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Here is an excellent and quick visual reference from Utah Education Network highlighting why Universal Design for learning is vital. Visuals are great for many types of learners.

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This is a great, quick video from Ahead that compliments the first visual reference on this padlet. It gives a great introduction to what Universal Design for learning is and why it's important. (Be sure to go to full screen to utilize captions.)

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What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

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This arcticle from Understood is where to go to begin diving deeper into UDL. If fact, it includes a great section called "Dive Deeper". There are links for families, educators, and even employers to learn about UDL in the workplace.

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At a glance

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) gives all students an equal opportunity to succeed.

This approach to teaching and learning offers flexibility in the ways students access material and show what they know.

UDL also looks for different ways to keep students motivated.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to teaching and learning that gives all students equal opportunity to succeed.

To understand what UDL is, it helps to understand what it's not. The word universal may throw you off. It may sound like UDL is about finding one way to teach all students. But UDL actually takes the opposite approach.

The goal of UDL is to use a variety of teaching methods to remove any barriers to learning. It's about building in flexibility that can be adjusted for every person's strengths and needs. That's why UDL benefits all learners.

This approach to teaching or to workplace training doesn't specifically target people who learn and think differently. But it can be especially helpful for kids with these challenges - including those who have not been formally diagnosed. It can also be very helpful for English language learners.

Watch this video to see what UDL looks like in a fifth-grade classroom.

Dive deeper

Bringing universal design to the classroom

How UDL helps students who learn and think differently

About the author

About the author

Amanda Morin is the author of "The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education" and the former director of thought leadership at Understood. As an expert and writer, she helped build Understood from its earliest days.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Ace Parsi, MPP served as the personalized learning partnership manager at NCLD.

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What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a teaching approach to help all learners be successful. Read about UDL principals and the benefits of UDL for students.

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This excellent article from Edutopia feels like it was written by a teacher for all teachers. It's full of empathy for the hard work required to successfully implement UDL in the classroom, but it also shows why its so important. A quote from the article: "At its core, UDL is a mindset, or set of beliefs, that guides educators in everything they do. ... It’s all about believing—in students and their potential; in the importance of the process as much as the result; and in the power of continual growth, reflection, and lifelong learning."

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Differentiated Instruction

Teachers can encourage high school students' success by focusing on learner variability and creating customizable learning experiences.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that guides educators in designing learning experiences that meet the needs of all learners. It helps teachers move from a one-size-fits-all approach toward one that adapts to learner variability. UDL embraces the idea that we should have firm goals for students-using flexible means to reach those goals. The result is more equitable and engaging classrooms.

How do I know Ted would embrace UDL?

At its core, UDL is a mindset, or set of beliefs, that guides educators in everything they do. And Ted has that mindset. It's all about believing-in students and their potential; in the importance of the process as much as the result; and in the power of continual growth, reflection, and lifelong learning.

Begin by Embracing Four Beliefs

While we become teachers to positively impact students, it's easy to feel overwhelmed with day-to-day challenges, especially in these past few years. Still, ask any teacher, and they'll say that the goal of education is more than just helping students acquire and regurgitate knowledge. Instead, we want to equip children with tools for success-show them how to reach their goals and prepare them for ever-changing jobs and a world we can't quite imagine. So how can we do this?

I won't pretend it's easy, but it's crucial to commit to the UDL mindset in order to have success. Embracing the following four beliefs is the first step in designing learning experiences that serve all students.

1. All students can reach the high expectations we set. When we set firm goals for all students, we're sending the message that we believe they're capable. We start by clearly identifying the goals we're focusing on. Then, reflect honestly: Do we truly believe that every student can reach these goals?

As a teacher, I involved students in tracking and monitoring their goals by creating digital Data Notebooks where we tracked academic, behavioral, and other goals. We had frequent one-on-one check-ins and monitored these together. These opportunities to conference around goals made them more manageable and helped us all stay committed to them.

2. Barriers to success exist in the system, not in the students. After firm goals are set, we need to recognize that external barriers can prevent students from being successful. Therefore, we need to be flexible by providing multiple pathways for students to reach their goals. When planning, we can ask ourselves, "What barriers might arise within each of these factors: curriculum, teaching methods, resources, materials, and assessments?"

Multiple means of engagement: Learners vary in how they are motivated and want to engage in learning, so we can provide multiple options for engagement.

Multiple means of representation: Learners perceive and comprehend information differently, so we can provide multiple options for acquiring knowledge.

Multiple means of action and expression: Learners vary in how they navigate learning and express what they know, so we can provide multiple options for them to demonstrate learning.

When teaching, I aimed to address many barriers before we began a unit. Sometimes students didn't have background knowledge, so we'd cover relevant topics and skills at the start. Other times, content wasn't academically interesting or culturally relevant, so we found ways to tie it to their lives. I realized that many students needed clearer directions, checklists, and check-ins, so I created systems within our classroom to address this.

