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How do you want to learn more about Universal Design for Learning UDL?  Choose one method to learn more.

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How do you want to learn more about Universal Design for Learning UDL?  Choose one method to learn more.

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Show what you know! Choose one way to demonstrate what you learned.

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Show what you know! Choose one way to demonstrate what you learned.

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Click on the + sign to upload your demonstration of learning. Please note your submission will be visible to your colleagues.

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Draw: Create a visual representation of what you learned.

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Draw: Create a visual representation of what you learned.

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Create a comic strip illustrating the different phases of UDL

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Create a comic strip illustrating the different phases of UDL

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Read an Article about UDL.

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Explore Lee Ann Jung's Website

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Come up with your own idea to show what you know.

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Come up with your own idea to show what you know.

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Listen to a podcast: In a group or independently listen to a podcast choose from this list.

1. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/udl-in-15-minutes/id1438517430

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Develop a mnemonic device to remember the UDL Principles

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Develop a mnemonic device to remember the UDL Principles

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Watch a video: In a group or independently watch each video:

1. Shelley Moore: Transforming Inclusive Education

2. Math Teaching Models: UDL

3. Choice Boards through a UDL Lens

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Explore the CAST website: In a group or independently explore the CAST website.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Reenvisioning the UDL Guidelines

Because the UDL Guidelines are meant to be informed by feedback from the field as well as new research, they have been updated several times in the past. We are in the process of updating the Guidelines once again in our UDL Rising to Equity initiative.

This update will focus specifically on addressing systemic barriers that result in inequitable learning opportunities and outcomes. CAST aims to develop a transparent, inclusive, and community-driven process. If you are interested in collaborating and staying updated on our progress, we invite you to complete a brief survey.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

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Where does Universal Design for Learning (UDL) fit in?

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Where does Universal Design for Learning (UDL) fit in?

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is integrated into the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework to eliminate obstacles, ensuring that every student can access the curriculum and has the opportunity to thrive.

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Click here to Provide your feedback

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Access Google Forms with a personal Google account or Google Workspace account (for business use).

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There are 3 UDL Principles:  Engagement, Representation and Action/Expression

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There are 3 UDL Principles:  Engagement, Representation and Action/Expression

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Look at one of your lesson plans through a UDL lens. Use the google form below to help you.

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Look at one of your lesson plans through a UDL lens. Use the google form below to help you.

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Google Forms - create and analyze surveys, for free.

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Objective: Explore the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and share something you learned.  Use this Padlet as a means of engagement to learn more about Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

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Objective: Explore the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and share something you learned.  Use this Padlet as a means of engagement to learn more about Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

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Engagement

Representation

Action and Expression

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ERA

E - Engagement

R - Representation

A - Action & Expression

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E.R.A.

Engagement

Representation

Action/Expression

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I listened to Arie Werder part 1 podcast she talked about her difficulties of having Dyslexia, dysgraphia and ADHD.. She talked about her struggles as a child and how she was embarrassed of her disabilities. One of her examples was her spelling and how she felt when they would pass them back by rows and everyone would see hers. How she would hide her spelling book.

She has two more follow up pod casts.

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Word Art made by Liz Brierton, Katie Hamor, Alana Hueston, Cailin O'Neal, Erica Thiele, Frank Cordero, Jen Wynkoop

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We learned that we implement a lot of these strategies and approaches in our classroom. We also liked the comparison of the students with IEPs or disabilities like the bowling pins on the outside that you are not able to hit when bowling. And it is important to hit those outside pins or students and then you will be able to reach all the students including the ones in the middle. Vanessa, Veronica, Liz

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Aries’s Learning Needs Drive Her Connection to UDL

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Aries’s Learning Needs Drive Her Connection to UDL

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In the podcast, Arie reflects on her past experiences with many different learning approaches in several types of school environments. With diagnoses of dyslexia, dysgraphia, and ADHD, she struggled more in some environments than others. These experiences shaped her desire to become an educator who can meet many different types of learners needs. She also became aware of the environment she wanted to join as an educator. She learned different ways to show proficiency, rather than traditional methods which focus on limited learning styles. Arie became an advocate not only for herself, but also for her students.

