Universal Design for

Learning
How we can make our
classrooms successful
learning environments for all
the students we teach.
 WHO are our learners?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8&feature=fvw

•
 What is our responsibility to
our students?
• To teach them in the best ways
possible, allowing them to grown,
learn and succeed.
• To create lessons that engage and
use 21st Century Skills to aid our
students in becoming successful
members of civilization.
What is a Universal Design for
Learning?
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
is the design of a classroom that
allows all students, all types of
learners, to gain “knowledge, skills
and a enthusiasm for learning”
(CAST, 2007).
 What about you?
• Let’s think this over…
 Examples
• Shoulder buddies
• Group learning
• Video or audio lessons
• Graphic organizers
 How does UDL effect the
classroom learning
environment?
• Students are allowed to use modified
materials to succeed in lessons.
• Students are able to learn in the best
way for them as an individual.
• Students are able to use devices
such as the internet and tape
recorders to learn the material
being taught.
 What would you see in a UDL
Classroom?
• George, a ESOL 7th grader using a
read aloud program on the
computer to better understand a
Social Studies lesson.
• Betty, a Special Education 5th grader,
using a word processing program to
work towards her goal of reach a
higher spelling level.
• A group of students in Mrs. James
class working together on a group
project that will take the place of
 What are the three principals
of UDL?
• Representation


• Expression


• Engagement
•
 Representation
• Representation is allowing students
different ways to gain the
information being presented.
 Expression
• Expression means to allow the
students to show what they know in
different ways.
 Engagement
• “…engagement to tap into learners'
interests, challenge them
appropriately, and motivate them
to learn” (CAST, 2009).
 What about technology?
• Technology can be used to modify
lessons and make them more
understandable to all learners in
your classroom.
– Example: assistive technology, such
as e-mail, interactive graphic
organizers, on-line books, blogs and
wikis can be used to reach both
special needs students (both Special
ed and ESOL)
 But how can this effect OUR
students?
• We can make a lesson more
meaningful for our students by
personalizing it.
• We can help all students reach their
potential.
• Lessons that engage, are lessons
that teach…students will REALLY
learn!
 What about you?
• Let’s think…
 Brain Research Tells us:
• UDL calls for reaching all three
networks of the brain. These are:
• Recognition
• Strategic
• Affective
 Recognition
• “Gathering facts. How we identify
and categorize what we see, hear,
and read. Identifying letters, words,
or an author's style are recognition
tasks—the "what" of learning”
(CAST, 2009).
 Strategic
• How we plan and organize to get
things done. In general, how we
learn.
 Affective
• The why of learning. Motivating,
engaging, challenging and exciting
learners.
 Implications of brain research
on UDL
• Rose and Meyer (2002) tell us that
we need to pay attention to all
three networks in order to address
the individual needs and strengths
of the students we teach.
 CAST Resources
• http://bookbuilder.cast.org/-this page
allows you to create books that will
support all the various types of
learners in your classroom.
• http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/ - this page
gives teachers the tools to create
lessons that allow all students to learn
and succeed in the classroom.
• http://cst.cast.org/cst/auth-login-this
page helps students and teacher
research on the internet.
 Resources
• Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002).
Teaching every student in the
digital age: Universal design for
learning. Retrieved from
http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystud
• www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/tools