3. Learner variability is the norm, so a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work. We can empower students with choices and autonomy so that they can overcome those barriers and reach their goals. This belief allows us to embrace the three UDL principles that help us design more accessible, inclusive, and engaging learning experiences:

We can put these principles into practice in many ways. Are there opportunities for students to have choice in what topic they study and how they take in information (reading, listening, watching)? Can we create scaffolds for students? Or offer choices in how they demonstrate their learning?

When I created units, I started by looking at our goals and brainstorming ways in which I could offer students autonomy that would still lead them to those goals. Sometimes, they chose their own text or topic. Other times, I offered materials in multiple modalities for them to choose from: reading, watching, and/or listening. Lastly, I saw so much creativity and engagement when students had a choice over how they demonstrated their learning-for example, choosing between a written response, a slide presentation, or a video.

4. Continual self-reflection leads to lifelong, expert learners. There's a lot of uncertainty around the future of work and our world. We know that the ability to learn is crucial. The ultimate goal of UDL is to develop "expert learners" who are purposeful and motivated, resourceful and knowledgeable, and strategic and goal-directed. Even though this approach may make us nervous, when we show trust by giving students choices, when we teach them how to reflect on those choices and their work, and when we value growth as much as results, we are developing expert learners.

In my teaching, I focused on creating an environment where students felt safe and valued. To emphasize growth, I offered opportunities for revisions rather than only grading final work. I built reflection questions into both our end-of-unit review and our everyday work, mainly through exit tickets. Students practiced reflecting on their work and their choices: If they could do the assignment over again, would they have made the same choices? Why or why not?

Start Small

Of course there's more to great teaching, preparing our students for the future, and applying UDL than these four beliefs, but it's only if we hold these beliefs that the other pieces then fall into place.

With so much on their plates, many teachers are feeling overwhelmed right now. It's OK to start small: Commit every day to having high expectations for allstudents. Believe in them. You can print out this 4 Beliefs poster and put it on your desk. Encourage your colleagues to do the same. While it may not seem like you're doing much, you'll be able to feela difference. And better yet, so will your students. Over time, believing in your students can lead to their believing in themselves, which is a gift that'll last a lifetime.

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4 Principles of a Universal Design for Learning Approach

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Teachers can encourage high school students' success by focusing on learner variability and creating customizable learning experiences.

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This video from Teachings in Education quickly and effectively moves through steps and suggestions for implementing UDL in the classroom. The animations and visuals help emphasize the points the narrator is making.

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These are 7 steps one can follow to begin implementing UDL in a classroom or in Instructional Design. Although it's from texthelp and is promoting the program Read&Write, it doesn't neglect to mention Low and No Tech options. Step by step guidance can be helpful, especially when tackling something like UDL.

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1. Know your students' strengths and barriers

All students are unique, and the way they learn best can be as individual as a fingerprint. Some students learn best by reading and working independently, while others excel by watching videos and working in groups. The goal is to understand their strengths and barriers, and to use that when designing lessons.

Determining strengths and barriers can be as simple as asking students their learning preferences, or observing them over time and keeping notes on which methods work best for which students. There are also many surveys that can help you learn more about individual strengths and barriers. One caveat is that asking students their preference doesn't always equate to what's best for them. For example, just because a student says he prefers watching videos doesn't mean that is actually how he learns best.

You should also be prepared to create an individual education plan for students requiring specific accommodations.

2. Use digital materials when possible

Although things are changing, I find that many classrooms still use paper-based materials. I'm not opposed to paper (I still buy real books from Amazon), but digital materials can make implementing UDL in a classroom much easier.

With digital content you can increase font size, easily look up definitions, use text-to-speech to read text aloud, and link out to more detailed information on almost any topic imaginable. This is particularly useful for students needing dyslexia-friendly reading tools, or translation.

If your current classroom materials are not in a digital format, consider ways you can change this. For example, you could replace outdated content with more up-to-date, digital content available online, or use tools like OrbitNote to convert paper-based materials to digital, accessible materials.

3. Share content in a variety of ways

In addition to having content available in a digital format, it's also important to share that content in a variety of ways. This can help ensure it fits with students' strengths and barriers discussed above.

For example, if you're teaching a unit on area and perimeter, you may know that some students will do well simply reading the textbook, while others would benefit from watching a video or listening to a hiphop version of the lesson on Flocabulary. Once they've got the concept down, let everyone get their hands dirty by working with manipulatives on their own or in a group to solve a real-life problem.

Offering multiple means of representation ( UDL's first principle) helps to ensure that students who struggle in one area do not automatically fall behind their peers.

4. Offer choices for how students demonstrate their knowledge

Sharing content in a variety of ways is only half the battle. Engaging students by giving them access to audio, video, digital text, and interactive sites, only then to hand out a paper and pencil quiz at the end of the day isn't ideal.