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Arie’s learning needs drive her connection to UDL

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Arie’s learning needs drive her connection to UDL

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In the podcast, Arie reflects on her past experiences with many different learning approaches and several types of school environments. With diagnoses of dyslexia, dysgraphia and ADHD, she struggled more in some environments than others. These experiences shaped her desire to become an educator who can meet many different types of learners needs. She also became aware of the environment she wanted to join as an educator. She learned different ways to show proficiency, rather than traditional methods which focus on limited learning styles. Arie became an advocate not only for herself but also for her students.

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Hello,

We listed to Arie Werder’s part 1 pod cast. We all feel that it was useful information with a lot of food for thought. Here are a few highlights:

1. We need to be able to expand support for all students and thing big.

2. We need to honor what others can bring.

3. There are multiple means of demonstrating knowledge. It’s important for students to be able to show what they know.

4. We as educators can be vulnerable and use resources available ( ex: like other adults/colleges).

5. Representation for all learners.

Our biggest take away is the quote from Arie was powerful when she said “ The barrier is not the student, the environment is”.

By: Sarah Hornbeck, Kristen Baker, Patricia Bennett, Rachel Hermance, and James Ortner.

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Choice boards can be a powerful tool to engage students with multiple entry points of learning. O'Shea, Giordano, Simmons, O'Connor, Hines, Long

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ERA

E= Engagement

R= Representation

A=Action & Expression

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*EMPOWERING STUDENTS CHOICE - Inviting students to learn

*ENGAGING STUDENTS IN MULTIPLE WAYS

AND ON MULTIPLE LEVELS

*COLLABORATION WITH STUDENTS

*TEACHING AS A GUIDE

* REFLECTING

*DESIGN - How does each student learn best

*MULTI MEDIA - to show what you know and use for communication of ideas and use for learning tools ideas

*MANAGE/MONITOR SELF PROGRESS

Nancy, Lynn, Stephanie

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Watched the videos

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Collaborated by:

Wendy Veeder, Danielle Waldron, Megan Jerkowski and Julia Jeon

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Mnemonic Device

Consider Content

Honoring all learners

Output using different modalities

I have choice

Consider Supports

Empowering Students

Based on Standards & Concepts

Own the learning process

Action & expression

Representation of varied modes of learning

Demonstrating understanding

Nadine Mondini & Christine Kurlander

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Mnemonic Device

Consider content

Honoring learners

Output using different modalities

I have choice

Consider supports

Empowering students

Based on Standards and Concepts

Own the learning process

Action and expression

Representation of varied modes of learning

Demonstrating Understanding

Christine Kurlander & Nadine Mondini

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12/3/24

Dear Diary

Today my lesson didn’t go as planned. My students were disengaged and didn’t seem to understand what I was trying to teach. This seems to be a common trend and I am searching for anything to help with this problem. I went into my colleague’s room after putting the kids on the bus and broke down. I am at a loss. She told me that she has been looking into UDL. She showed me how she uses UDL to keep students engaged. It looks too difficult to plan. I don’t know if I can do this.

5/3/24

Dear Diary,

Yesterday we had professional development on UDL, I feel like I finally understand how I can do this in a way that isn’t overwhelming to plan. I’ve started to provide choice in how my students present their knowledge and it has made them feel so much more confident. I thought some of my students weren’t understanding the science concepts but that isn’t true! Seeing how well they can share their knowledge when given options makes me hopeful for how they’ll be able to retain information in different ways. I remember learning about the VARK learning styles but I never thought I would be able to use these strategies in elementary school!

Donna Brocco, Maria Bartle, Kristy Drabyk, Jen Bonelli, Cathy Turner, Hailey Turner

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Valerie DeForest-UDL Learning Walk Visual about the 3 Principles!

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Valerie DeForest-UDL Learning Walk Visual about the 3 Principles!

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Idea created by Tiffany Cyr, Kristen Gray and Pamela Seymour

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Opportunities to show knowledge of phonics patterns learned in a skill based phonics lesson.

Alicia Iannizzotto & Erin Misasi

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If we do not have people in education that represent our students, how are we going to help them? It’s not the student, it’s the environment!

Alice Guillon, Amanda Renner, Colleen Bordeman, Theresa Krom, Tess McCormick

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School Graduation Cap word cloud art created by Cbordeman

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Through UDL we learned about the importance of using choice boards so students can feel like they are making decisions in their education.

