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When I am presenting on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an education framework routed in offering options to students to help them take control of their own education, teachers often tell me they have been doing it already for years. I ask them to explain.

What follows is often a description of Differentiated Instruction (DI). Like UDL, DI is also an education framework based on providing options to students. However, there are some critical differences that differentiate (pardon the pun!) the two frameworks from one another.

The Dinner Party Analogy

I like to explain the differences by asking teachers think about hosting a dinner party. Let's say you have invited over thirty guests. Several of these guests have food allergies, another few are gluten-free, some are vegetarian or lactose intolerant, and your brother is exclusively Paleo. You want to be the perfect host, and you want to accommodate everyone.

Scenario 1: You decide to make individual meals for each guest so that each of them has the perfect dish. That is a lot of juggling to do. In the end, you are exhausted from all of the cooking, made a few mistakes because it is nearly impossible to get everyone's individual meal perfect, and didn't enjoy yourself. At the same time, you are frustrated that some of your guests preferred other's meals when you had made a special dish JUST FOR THEM.

What I just described is the dinner party equivalent of DI. DI is presenting options, but those options are directed by the teacher. For example, you may take one group of students aside and ask them to read an extra piece of literature because you can tell they are more advanced than their peers. You ask another student to draw a picture instead of writing an essay since you know writing is challenging for him. You are presenting options, but those options are governed by you and it's possible you haven't chosen the right options for the right students. You are burnt out from trying to create so many individualized lessons.

Scenario 2: Let's go back to the dinner party. Rather than preparing thirty individual meals, why not put out a buffet? Include lots of variety, but let the guests choose what is best for them, what they believe will work with their individual diets, and satisfy them. You don't witness guests peering at other's dishes wishing they had been made the same thing. You are relaxed and engaged. You have saved your energy for interacting with your guests, instead of wasting it preparing imperfect options.

UDL offers students a "buffet" of options. The options are offered by the teacher but they aren't individualized for specific students. Through the UDL framework, students are intended to become self-directed learners and choose the options that work best for them, not the other way around. With UDL, students learn to take responsibility for their learning. They are learn the "why" of learning as we turn on the affective network of the brain by providing multiple means of engagement. They learn the "what" of learning as we ignite the recognition network of the brain by providing multiple means of representation. And they learn the "how" of learning as we turn on the strategic network of the brain through multiple means of action & expression.

If you are feeling exhausted by creating individualized learning plans for each of your students through the DI framework, you are not alone. UDL can help you provide options but allow you to maintain your creativity and energy while developing a classroom full of curious, self-directed learners. It isn't a framework you can implement overnight, but once you see it working its magic in your classroom, you will become just as hooked as I am.

To learn more about the UDL framework, and read up on concrete examples of how you can implement it in your classroom, feel free to pick up a copy of my book, UDL Now!

UDL vs DI: The Dinner Party Analogy

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UDL vs DI: The Dinner Party Analogy - Novak Educational Consulting

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When I am presenting on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an education framework routed in offering options to students to help them take control of their own education, teachers often tell me they have been doing it already for years. I ask them to explain. What follows is often a description of Differentiated Instruction (DI).

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What do you think about the work of Anyon? Does this exist in Hopkinton Schools?

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What do you think about the work of Anyon? Does this exist in Hopkinton Schools?

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Steps:

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The WHAT versus the Why of lesson planning

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The WHAT versus the Why of lesson planning

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Representation Cheat Sheet for planning a lesson

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Representation Cheat Sheet for planning a lesson

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Bring out the artist inside you with the Zentangle Method. An easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns

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Provide Options for Sustaining Attention and Persistence

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Provide Options for Sustaining Attention and Persistence

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Provide Options for Language, Mathematical Expressions and Symbols

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Provide Options for Language, Mathematical Expressions and Symbols

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Provide Options for Expression and Communication

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Provide Options for Expression and Communication

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UDL Guidelines Exploration (focus on Engagement)

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UDL Guidelines Exploration (focus on Engagement)

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UDL- examples of Engagement in the Guidelines

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UDL- examples of Engagement in the Guidelines

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As stated in the chapter, engaging a student is a little like plugging in a lamp. It doesn't matter what type of shade we buy, or what lightbulb we use... if there is no electricity, there is no light. If there is no engagement, there is no learning. As an activity to kick off a reflection on engagement, view the following video excerpt from the hit show, Big Bang Theory, " Is Howard Smart Enough? " After watching it, consider the following question:

How does Howard move from being engaged to being rebellious based on the teacher interaction?