Obviously some of this is out of your control as standardized testing is a necessary part of education. When possible however, do your best to give students options for how they share their knowledge. This could be a demonstration, slideshow, speech, essay or video. Even using simple free tools like Google Forms provides an upgrade to standard multiple choice tests by making it digital and helping you to streamline grading.

5. Take advantage of software supports

Technology plays an important role in supporting Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The number of apps, extensions, sites, and built-in supports available to students today is nearly infinite. If you have a student who needs support with reading, writing, math, history, chemistry, or any other subject, chances are, software exists to help.

Allowing students to take advantage of these supports is critical. Not only does it give them the ability to succeed independently both inside and outside of the classroom, but it also frees up your valuable time to help even more students.

A great example of a support from Texthelp that's helping millions of students worldwide is Read&Write. Our handy extension for the Google Chrome web browser allows anyone with a Google account to have access to reading and writing supports on the web, in Google Docs, Slides, Forms and more.
Watch the video below to see how one district is benefiting from Read&Write.
As you can see, tools like Read&Write are a great way to provide on-demand support when and where students need it. And one of the great things about modern apps and extensions is their ease of use. Many times students simply discover these apps on their own after they are deployed. If not, usually a quick overview at the beginning of a class is all that's needed.

6. Low and No Tech options do exist

Even though I've been talking about the importance of digital content, software supports, and other technology-related tools, it's important to know that technology is not required to implement UDL. Sure, it can help, but if you're in a classroom with little to no technology, that doesn't mean you can't implement UDL.

UDL is all about removing barriers. As mentioned, one way to do this is by providing a range of options when presenting content or asking students to demonstrate their knowledge. Instead of using technology you can still offer multiple means of representation with things like graphic organizers and handheld whiteboards that students can use as response cards. The goal is just to make sure that all students have a way to participate and learn.

7. Learn from others

Universal Design for Learning isn't new. There are loads of resources available online that can help you get started. You can start by heading over to the UDL Center's website to learn more about the topic and the research behind it. You can check out our dedicated UDL guide for educators which can help you determine each learner's needs and create a personalized learning environment in your classroom.

Just remember to start small. Implementing the principles of Universal Design for Learning doesn't happen overnight. For example, begin by taking one lesson and consider ways to represent the content in multiple ways to reduce barriers and help increase student comprehension. Then for another lesson, offer students multiple ways to demonstrate their knowledge. Or maybe create a short quiz in Google Docs instead of paper and demonstrate how students can use a tool like Read&Write to help with reading and responding to the questions.

By tackling UDL one step at a time, you can see what works and what doesn't for your unique students and classroom.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published in May 2017 and was updated in December 2022.

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7 Universal Design for Learning Examples and Strategies for the Classroom

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While UDL is a common phrase in many schools today, it can be difficult to practically implement in the classroom. To help with this, I've put together a list of 7 ideas to make introducing Universal Design for Learning into the classroom just a bit easier.

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This article by Loui Nelson really digs deeper into how to implement UDL. It goes into detail over what it deems the 5 steps to getting starting with UDL. Nelson compares some of what teachers may be doing in classrooms with what UDL requires. Nelson does this in a positive, encouraging way. For example, Nelson introduces an "Original Goal" vs a "Rewritten Goal" using UDL. There is just a slight difference, so it shows how with just some tweaks, a teacher can use UDL in the classroom. Nelson covers things such as ways students can express what they have learned and gives examples of different tools students can use. Reflection is included in this article as the last step for implenting UDL. Although this step isn't often included, both Nelson and I feel it's an important step to see what worked and what may not have.

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This articles from Reading Rockets gives a brief history of UDL and its roots. I included it here because it gives two example cases with specific descriptions of students and their abilities. It then goes through the three principles of UDL for each student and what each principle looks like for each of them. This type of example is very helpful to envision what these principles look like in a real classroom.

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Universal Design for Learning: Meeting the Needs of All Students

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides the opportunity for all students to access, participate in, and progress in the general-education curriculum by reducing barriers to instruction. Learn more about how UDL offers options for how information is presented, how students respond or demonstrate…

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This is a blog from Jana Nicol. She considers herself a UDL enthusiast. I included it here becuase her posts are a bit a reflection of what she's tried, what's worked and didn't work, and some tips here and there. It is always nice to hear from other educators and designers. Jana also includes links to Twitter accounts that can be helpful. All of her blog entries are archived back to 2013, so there is a plethora of information there from someone who is implementing UDL every day.

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If you've read my previous blogs, you'll know I have a lot of love for the Daily 5 and Literacy CAFE structure in my Language Arts classroom. If you haven't heard about it, I'd highly recommend these books.

What I love about the Daily 5/CAFE structure is how well it works with the guiding principles of Universal Design for Learning, specifically:

Optimize individual choice and autonomy

Students are given a set of activities to complete each week, and each day they are able to choose which one they will do. They are also able to choose where they sit, provided that they stay in one spot and work the entire time (this is not limited to sitting at a table. They are allowed to work on the floor, under tables, anywhere within reason!). When they are reading, they are able to select their own books, and when doing word work I usually offer a choice of activities to work on. One of the reasons students buy into this structure so much is because of how much choice they are given. The activities students complete are designed to be completed independently, so the teacher acts as a facilitator while students take charge of their own learning.

