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Background Information

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1. Home

2. Learn with Us

3. About CAST Professional Learning

CAST is renowned for its innovative professional development on Universal Design for Learning. Whether you are implementing at the individual, team, school, or district level, we offer hands-on opportunities that empower you to take control of your own learning through instructional rounds, lesson design studios, design thinking activities, and other learner-centered protocols.

We work with organizations and stakeholders in a number of fields to find ways of improving learning opportunities in today's rapidly changing world. We regularly partner with organizations in the public and private sectors to explore challenging questions in education through our consultation and curriculum design services. Our team includes experts in human development, neuropsychology, instructional design, literacy instruction, learning analytics, technology design, accessibility, and more.

Download our Professional Learning Services Overview

Explore CAST Professional Learning

All Professional Learning Offerings

CAST's Professional Learning team trains administrators, instructional coaches, and preK-12 educators to lead large scale implementation of UDL.

We offer a range of options for professional development for postsecondary institutions, including keynotes, workshops, customized consultations, coaching, and more.

Whether you want to improve your classroom teaching or transform an entire district, our learner-centered offerings give you the hands-on, practical experience you will need to breathe new life into your work.

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We'll work with you to find ways of improving learning opportunities in today's rapidly changing world.

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UDL Guidelines http://goo.gl/NcvaBg

UDL Wheel: http://goo.gl/9kb4X

UDL Tell Me More: https://goo.gl/bd4jyJ

UDL Free Webinars: http://goo.gl/7Pv8G4

National Center on UDL: www.udlcenter.org

Take a UDL Tour:  www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/take_a_tour_udl

Educator Worksheet 1: https://goo.gl/dS7bTM

Educator Worksheet 2: http://goo.gl/fUBYm

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Together we change the world

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The National Center on Universal Design for Learning at CAST.

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http://udlguidelines.cast.org/

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https://sites.google.com/site/udlguidelinesexamples/home

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Resources that align with 3 UDL Principles

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Resources that align with 3 UDL Principles

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Engagement Padlet

Representation Padlet

Action & Expression Padlet

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Self-Assessment-Scales-318417

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Learn More about Sensory Integration (SI)

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Learn More about Sensory Integration (SI)

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Sensory Integration Information

80 Powerful Proprioceptive Activities

Proprioception Classroom Activities

Sensory Diet Template

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Text-to-Speech

Translation Tools

Voice Recorder: http://vocaroo.com/

Wordle: http://www.wordle.net/

Coffitivity: coffitivity.com

Bubbl: https://bubbl.us/

Shodor: http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/

Google Translate: https://translate.google.com/

UDL Toolkit: http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com/

Add subtitles and captions to videos: https://goo.gl/BJkLxH

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Multiple Means of Action & Expression

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Choice Boards & Assessments

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Top 10 Tips for Developing Learning Goals

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Top 10 Tips for Developing Learning Goals

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Questions to Ask - UDL Lesson/Unit Plan

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Questions to Ask-UDL Lesson - Unit Planv2

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Leveling the Playing Field: Sharing Learning Targets and Criteria for Success

UDL Case Study: Goals

Using UDL to Accurately Assess Student Progress

Creative Approaches to Assessment from a UDL Lens

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                                                                                                                                  Universal Design for Learning and Lesson Planning

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                                                                                                                                  Universal Design for Learning and Lesson Planning

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When the Barriers Aren’t Just Physical (Published 2016)

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The first school we tried was wheelchair-accessible, but there were still barriers. Luckily, the second one found other ways to let my son in.

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Your First Step Toward a UDL-designed Classroom: Change How You Think About Barriers

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Your First Step Toward a UDL-designed Classroom: Change How You Think About Barriers

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Happy Tuesday, #TeamInclusion! I have a guest post today that co-teachers and UDL advocates will want to read and share. It's by Dr. Deborah Taub, a UDL/inclusive ed expert and the Director of Research and Programs at Keystone Assessment. Through some short but powerful vignettes, she shows us what's possible when co-teachers embrace UDL principles while planning instruction for students with special needs.

After you read this, tell us your experience: Does instructional planning in your school sound more like the first or second example? What are your barriers, if any, to adopting the planning approach Mrs. Summers and Mr. Harris took? What resources can we develop to help you? Read on, and then share your thoughts in the comments below!

***

There are often two questions about Universal Design for Learning (UDL) that I hear when training:

1. Why would I do this? It is no different from differentiated instruction, and

2. How in the world would I do this? It is huge!

Two quick vignettes of teachers planning for instruction illustrate the answer to both questions.

Ms. Jacobs and Mr. Snyder are planning instruction for Dawn, a student with complex instructional needs who is included in Ms. Jacobs' English class.