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We were discussing how to implement choice boards for Kindergarten, after teaching students how to be independent learners during core teaching. Encouraging students to work independently will instill intrinsic motivation and engagement in their own learning style. Giving choice follows UDL in engagement, representation of material, and allows them to express what they learn in their own way.

Beth, Sue, and Tessa

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ULD provides students multiple ways to learn, demonstrate their skills using appropriate methods and keeps lesson fun and interesting for maximum engagement.

-Amber

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Video Take aways:

It is important to consider all students’ barriers to learning and preferences for expression when planning a lesson

Starting the year with low stakes sharing/risk taking is a great way to establish a positive learning environment. Pop tents are an excellent idea to help facilitate group discussions

UDL requires teachers to work backwards from the end goal. No matter what route students take to learn and express their understanding, they must all arrive at the same end goal.

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Word art by Lauren, Jaclyn, & Val (IS)

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Discussion about CHOICE and giving students options

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Discussion about CHOICE and giving students options

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In our group, we had a discussion about how to give students options for how to learn and show what they know, while also pushing students to challenge themselves and push through areas of frustration.

Each of us shared our own individual strategies for learning and retaining information throughout our education. For example, some of us learn better through auditory means, others by reading text. Some of us like to work with our hands while learning. We realize that our students also need multiple means of accessing information. We also wondered how individuals come to understand which learning styles will work best for them. For each of us, it was a life-long process of better understanding our own brains. We felt that there was a potential pitfall in which students could avoid areas of deficit because of frustration, and through this avoidance, not build up their skills in those areas. Therefore, we thought that is it is important to design lessons that provide choice while not sacrificing the learning goal, and while ensuring that each student engages with material that is appropriately challenging for them.

Jenn, Katie, Darlene and Sheila

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I read the article, "Lesson Planning With Universal Design for Learning" by Lee Ann Jung. As a related service provider, this article makes me think about the standardized testing we use to qualify students for special education services. As Jung points out in the article, using a single measure to assess student ability favors students who have strengths in this format of expression. Although most service providers do try to use other means of assessment, this is an area where the principles of UDL can be used to further expand the ways in which we measure students' abilities.

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We need to stop focusing on teaching models that are aimed at the middle and think about how reaching the hardest to teach students(those who need the most support and those who need to be challenged) will actually help us reach all of our students. Designing our lessons with that in mind can provide access for all learners.

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I drew what I think is a very general example of a lesson aligning to UDL practices and what that looks like in my mind. I think we do a pretty solid job of implementing UDL throughout the day. We have an understanding of what that looks like and why it’s important, we’re doing it, sustaining it is what needs to come next. Classroom teachers can’t do this alone. We need time and paraprofessionals to help us keep it up.

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Choice board to upload to Google Classroom.

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MES-3rd Grade Team

Jennifer Husta, Michele Juric, & Cindy Palm

We watched the video on choice boards. We discussed how they would work well with spelling and reading assignments. They would also be beneficial to use for students to demonstrate understanding of science and social studies topics. They give students opportunities to take ownership of their learning through personal choices and play to their strengths as learners (for example, art, writing, and/or technology).

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Instinctively teachers vary their teaching when they notice students struggling to help them be successful. The goal now is how can you EAR your lesson plans to take UDL to the next level.

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I looked at all of the options.

Options are so important. We do a lot of this learning within our room. I really enjoyed the bowling analogy.

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Collaborators: Alicia Serson, Laura Mehalak, Colleen Mulready, Diane Diasparra

The choice board gives children a voice and autonomy in their learning and helps them explore their own strengths and weaknesses. Student will typically choose a method in their comfort zone. A choice board encourages students to expand on their learning experiences. Choice boards allow us to provide divergent methods from text if it does not need to be aligned with a writing standard. When making a choice board, we need to start off with a clear goal. No matter what modality the students choose, the learning outcome will be the same. There is a concern about the amount of time required to set up a thoughtful choice board.

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Universal Design for Learning Michele Pauley

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Take Away from Arie Werder Podcast

As a student Arie struggled with reading, writing, and ADHD. She felt passionate about becoming a teacher but faced the same hurdles in college as she did in her formative years. Just when it seemed her disabilities would prevent her from entering graduate school Arie’s professor, Prof Duarte, advocated on her behalf. He said, “If we do not have people in education that represent our students, how are we going to help them?” This support helped her gain access to a masters program in education. She furthered her career by supporting teachers as they work with students who come from a large variety of cultural backgrounds including students with disabilities.