Foster collaboration and community
Increase mastery-oriented feedback

Because students are engaged in learning independently, or in pairs or small groups, and the teacher acts as a facilitator, the teacher has the ability to meet confer with individuals and small groups. During these conferences, the teacher can provide focused instruction that targets the specific needs of those individuals. It also provides an opportunity for teachers to give specific and immediate feedback, and collaborate to develop goals to help them make gains in a given area.
The activities in this structure involve working alone, in pairs, or in small groups. By the end of each week, students have done all three at least once. Mini-lessons are also offered to the whole class before each round, and these can be designed for whole-class instruction or small groups (e.g. table talk, pair and share).

Support planning and strategy development

Another benefit of conferring with students is that it provides an opportunity for teachers and students to have a discussion about what students need to work on, and the steps they could follow to meet their goals. For example, if a student is having difficulty reading with expression, the teacher can model what it looks/sounds like, and together the teacher and student can discuss ways the student can improve in this area. This may involve re-reading familiar books, reading easier books, focusing on the punctuation in a book, and so on. Making students a part of this discussion, instead of just telling them what to do helps them learn how to make and follow a plan - which is a valuable life skill. It also helps them become goal-oriented individuals!

How I adapted the Daily 5 structure to my Math classroom:

The setup
Instead of Daily 5, I call it Daily MATH. Math stands for:

M - Math with someone
A - At work on my own
T - Teacher's choice
H - Hands-on manipulatives

Each week I have four rounds of Daily MATH. In each round a group of students completes one of the four activities, and follows a rotation until they have completed all four activities. Each round lasts for 20-30 minutes. Before we begin Daily MATH, we work together to make an anchor chart. We begin by discussing the purposes of doing Daily MATH, then talk about what the expectations should be for work and behaviour, not only for students, but also for the teacher. I guide the discussion, and record the students ideas on the chart. Here is an example:

Locating materials
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​Once we have established the expectations for work and behaviour, we review how to work cooperatively, how to choose a spot to work wisely, and how to locate materials needed to do the activities. I find it beneficial to simplify the process of locating materials as much as possible. I have one basket for each activity in which students can find everything they need to do their work. At the beginning of each round, students find their designated basket, take the materials they need, choose a spot in the classroom to work, and begin working. Being able to locate materials quickly in the very beginning saves a lot of wasted time looking for what to need. It also prevents students from wandering around the room claiming they cannot find what they need.

Student groupings
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I keep track of which activity students are doing each round by having a space on my Math wall that shows the four activities and the student groupings. Each time I begin a new round, I rotate the names. The labels on the baskets and Math wall match, which makes it easier for students to know which activity they are doing, and which basket to use. The labels have text supported by images so they are also accessible to struggling readers.

For Daily MATH, I like to use mixed-ability groupings. I find this beneficial so students can ask for help from group members if needed. I also keep a set of written instructions for each activity in the baskets, so one person from each group can read it aloud to the entire group before beginning their work. This way students are able to obtain the instructions even if they struggle with reading. I also design the activities to be things students have already spent some time learning, and this provides additional practice. I would not choose a brand new concept for a Daily MATH activity, because few students would be able to complete them independently.

The early stages of implementing Daily MATH involves discussing expectations for working as a group or in pairs. I do not take much time in the beginning to meet with individuals and small groups to work on Math as I am busy training students in how to work independently and to follow the agreed-upon expectations for work and behaviour. For instance, students are allowed to choose where they sit, but they have a responsibility not to disturb others. Once the expectations for work, collaboration, and behaviour are well-established, all students are engaged in learning independently, which allows me to confer with individuals and small groups and offer extra help, or enrichment in Math. This creates amazing opportunities to help students more with their Math. It also provides opportunities to give students immediate and specific feedback, and to discuss their learning goals and how to meet them.

The activities
Each week I change the activities in each basket. I try to make all of the activities focus on 1-2 learning outcomes that students have already had exposure to. Here are some basic guidelines I follow for each of the four tasks:

Math with someone
This usually involves a group or partner game, or some sort of mini-project that students can work on collaboratively.

At work on my own
This could include any activity that students can complete independently (e.g. worksheets, Math journals, task cards, etc).

Teacher's choice
Anything goes! Sometimes I have students play a game on the SMART board or computers, sometimes they complete a math journal, play a game, use manipulatives to solve a problem, etc.

What does this look like?
Hands-on manipulatives
Any activity that involves the use of math manipulatives would be used here. Tasks or games that involve the use of base ten blocks, pattern blocks, rulers, counters, dice, dominoes, calculators, or any hands-on activity could be used in this station.