Ms. Jacobs: We are reading The Giver for the next couple of weeks. The students will be creating a timeline of a historical event and examining how it connects to their lives as a part of the social studies curriculum.

Mr. Snyder: Dawn can't read, so I don't think The Giver is going to be possible for her. And the subject matter doesn't really connect to her daily life so maybe I'll give her an adapted copy of Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge instead. It also deals with the importance of memories and forgetting and it is written at a second grade reading level so it should be easier to understand than The Giver.

Ms. Jacobs: Oh, that is a great idea. And maybe her timeline could be sequencing from her daily schedule instead of from history?

Now compare these teachers to Mrs. Summers and Mr. Harris, who are also planning for a student with complex instructional needs included in Mrs. Summers' English class.

Mrs. Summers: We are working on the themes and ideas in The Giver. The students will be creating a timeline of a historical event and examining how it connects to their lives as a part of the social studies curriculum.

Mr. Harris: I love that book-but it can be a bit of a barrier for some of our students unless we pair it with some accessibility supports. We can easily get some adapted versions of The Giver and maybe offer students the opportunity to partner read or use their online text readers.

Mrs. Summers: Yes, that makes sense. We may want to highlight key words or pictures to summarize the main points for some of our students who will still need additional help. And while we are at it, let's think about how to make it a bit more engaging for some of our students...maybe we can start with timelines related to their own lives and then move from there to historical events that shaped their world instead of from a historical event to themselves. It can go both ways.

Mr. Harris: Plus we could use some online timeline creation tools, pictures, or text-based timelines to provide students with lots of ways to engage with the timeline and get interested in the task.

The difference between these two conversations is subtle, but it illustrates one of the key ways differentiated instruction and UDL differ-as well as one of the biggest leaps teachers need to make if they are going to move to UDL-designed curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The biggest difference (and the most vital change teachers need to make to move to UDL-designed curriculum, instruction, materials, and assessment) is moving from the idea that the student is what creates barriers to learning to the idea that the curriculum, instruction, materials, and assessment create the barriers. And, while the conversations above may seem only minutely different, the belief that the student has the potential to access and make progress toward any goal significantly changes the way teachers approach planning, instruction, and assessment.

Consider the classic study by Rosenthal and Jacobsen (1968) that examined how student performance and teacher expectations were tied together. They found that "when we expect certain behaviors of others, we are likely to act in ways that make the expected behavior more likely to occur" (Rosenthal and Babad, 1985). Our instructional decisions are based on our expectations, even if we are not necessarily consciously aware of them.

When we work from the premise that the barrier is within the student, then our job as educators is to fix the student so he can access instruction and materials. This belief sets up limits for all the things a school system can't change about a student: missing limbs, intellectual disabilities, an impoverished home, language and cultural differences, etc. When we work from the premise that barriers are within the instruction and materials, then our job as educators is to change instruction and materials to remove and reduce those barriers. We, as educators and school systems have control over those things.

This doesn't mean it isn't difficult. Looking at creating a UDL classroom may seem absolutely overwhelming. Consider the CAST website for their curriculum self-check: it is HUGE. There are so many things to think about. And then, on top of that, for students with complex learning needs you are still probably going to need to add some individualized supports on top of the universally designed curriculum, like Mrs. Summers and Mr. Harris did when they added summarized text or pictures to represent key concepts and ideas from the full text. Conceptualizing the barrier as being within the curriculum, instruction and materials rather than the student may seem overwhelming for what initially seems like a tiny difference in how these two sets of teachers plan and teach. In my experience though, it is that single key difference that helps create a UDL classroom. It is that single key difference that improves students' opportunities to learn and sets up systems that improve student performance. In addition, it is that key difference that sets the stage for inclusive practices. So, if you want to build an inclusive classroom, the biggest step you can take is to change how you think about barriers.

Want to hear more from Deborah Taub? Be sure to check out this podcast she did on alternate assessment over at Think Inclusive, and this post on leaving behind the notion of inclusion as a place.

More on presuming the competence of all learners: "Presuming Competence: What It Is, What It Looks Like"

Deborah Taub is Director of Research and Programs at Keystone Assessment, where she provides research and professional development assistance for states, territories, and other entities working to develop and sustain best practice. She has assisted states in building and evaluating systemic programs, especially around issues of inclusive practice for students with complex instructional needs, such as those with low incidence disabilities or who are dually identified as having a disability and ELL. Dr. Taub has designed, implemented, and evaluated alternate assessments for students with significant cognitive disabilities, developed UDL and standards-based curricula and instruction, and conducted validity and alignment evaluations. She's an advisory member of National Center for Universal Design for Learning's UDL Taskforce, and a member of the TASH Inclusive Education Committee and the Council for Exceptional Children's CCSS Advisory Group.