Using the UDL Guidelines, consider/discuss what Sheldon could have done to ensure that Howard remains engaged?

After reading the chapter, hopefully it's clear that in order to be engaged, students must be challenged but also supported so they can sustain effort and persistence. The barrier to that is that because of student variability, there is a significant difference in the level of challenge necessary for each student. One great way to start thinking about how to create varying levels of challenge is to review the research on the zone of proximal development. Next, it may be helpful to learn more about growth mindset, which is another critical component of engagement.
Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) Growth Mindset

Read the article, "How Not to Talk to Your Kids," in New York Magazine, which explores the danger of "fixed mindset" and praise.

Check out this Growth Mindset Feedback Tool which provides prompts for giving students mastery-oriented feedback that will build a growth mindset.

Read an interview with Carol Dweck in Education World, which explores the importance of teachers instilling growth mindset in students.

Listen to an NPR story (7:48) which explores the question, "Does teaching kids to get "gritty" help them to get ahead?"

Watch a video of Carol Dweck presenting at Stanford University (9:37) where she discusses how to build growth mindset.

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Chapter 3: Shining a Light on Engagement

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As stated in the chapter, engaging a student is a little like plugging in a lamp. It doesn't matter what type of shade we buy, or what lightbulb we use... if there is no electricity, there is no light. If there is no engagement, there is no learning.

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In Chapter 4, I discuss the importance of sharing the UDL Guidelines with students. As consumers of learning, our students, regardless of age and variability, should understand learning standards and the instructional strategies we use.

I also provide templates for two lessons: Our Classroom Routines and Who Is My Favorite?). Feel free to download the Word documents to adapt for your own use. If you'd like a copy of the reflection sheet, click here.
Optional Activities Now that you have learned about the Guidelines and considered how to communicate them to students, choose one (or more) of the following activities to help to deepen your understanding.

Spend time reviewing the Guidelines and highlight the ones you think you'll want to concentrate on this year and share with students.

Write a list of questions that you have about the Guidelines. Review the questions with your PLC.

Write a paragraph about what you're feeling right now in regards to the Guidelines and why it's important to share them with students.

Write or discuss all or some of the following questions: What is the most important Guideline to share with students, in your opinion? Which guidelines would be the most difficult for you to implement with students and why?

Watch a TeachingChannel video of me sharing standards with students in a UDL Lesson. How does this relate to sharing the Guidelines with them?

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Chapter 4: Recruiting and Engaging Students as UDL Partners

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In Chapter 4, I discuss the importance of sharing the UDL Guidelines with students. As consumers of learning, our students, regardless of age and variability, should understand learning standards and the instructional strategies we use. I also provide templates for two lessons: Our Classroom Routines and Who Is My Favorite?

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Math.6.NS.A.1

Common core State Standards

Math: Math

6: Grade 6

NS: The Number System

A: Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division to divide fractions by fractions

1:
Interpret and compute quotients of fractions, and solve word problems involving division of fractions by fractions, e.g., by using visual fraction models and equations to represent the problem. For example, create a story context for (2/3) ÷ (3/4) and use a visual fraction model to show the quotient; use the relationship between multiplication and division to explain that (2/3) ÷ (3/4) = 8/9 because 3/4 of 8/9 is 2/3. (In general, (a/b) ÷ (c/d) = ad/bc.) How much chocolate will each person get if 3 people share 1/2 lb of chocolate equally? How many 3/4-cup servings are in 2/3 of a cup of yogurt? How wide is a rectangular strip of land with length 3/4 mi and area 1/2 square mi?.

Download Common Core State Standards (PDF 1.2 MB)

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Discussion and Supporting Materials

Thought starters

1. How do learning menus enable Ms. Morey to provide differentiated instruction?

2. Why does Ms. Morey allow students to sometimes choose which tasks she assesses?

3. What resources does Ms. Morey use to design her menu tasks?

School Details

Enumclaw Middle School
550 Semanski St
Enumclaw WA 98022

Data Provided By:

Teachers

Math / Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 6 / Coach

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Learning Menus: Giving Options & Independence

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Crystal Morey uses learning menus to provide students with independent exploration of concepts in her sixth grade math class. Each of her menus has options for an appetizer, main course and dessert task. While students work on their menu tasks, Crystal is able to pull aside a small group to work with on targeted math skills.