The following file has a sample of what one week of Math in my classroom would look like. It contains:

- A lesson plan for an entire week, which also outlines each of the Daily MATH activities students complete each day
- A blank template for the lesson plan
- A set of instructions for Daily Math. I cut this sheet into fourths and put the instructions in each of the corresponding baskets
- Two Math journal topics. I cut the paper so there is a journal topic on each slice of paper. Students glue these into their journal books before answering the question. This eliminates the need to copy the information
- Building arrays worksheet
- Number of the day worksheet

Note: The lesson plan refers to other activities/worksheets, but they are not included in this package as I have only included resources I have personally created.

By Jana Nicol
Word work is an excellent opportunity to create an engaging learning experience for elementary school students. My students complete a word work activity in small groups once a week in my grade three classroom, and it is arguably their favourite component of Daily 5 (which includes read to self, read to someone, read with the teacher, word work, and work on grammar). It's also accessible to a diverse range of abilities.

How I set it up:
I keep a basket in my classroom with a "Word Work" label that features text and a graphic, so it is easy for all students to locate. The basket contains all of the materials that students need to complete their work. This makes it easier for students to complete their work, and it also enables them to maximize their time spent on task because they do not need to spend time locating materials.

Students can choose which day they complete word work, and must complete it once each week. They may choose where they sit, and they work in a small group of 4-6 students. The word work basket includes a list of instructions for students to follow, and they complete the assigned work during that time. It usually consists of practicing weekly spelling words, and a word game. Sometimes I also have students complete sorting mats to reinforce a given concept.
Materials I keep in the basket at all times include:

White boards

Dry erase markers and erasers

Pencils

Pens

Highlighters

Paper

Bananagrams and letter tiles

Wikki Stix

Set of instructions for the week

Game of the week and instructions

Every Friday, after all the groups have had a chance to complete word work, I take out the materials and instructions and replace them with new ones so it's ready for the following week.

Activities:
Students begin by practicing for a weekly spelling quiz. I give a few different options for students to complete this task:

Copy spelling words three times on a white board

Record spelling words on a sheet of paper with a pencil, trace over them with a pen, then trace over them again with a highlighter.

Use letter tiles or Bananagrams to make each spelling word

Use stamps, ink pad, and paper to stamp each spelling word

Build spelling words with Wikki Stix

Another note about spelling lists: I offer three different choices of list each week that students can choose from. Each list has a different level of difficulty, but share a given focus (e.g. all of the spelling words use the long e sound). Students can choose any list they like each week.

After students have finished practicing their spelling words, students can play a game. I use a variety of games and rotate the games each week. Some examples of the games include: I also make my own simplified instruction cards for each game, so that students can review the instructions before playing.

Scattegories*

Boggle*

Word for Word

Word wall bingo* - give students a blank grid and they fill each space of the grid with a different word wall word as the caller selects words from the word wall

Hangman

Bananagrams

Scrabble

Classwords

*Download these games below

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How does word work fit into the UDL framework?
Students are given a lot of choices:

They choose which day they complete the activity

They choose where to sit

They choose which spelling list to work on each week

They choose how they will practice their spelling words each week

Activities are accessible to a diverse range of learners:

Students can select the spelling list that best meets their needs, as each list varies in levels of difficulty. This way some students are working on simpler lists, and others who need a challenge can work on the more challenging lists

When practicing spelling words, students can select a method that works best for them. They can write on paper with a pencil, pen, and highlighter. Students who prefer/need less sensory feedback when writing can write their words on a whiteboard. Students who struggle with printing/writing can opt to build the letters out of wikisticks, or form the words with letter tiles or stamps.

It fosters collaboration and community:

Students sit in a small group, and play a word game together.

I also allow students to choose when they do the activity each week, so the groups tend to be of mixed ability, and students are trained to help each other as needed.

It's fun!
Students are always engaged in word work because they can practice their spelling words in a variety of ways, and the games are rotated on a weekly basis so they do not tire of the word games provided.

By Jana Nicol
Implementing Universal Design for Learning in the classroom can seem like a huge undertaking at first, which is why it's best to start small. Making small changes, then continually building upon them is how I have managed to incorporate elements of UDL in my classroom. I may not be exactly where I want to be yet, but by making small changes over the years, my teaching and how my students are learning is much more engaging than it once was.

I've blogged before about promoting engagement through goal setting. But this school year I have built upon this idea ways that are very easy to implement in a classroom, and this process has also put students in a role to help keep me on task, which they love!

One of the guiding principles of UDL is to heighten the salience of goals and objectives (CAST guiding principle 8.1). In order to apply this principle in the classroom, for years I have been writing curriculum outcomes on my lesson plans, and displaying these outcomes in my classroom in student-friendly language. But it made very little impact, and in spite of my efforts to use student friendly language and display the outcomes prominently on the wall, the reality is that many students just tuned it out.