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Your first step toward a UDL-designed classroom: Change how you think about barriers (Guest post) - Brookes Blog

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Happy Tuesday, #TeamInclusion! I have a guest post today that co-teachers and UDL advocates will want to read and share. It's by Dr. Deborah Taub, a UDL/inclusive ed expert and the Director of Research and Programs at Keystone Assessment. Through some short but powerful vignettes, she shows us what's possible when co-teachers embrace UDL principles [...]

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Explore topics about ADHD, dyslexia, and learning disabilities. Learn about focus, hyperactivity, executive function skills, and trouble with reading, writing, and math.

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How to Supercharge 5 Traditional Teaching Strategies with UDL

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How to Supercharge 5 Traditional Teaching Strategies with UDL

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If you're an educator who swears by traditional, tried-and-true teaching strategies, the idea of embracing universal design for learning (UDL) might be a little overwhelming. But UDL doesn't have to equal a top-to-bottom overhaul of everything you're doing now. With a little planning, it can also fit right in with traditional teaching strategies-and infuse your lesson plans with new life and energy.

Today's post shows how five teachers weave UDL into commonly used teaching methods: lectures, Q&As, drill and practice, class discussions, and problem solving. You'll learn about practical ways to:

foster collaboration and community

recruit learners' interest

optimize choice and autonomy

display information in multiple ways

help students monitor their own progress

guide students' information processing

and more

(These examples were adapted from by Patti Kelly Ralabate, a guidebook that walks K-12 educators through the entire UDL lesson planning process, from developing learning goals to monitoring student progress.)

Lectures are a great way to share a large amount of information with a big group in a short amount of time. But they can also be unengaging for learners and are less likely to lead to deep understanding of the material. Here's how Kelly punches up her lectures with UDL strategies (she's a college professor, but middle and high school teachers can try these approaches, too):

Kelly starts her lectures with a provocative question or quote to recruit her learners' interest.

She begins with a KWL exercise (what do you know, want to know, what did you learn?) to activate background knowledge.

She keeps her lectures to 15 to 20 minutes and builds in opportunities for short peer-to-peer discussions or pause-and-reflect events every 5 to 10 minutes. This gives learners a chance to act on the new information and move it from short-term memory to working memory and to long-term memory.

During pauses, she asks learners to respond to questions by a show of hands or another classroom assessment technique.

Kelly provides a lecture guide that organizes content into chunks to guide information processing.

To clarify novel vocabulary, an important strategy for English language learners, Kelly includes a glossary.

Slides help Kelly display information in an alternative way. She uses bullets, graphics, and bold font on slides to highlight critical features and big ideas. Her slides are uncluttered and contain no more than four to six lines of text. That way, she can set the text in 24-point font, large enough to be visible from the back row.

Kelly makes her slides available before or during her lectures so students can follow along and individuals with visual impairments can use a screen reader to translate the information.

Kelly is careful not to use color (particularly red and orange) to convey information, because this makes it less accessible to learners who are colorblind.

Q&As are an ancient and effective teaching technique. They help teachers assess student comprehension and help students with information processing and the transfer and generalization of content. Here's how Luis, a high school social studies teacher, infuses UDL into his Q&A sessions with students.

Luis uses multiple ways to display models of the types of questions that students can ask him or each other. He communicates these models on the whiteboard, an easy-to-read wall chart, and placards at each group's table.

After he provides students with content in a variety of ways (e.g., text, readings, video, narrated slides, topical blogs), Luis holds an "interrogation" session, when students can ask him questions on the topic.

To foster collaboration and community, groups of students develop the interrogation questions.

To optimize challenge, Luis uses "call sticks"-which he refers to as the Question Lottery-to determine when each group will ask questions. Students enjoy the unpredictable aspect of the Question Lottery.

Luis promotes high expectations to optimize motivation by assigning a question type to a group. Sometimes he optimizes choice and autonomy by letting students choose their own question types.

Learner groups are encouraged to use multiple tools to display their questions-prompt cards, slides, or online tools.

To build comprehension and maximize transfer, each student in Luis's class takes a turn at notetaking for the rest of the class. The notes are shared via a class wiki or through printed copies.

Drill and practice may not be every student's favorite way to learn, but it's still used widely to help students move novel content from working memory into long-term memory. Here's how Kathleen, a speech-language pathologist, works UDL strategies into her drill-and-practice methods to reinforce what general education teachers have taught.

To develop self-assessment and reflection, each learner has a speech-language binder for his or her work products. In the front of the binder is a chart with each student's personal learning goals (written in student-friendly language).

