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

2. 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

3. What is Universal Design?
Universal Design considers the needs of the
broadest possible range of users.

4. More UD in Daily Life Closed captioning Curb cuts Unisex bathrooms

5. 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

6. Accommodations Support one student Require extra planning time
Highlight differences

7. 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

8. Either Accommodations or UD
Both Accommodations and UD +

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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.

12. Key Elements of Universal Design for Early childhood
Environment
Curriculum and Instruction
Assessment
Family Involvement

13. 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.

14. 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

15. 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.

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

17. 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
As the Crow Flies

18. 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?

19. 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?

20. Assessment
Information about individuals and groups of children can inform decision making about:
classroom environment
curriculum
instruction
assessment

21. 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

22. 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.

23. 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

24. What would you like family engagement to look like for the children and families
in your classroom?

25. 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

26. 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.

27. Use technology: Internet Digital photos Record stories
Family Involvement
Use technology:
Internet
Digital photos
Record stories

28. 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.

29. Universal Design Resources Planning the Environment
The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)
The Center for Universal Design
The Universal Curriculum Design Website
Planning the Environment
Environments (classroom labels and signs)
Lakeshore classroom plan

30. 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.

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

32. 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?