I wanted to make learning goals an ongoing part of student dialogue in our classroom, not for the sake of students knowing what I wanted them to learn, but so that they could understand the why of learning... to help them understand that each activity they do will take them closer to learning something. For example, they're not just completing a worksheet, playing a game, or working in a group... these activities are designed to help them learn how to skip count/read a map/write a recount/classify data/etc.

Here's how I have put learning goals at the forefront of learning, and engaged students in the process:

I have created a goal wall in my classroom, which is divided by subject areas.

In each subject area, a small number of goals that they are currently working on are written in student-friendly language.

One of my classroom jobs is Goal Reader. At the beginning of each subject each day, the goal reader's responsibility is to read the goals aloud to the class. The students enjoy this job, and this has helped keep me accountable. It motivates me to keep the goals updated, and to keep learning goals an ongoing part of classroom discourse.

On all written assessments, the goals are recorded at the top of the page in student-friendly language. The goal reader reads these aloud before students complete the assessment.

My class goal board was very easy to setup. I purchased four whiteboards with magnetic backings, as I have mine placed on top of a chalkboard. Then I used Ready Letters for "Our Goals," and name plates for labels for the subjects. I have a Language Arts board, a Math board, a Science/Social Studies board, and a board for Community/Wellness. The Community/Wellness board covers basic rules and routines, as well as what we are learning in Health and Personal Wellness.

I alternate black marker and colour marker on each board to make it easier to see each individual goal. I update the goals as needed, usually about once a week, depending on subject area. Some goals are ongoing or last for the duration of a unit, so I'm not changing every single goal every week. It's really manageable. Also, I don't include every single outcome we're working toward... but I do try to write the goals in a simple and general way that touches on most of the outcomes, and so that they are easily understood by students.

Keeping all of the goals in one place, instead of scattered all over the room (e.g. I used to keep the Math outcomes on the Math wall, the LA outcomes on my word wall, etc.), has made it easy for students to locate all of our goals at any given time, which makes it more accessible. By creating a class job to read the goals to the class (which rotates weekly), I've made students active participants in the process, which has increased their engagement with their goals. And by putting students in charge of reading the goals aloud, not only does it help keep me accountable (in terms of updating the goals and making sure they are stated regularly), it allows every student in the class to hear about their learning goals from someone other than me!

Overall, this has been a positive change in my classroom, and has definitely fine-tuned the way I heighten the salience of goals and objectives in my classroom, which has helped to further promote student engagement.

By Jana Nicol
​This post focuses on the physical setup of the classroom, and how teachers can make small changes in their classrooms to make materials and information more easily accessible to students.

﻿ ﻿ Word work and spelling materials

Students participate in an independent spelling program, and choose their own words each week. They can use the word lists (in the bucket on the left) to create their own lists. These lists are in varying levels (from grades 1-6) so students can choose words to study that are appropriate for them.

Students can use the materials pictured to study their words each day. Materials include: stamps, letter tiles, scrabble tiles, Bananagrams, Wikisticks, and dry erase boards (not pictured).

﻿Visual labels and bilingual labels
Students follow a rotation of class jobs, one of which is taking care of pencils. The labels on the jars help them keep dull and sharp pencils in their proper places. It also makes it easier for students locate sharp pencils when they need them.

I also teach French, and there are bilingual labels throughout the classroom that help students learn French vocabulary. Although the labels shown are not supported by pictures, most labels are directly on the items they label (e.g. the label for the door is on the door, the label for the window is on the window, etc.).

Math games

All games are kept on a shelf that can easily be reached by all students. The buckets shown are sorted by grade level (this is a grade 3/4 split class).

Each bucket has bags of games. Each bag has one game, all of the needed materials, and instructions which are supported by visuals.

Not shown: Store-bought Math board games, jar of dice, container full of decks of cards, bucket of flashcards. All of these materials are in buckets which are labeled with text and visuals.

By Jana Nicol
​Traditionally, accommodations, assistive tech, and sensory tools were in the realm of special education. For the sake of clarity, as terminology may differ from place to place, I'll give a brief definition of each along with examples:

﻿ Assistive tech - Assistive technologies are tools that promote accessibility in the classroom. For example, an FM system can amplify sounds for students who are hearing-impaired. Computers, along with specialized software (such as word-predicting software) can help increase written output for students who have dysgraphia. PECS (picture exchange communication system) can help increase communication and literacy for students who have Autism Spectrum Disorders. Coloured overlays can help struggling readers more easily read texts.

﻿ ﻿Sensory tools - Sensory tools help students who have difficulties with attention, and/or processing sensory input, and helps them function more successfully in the classroom. Some students need sensory tools or breaks in order to stay calm, focused, and attentive throughout the school day. For example, noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds can help students who are hyper-sensitive to noise. Access to fidgets can help improve focus for some students. Wedge seats or hokki stools can help students sit and attend for longer periods of time.﻿

In a universally designed learning environment, accommodations, assistive tech, and sensory tools are available to anyone who needs it. Unfortunately, some school systems require diagnoses and documentation in order to provide these things to students. In systems such as these, funding for assistive technology and sensory tools are withheld until diagnoses are given, and policies forbid the use of accommodations in the name of 'fairness.'

