary words, phonetic spelling and definitions Flashcards will be available that includes vocabulary words, in English and in Spanish Computers will be used with headphones, to listen to vocabulary words being spoken, spelled and provided with definition and used in a sentence Students will be paired with a peer who has mastered the spelling(s) and definition for each vocabulary word Students will be given extra time for testing according to their IEP’s and/or other needs

7. Conclusion In conclusion, I will provide my students with formative assessments, such as a pre-test for Language Arts, to let me know where my students are according to the State Standards. This will let me know what prior knowledge my students bring to the learning environment. My strategies for motivating and keeping students engaged, will be to support their creativity and innovative learning skills. I will keep them engaged, by remembering to include their learning styles and specific academic needs in each of my lesson plans. Two of the most important points that I must remember, in order to make the Common Core Standards effective and allow my students to reach their academic goals and potential, is to maintain a differentiated classroom and include Universal Design for Learning in my lesson plans.

8. References Puckett, K.S. (2013): Differentiating Instruction: A Practical Guide. USA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Stefanakis, E. & Meier, D. (2010): Differentiated Assessment: How to Assess the Learning Potential of Every Student (Grades 6-12). Hoboken, N.J.: Jossey-Bass Publishing. Voltz, D.L., Sims, M.J. & Nelson, B. (2010): Connecting Teachers, Students, and Standards: Strategies for Success in Diverse and Inclusive Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development (ASCD).