Jocelin McNally

Christine Riley

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Had downloaded audio book feom jung last week and found it inspiring listening with my plc group during lunch

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Had downloaded audio book feom jung last week and found it inspiring listening with my plc group during lunch

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The main takeaway from UDL is breaking down learning barriers to help all students be able to access learning. Students learn and show what they know differently.

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We discussed the opportunity to use a choice board for a final assessment on a novel:

Essay

Write a poem

write a journal entry

comic strip

artistic representation

film

act out a scene

movie poster

newspaper article

press release

slide show

Submitted by Doug Serson, Ashley Sasso, Erica Knapp Gannon, Nisha V.

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Today's workshop provided me with useful techniques and insights to help engage a broader population of learners.

Thank you

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Our group watched the Shelley Moore: Transforming Education video. What we learned was that we have been bowling wrong all along. Instead of aiming for the center pins....the easiest to hit....we should aim for those pins that are most difficult.

The bowling pins represent our students and their learning challenges. The more challenged students need to be the ones that we plan lessons for and as a result ....ALL benefit.

Marianne Hawryluk

Kristine Jarvis

Tara Hyland

Jody Hoffman

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I watched Shelley Moore's video about inclusive education. She compares a professional bowler who nails all 10 pins with a masterful teacher who reaches all students using inclusive strategies. Most teachers don't get to everyone, leaving out the kids with the greatest needs or those who need the greatest challenges. But inclusive strategies will reach everyone, including those with special needs. Shelley is a PhD candidate from Canada.

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UDL fits with multisensory Orton lessons, but it does NOT fit with our Fast bridge assessment system.

Also, we do not have time for collaboration for UDL...and even if we implement UDL lessons in our elementary school the students still end up going to the high school and have to pass Regents exams in order to graduate - so how does that fit UDL?

Julie Decker

Reading teacher, MES

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HS PE / Health / Greenhouse Tech / Mahoskey

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HS PE / Health / Greenhouse Tech / Mahoskey

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There are many analogies to assist in visualizing our main objective with inclusive learning and UDL.

As we viewed the bowling video the narrator discussed bowling with a curve so we impact more of the pins at the same time.

This is similar to the discussions we had during the morning session when the concept of a ramp on a sidewalk was compared to UDL in that a ramp is inclusive to all (Similar to the elevator button).

In the classroom we have a newly found motivation to seek out those who make up the 7-10 split rather than focus on the ones who may be left behind if we were to just aim at the head (center) pin for all bowling games.

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Courteney DeMarco, Jayden Milton-Brodhead, Deb Ricci, Mila Rodden, Kristine Dorrian, Jen Saluson

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Podcast: Our Nervous System and Learning 

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Podcast: Our Nervous System and Learning 

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Stephanie Chan Haver

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Despite what others and sometimes what our own selves can tell us….a little change is all it takes.

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Created by: Bogart, McCarthy, Spencer, and Tourtelot

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We discussed using choice boards as an assessment tool for science. Students often show understanding of concepts in classroom work but have difficulty with Regents exam type tests. Choice boards would give struggling readers a better chance to demonstrate mastery.

Neumann/Bouton

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Review of video from: Mary Kubart, Allison Tosi and Jenn Stellavato

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Choice boards give the students options to select a modality where they can display their knowledge in a format that they feel competent in.

For example, with a social studies project on WWII, unifying themes and ideas, options of a poster, comic strip, independent research project, battlefield diorama, a journal entry, etc. can be given. This allows for students to be passionate about the project, by choosing something that they feel confident that they can succeed at.

Nanette S, Alex K, Kelley O, Joe G

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“Providing students with

options for how to express

their learning gives each

student the chance to show their best work”

The article discussed the importance of providing students with multiple means of presenting concepts and information and the ability to reach all students. UDL is a great way to tap into the brilliance of our students.