I would argue that fairness does not mean that we treat everyone exactly the same. Rather, fairness means that we give all students the tools they need to meet their fullest potential.

The picture above illustrates the idea perfectly. We are doing our students a disservice if we pretend they all need the same things in order to succeed. Our students, and their needs and abilities, are diverse.

One benefit to getting out of the mindset that we must have diagnoses and documentation to justify the need for additional supports is that we can destigmatize these supports. Students may be hesitant to use fidgets and wedge seats, or may refuse to take extra time to complete tasks if they feel that these supports are only available to those who have special needs. However, if these supports are made available to everyone, then more students would be willing to take advantage of them.

And who couldn't benefit from extra help, or from taking advantage of things that make our lives easier? Adults do it all of the time. This may explain why there's an app for practically everything, or why many people use the escalator instead of the stairs, even though they do not have difficulties with mobility. Why deny these conveniences to our students?

For some students, accommodations may be just convenient, but for other students they are essential. In a universally designed learning environment, such supports are made available to everyone, not only to destigmatize the use of accommodations for those who need them, but also to increase everyone's potential for success.

By Jana Nicol
One way to promote engagement in a universally designed classroom is to work with students to co-construct criteria.

Involving students in the creation of rubrics has many benefits:
Eliminating surprises - students know what is expected, and what should (and should not) be included in a finished product.
Instilling a sense of objectivity - students help determine the criteria that decides if a work sample is excellent, good, or needs improvement. As a result, students are empowered to examine their own work critically.
Facilititating peer feedback - Since students help set the criteria for quality work, it allows them to review the work of classmates and give feedback based on the expectations agreed upon at the beginning of the activity.
Facilititating self-assessment - students can use the criteria to evaluate their own work before sharing it with peers or handing it in. This creates opportunities for them to refine their work before seeking teacher-feedback, which can result in higher-quality work and improved grades!

Increasing the frequency of feedback - by creating more opportunities for peer and self-assessment, in addition to teacher-evaluations of work, students will be given meaningful

feedback more often.
Increasing motivation and engagement of all learners - students like to know what is expected from them. When they get to help shape those expectations, it gives them a sense of autonomy over their learning, which can be a powerful motivator.
Devoting the time to co-construct criteria has a positive impact on student engagement and achievement. Involving students in setting criteria, and using peer and self-assessment is also a better practice that is used in universally designed classrooms.

How to get started:
Tell students about the assignment, and show them a model of exemplary work.
Review the model together, and ask them to define the characteristics that make it great.

* Create a rubric together. Record it on chart paper or on the SMART board. Put it on display and/or print it out so that students can use it as a reference.
The level of complexity of the rubric should be appropriate to the student's grade level. A scale from 1-3, accompanied by a visual representation (e.g. red/yellow/green lights, or happy/neutral/sad faces) would be appropriate for elementary school students.

*

By Jana Nicol

Like many other teachers, I am mourning the end of summer. I will miss the sunshine, the beach, camping, travel, and leisurely sipping on my morning coffee while reading a book.

But now that my batteries are sufficiently recharged, I am filled with excitement about the new school year. I finally got around to finishing all the professsional readings that were piling up on my nightstand... I'll admit, it's likely due to having had so much rain this summer! So now my mind is swimming with lots of new ideas, and I'm looking forward to trying some of them on, and figuring out how to implement them within a UDL framework. Our school district is also placing a greater emphasis on team teaching between classroom teachers and resource teachers. As a resource teacher, I am very excited about the opportunity to collaborate more with classroom teachers, and I'm hopeful that my love of UDL will catch on. I believe that the best way to promote buy-in for UDL is at a grassroots level.

In June we found out that the Department of Education will continue to support UDL action research project this coming school year. I'm so pleased to continue working on this project with some amazing educators, and look forward to opportunities to learn more about UDL and work with other teachers from throughout the province of New Brunswick who share my passion for UDL.

In short, I'm actually getting excited about buying school supplies, dusting off my alarm clock, and gulping my morning coffee during the ride to work.

I enjoy using interviews or conferences, not only as an assessment tool, but also as a means to help a student identify their areas of strength, and their goals. For example, I may listen to a student read, and they may read most of the words correctly, and demonstrate a good understanding of the text. But they read much too quickly and their fluency needs a lot of work. I begin by pointing out their strengths. Then I would tell them and show them what they need to work on. I model by reading a part of their own book back to them - in the way they read it (copying their fluency), and with proper fluency. I ask them if they can tell the difference. We also discuss what they could do to practice improving their fluency (e.g. pausing for periods and commas, reading with expression, reading aloud to others). I remind them that after they have some time to practice their new skill, I will check in with them again to see how they are progressing towards meeting their goal.

