The Case for UDL in Classrooms
I first learned of the concept of Universal Design for Learning, or UDL for short, in a class on teaching students with special needs that I took as an undergrad. Three images of three people of various heights standing in front of a tall fence come to mind from these early lessons, with the last image being three people in front of a wire fence. The fence is representative of UDL, considering people of all heights can see through a fence with holes. According to CAST, the organization that created the framework, UDL is “a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn” (2022).
The Breakdown
There are three components to this framework: engagement, representation, and action and expression. Each component helps an educator plan their lessons with students in mind. Student voice and choice become key parts of lesson planning, and this in turn helps lower barriers to students’ success. Offering multiple means of engagement helps students get involved and interested in their learning, whether that is by something simple such as minimizing distractions or something a bit more complex like helping students develop coping skills. Multiple means of representation means that students are able to do the learning in a way that benefits them the most. A big one that comes up in my own teaching is clarifying vocabulary and helping students comprehend despite language differences, as my class is composed of many students whose first language is not English. Lastly, multiple means of action and expression means that students can express their learning in a way that fits their needs. This year I have experimented with letting students utilize their computers in writing, as we are fortunate to have 1:1 devices in my classroom. It doesn’t always go according to plan, but my students often are happier when given the choice.
UDL In Practice
I can only speak for myself, but I know that my ultimate goal is for students to learn and feel successful. I also know that each of my students is on a different path toward their own version of success. Therefore, I make decisions daily (if not hourly or by the minute) to help my students along their paths to success. Just today I had a student who needed a movement break, and she chose to spend it, unprompted, by passing out wipes to everyone to clean their desks. I was going to start my writing lesson but upon seeing her take this upon herself, I decided to offer all of my students a movement break — we did a few minutes of cleaning and walking around, not everyone chose to participate which was totally fine, and then we returned to our lesson. Self regulation is a huge aspect of what I teach, and this was a perfect example of how I may incorporate it into my day.
I frequently give my students the option of working on their computers as a way to offer choice in their learning. Within the broad concept of ‘working on computers’, most frequently this looks like giving them the choice of computer programs to work on, or showing their work on a computer versus on a worksheet. I find this particularly nice in math, where the computer programs we utilize help me individualize my math instruction to best suit the needs of my learners. Students get to choose which one they would like to focus on because we have quite a few math programs.
Going Forward
What I like about UDL is that, most likely, it is a framework that most teachers are probably already utilizing unintentionally in their classrooms. However, it can (and I would argue should) be used intentionally when possible. Incorporating UDL into lessons could seem overwhelming — there are a magnificent number of options to choose from and it would be easy to get lost down a UDL rabbit hole — but again, it really goes back to what students need and want to make them successful. Putting students first when lesson planning should help a teacher decide what supports/choices might be most appropriate for a particular class, as again all students are different and have different needs. What worked one year might not work again the next year, and we must be responsive to the needs of our students. After all, what is three minutes of hardcore classroom cleaning and moving, or choice in a math program, when compared to having an overwhelmingly pleasant day of learning?
References
About universal design for learning. CAST. (2022, February 8). Retrieved April 11, 2022, from https://www.cast.org/impact/universal-design-for-learning-udl