-Johnson

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Obviously, the nervous system effects everything we do. If we are super anxious about something, we're not fully focusing on the moment and the task at hand. We are too busy worrying about the things making us nervous. I can identify with this if I had to speak in front of a large group of my peers. I always forget what I want to say, therefore, I have to write everything down. Even still, I get nervous about sounding like I'm reading from a script. Finding a way to calm the mind before a task is important. At times I have done "mindfulness" with my students at the end of the day so that they can reground themselves and bring them back to focus. I use breathing techniques and relaxing music and ask them to close their eyes, think about a happy or peaceful place. Sometimes it involves certain bodily movements to release stress. As with anything, it works for some and not others. At the middle school age, it's often difficult to get them to buy in. I try anyway.

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Paige Ramirez, Angela Longway, Ariane Andersen, Lori Quinn, Melissa Rider, Lisa Bomba, Amy Salovich

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UDL changes everything! Listening to Tracy Dabbs talk about her own experience with discovering the enlightening framework of UDL everything started to really come to light for her and how her past teaching style was creating barriers between her students and their learning. After utilizing UDL her students were able to achieve expert learning which is a deeper layer beyond content. Gaining feedback from her students about how they feel their learning is going allowed her to design lessons that allowed for their learning to flourish. Her lessons no longer belonged to the teacher. They became collaborative between her and her students.

By: Katlyn Harder, Eliana Barnum, Faye Carlson-Mackenzie, and Sue Gleich

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~Heather and Carie

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I listened to UDL in 15 minutes by Loui Lord Nelson as she interviewed Arie Werder, after listening to part 1 & part 2. It made me reflect on the importance of meeting students on their levels and offering supports so that they can build self-esteem, learning properly, and contribute.

J. Clinton

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Student engagement makes the classroom more fun. Sometimes we need to change things up to include everyone- Jamie Smith, 1:12:1 Special Program Teaching Assitant

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Presenting students with a visual display of amusing, joyful, and melancholic animals at the start of a lesson can act as an captivating attention-grabber, as well as provide the teacher with insight into the class's mood! Ali Abbruzzi & Whitney Burns (Podcast 106)

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What is your go-to means of engagement as students enter the classroom?

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I listened to a podcast that discussed how the principle of engagement is entirely rooted in the nervous system. Key takeaways:

*UDL relies on self regulation and safety for both the student and the teacher.

*our nervous systems are constantly communicating with someone else's nervous system

*Transitions affect learning

*Transitions are not just physical -going from PE to English class -but also mental and emotional relocation.

*Self regulation supports someone physiologically to move into a more calm state

*Priming students for transitions throughout their day supports learning

*We learn with our whole body, not just our brain

Submitted by: A. Klein

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Thank you for a helpful perspective in this area. I found this very helpful with interactions with students and will be helpful in running small social emotional groups with students.

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My biggest takeaway from today's training is that it is imperative for teachers to give students choices to demonstrate their understanding of a concept. Students will become more engaged and more invested in their own learning when they find a meaningful way to show their knowledge. Educators are responsible for presenting information in a variety of ways that reach the diverse group of students we work with every day. UDL gives us a framework to use effective teaching strategies for all students, even though many strategies were traditionally considered necessary for only students with special needs.

Tom Tarchine

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As a special education teacher, UDL is something that is in many ways just automatic. My mind goes to acronyms , anchor words or statements, etc. It pleases me to see that expectation move outside of the special education realm. I do appreciate students being given some choice in responses. I do think that we need to keep in mind that not all places outside of school will allow for this. I feel it is our jobs to use UDL principles to make learning truly accessible to all while using strengths to build weaknesses. It is great to allow a student to give a verbal report because they have some barrier to getting thoughts down on paper, but we live and work in New York State where students don't graduate without sitting for Regents exams. In the testing setting, students need to be able to sit for an extended period of time while focusing on the task in front on them without standing, bouncing or listening to background music. We need to incorporate the practice of those expectations also. We need to strive for quality work from students. We need to work on all of this simultaneously to give students the life skills that they need.

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Take-aways from Math Teaching Models: UDL

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Take-aways from Math Teaching Models: UDL

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The use of talking tents to give the choice of sharing information from the lesson allowed for students to still show engagement without having to drop the expectation of the lesson.

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Choice Boards

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Video-Shelley Moore, Math Models and Choice Boards

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Video-Shelley Moore, Math Models and Choice Boards

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Listening to Shelley Moore explain UDL was uplifting. I like the choice boards because giving students a choice to choose how they learn is empowering. This is a lot of what is being taught in my college now and it was nice to have interaction and discussion on it today-Priscilla