What does this have to do with affective networks? Using the example above, the student realizes that they need to practice their fluency so they can become a better reader. They are motivated and engaged in the goal of improving their fluency because they have been given concrete examples of what they can do to improve. Another motivator is that they know they are given time to practice and that the teacher will follow up with them to monitor their progress.

Meeting with students individually and discussing their academic progress helps build positive student-teacher relationships, which also promotes student engagement and motivation. Relationships are built during those conversations, and when students and teachers celebrate students' accomplishments together. You can also further build relationships, promote accountability, and motivation by asking students about their goals between meetings. Do they remember what their goal is? How are they progressing toward meeting their goal? What actions are they taking to meet their goal?

How to keep track of it all? Here are a couple of options:

- Use a conferring notebook,one for Math and one for Language Arts. Each book has a tab for every student. I take notes on each meeting I have with students, so whenever I meet with them it is easy to check their goals and take notes about their progress. I also keep a calendar in each book to help me remember to check in with students regularly.
- Use bulletin boards (possibly one for Math, one for reading, and another for writing). For example, the writing board could have a list of strategies (e.g. use uppercase letters, use punctuaion, use wonderful words, etc). Students could place a post-it with their name on it next to their own goal.

Goal-setting helps students become more actively involved in their own learning, which can help increase student motivation and engagement.

I have been following the Daily 5 format in my Language Arts instruction for the last few years, since first reading The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy Independence in the Elementary Grades by Gail Boushey & Joan Moser (a.k.a., 'the Sisters'). I also use a CAFE bulletin board in my classroom to help students keep track of the reading strategies they are working on, based on their other book The CAFE Book. Both books are ideal for teachers because they are research-based, easy to implement, and students really enjoy it.

As I have been learning about Universal Design for Learning, and making efforts to implement UDL in my teaching practices, it occured to me that Daily 5/CAFE and UDL compliment each other very well.

Optimizing choice and autonomy is one of the guiding principles of UDL and helps promote student engagement. Choice is an important feature of the Daily 5 format - students are able to independently choose texts to read, topics to write about and types of writing (e.g. lists, stories, reports, etc.), and they are also able to choose between the following five activities:
- Read to self
- Listen to reading
- Read to someone
- Word work
- Work on writing

Each round of Daily 5 begins with a mini-lesson on a particular area (e.g. vowel sounds, blends, suffixes, parts of speech, etc). Short, frequent lessons works well in a UDL classroom because it promotes engagement and provides multiple means of representation (one of UDL's guiding principles). It is recommended to vary the methods of delivering mini-lessons to promote accessibility and engagement (e.g. targeting multiple intelligences, and using multiple media such as videos and SMART board games). I usually begin with a five minute mini-lesson, followed by a 20-25 minute round of Daily 5.

Daily 5 also promotes collaboration and community among students, which is a guiding principle of UDL.
Students are given opportunities to work with partners during read to someone, or as part of a group during word work.

The CAFE Book outlines how to teach reading strategies as a part of whole-class instruction, and to individuals or small groups during reading conferences. There are four categories of reading strategies, which are presented on a bulletin board:
- Comprehension
- Accuracy
- Fluency
- Expand vocabulary

Strategies are explicitly taught and modeled, and then 'strategy cards' are placed on the CAFE bulletin board in the appropriate category. For example: back up and reread is a comprehension strategy, and using beginning and ending sounds is an accuracy strategy. Explicitly teaching and modeling reading strategies is a UDL practice it provides students with graduated levels of support for processing and practice, and it optimizes relevance to students. For example: teaching students beginning sounds such as str (string, stray, strict, etc) and ending sounds (-ing, -ed, -tion, etc.) while reading a story is more authentic than teaching blends and suffixes in isolation, because it helps students understand why it is necessary to learn them.

Every student has a post-it with their name on it on the CAFE board. During a reading conference, based on self-reflection and feedback, students place their post-it in the category they need to work on. For example, after reading with a student, we may decide that they need to work on pausing for periods and commas, which is a fluency strategy, so the student would move their post-it to the fluency portion of the board and the teacher would model how to read punctuation. Involving students in goal-setting is a UDL practice, and it also helps enhance student motivation and engagement because students know what goal they are working on, why they need to work on it, and what steps they need to take to meet the goal. After students are given some time to practice working on 'their' strategy, they would meet with the teacher in a follow-up conference to monitor their progress, and if the goal is met, celebrate their success!

If you are already doing Daily 5 and CAFE, then it's possible that you're already doing UDL. If you're not familiar with these books by 'the Sisters', I'd highly recommend checking them out. They're not only easy to implement and enjoyable for students, both books are also an enjoyable read.

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If you've read my previous blogs, you'll know I have a lot of love for the Daily 5 and Literacy CAFE structure in my Language Arts classroom. If you haven't heard about it, I'd highly recommend these books.

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This infographic from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shows the three principles of UDL. I included it because it's a nice reference to keep, especially when creating lessons. These principles are the core of what UDL means and requires.