To enhance their capacity to monitor their own progress, Kathleen has learners routinely check their progress charts and report the goals they're working on as their session begins.

Kathleen carefully sets up the learning environment to minimize distractions so students can be successful.

Kathleen offers timely, meaningful, mastery-oriented feedback to guide students in charting their own progress.

To reinforce lesson content and optimize relevance, Kathleen uses multiple materials, including authentic demonstrations, short videos, digital tools, and apps designed to reinforce new information.

Kathleen plans sessions that gradually decrease the scaffolds and supports necessary for learners to communicate effectively.

Discussions are a time-honored learning technique; they help build comprehension of the material as they foster collaboration and community. Here's how James, a career-technology educator specializing in automobile technology, infuses UDL strategies into class discussions:

First, the students divide into pairs with one student (who plays the role of the technician) explaining the problem to the other (who plays the role of the uninformed client).

Learners share their experiences and observations with the entire class, highlighting patterns, critical features, and big ideas of their paired discussions.

James draws this information out with discussion probes that he posts for all the students to view.

As the students share with the class, James provides an alternative for the auditory information, guides information processing, and promotes understanding across languages by using a whiteboard to display specific points.

Problem solving and mental modeling-teaching learners how to visualize and solve puzzles you pose for them-helps learners move information from working memory to long-term memory. Here's how Nick, a middle school science teacher, pairs problem-solving with UDL strategies in his lesson on kinetic and potential energy:

Nick offers a variety of media resources to illustrate energy transformation and build or activate background knowledge. Students can choose to view a video about the transfer of energy, operate an interactive app demonstrating how energy transforms during a roller coaster ride, or read a short article about the kinetic and potential energy of a golf ball.

To guide information processing, Nick distributes a detailed guide and discusses the steps in developing a mental model using multiple media, including the whiteboard and passages from the science text.

Nick asks students to construct and illustrate mental models of the energy transformation involved as objects of various sizes are dropped onto a chute. He encourages students to use multiple tools to draw their mental models.

To foster collaboration and optimize challenge, students share their ideas in small, diverse groups.

On their way out, Nick's students complete exit tickets to monitor their learning

Do you have your own experience with weaving UDL into traditional teaching strategies? Tell us your best tips in the comments below!

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How to Supercharge 5 Traditional Teaching Strategies with UDL - Brookes Blog

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If you're an educator who swears by traditional, tried-and-true teaching strategies, the idea of embracing universal design for learning (UDL) might be a little overwhelming. But UDL doesn't have to equal a top-to-bottom overhaul of everything you're doing now. With a little planning, it can also fit right in with traditional teaching strategies-and infuse your [...]

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Al-Azawei et al (2016) UDL - A Content Analysis if Reviewed Papers 2012-2015

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Bracken (2019) Developing a Systematic Whole School Approach through UDL

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https://padlet.com/jeff_marks/THEUDL

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I really struggle when someone asks me, "What does UDL look like?" It is not because I don't know the answer. It's because I don't know what it looks like for YOU. As the brilliant Dr. Liz Berquist explains in UDL: Moving from Exploration to Integration ,

"Because the implementation of UDL is variable and unique - in this sense it is a model of UDL itself. UDL looks different in every learning environment, just as it looks different in every school, district, and state. Although there are patterns to be found in this variability, there is no right way to implement the UDL framework."

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is not just a framework for curriculum design. It is a belief that all students are capable of learning and that instructional methods, when implemented intentionally, can help all students succeed.

So, maybe the better question to ask is, "What are the patterns of UDL?"

To put it simply, when teachers implement UDL, students have choices. And those choices allow all students to access rigorous, standards-based curriculum. What kind of choices? There are four interrelated components of a UDL curriculum and when implemented well, students have choice in all four areas. First, let's unpack those four areas.

Four Components of a UDL Curriculum

Goals

As CAST notes, "within the UDL framework, goals themselves are articulated in a way that acknowledges learner variability and differentiates goals from means." Oftentimes, teachers create goals that include embedded methods. For example, "All students will learn how to write arguments by giving a persuasive speech about which new club belongs in our school." When teachers can step back and see the goal, "Write arguments," they could provide numerous choices for students to achieve that goal that doesn't require all students to stand up in class and read a speech about a club. Ask yourself this: Is the standard actually requiring that students all do the exact same thing in the same way? (The answer is always no!)

Methods

Methods are the instructional decisions, approaches, procedures, or routines that expert teachers use to accelerate or enhance learning. Oftentimes, however, all students are expected to follow the same procedures in how they learn or express their knowledge (read a short blog on UDL and the Death of Lecturing ).

Materials

Materials are usually seen as the media used to present learning content and what the learner uses to demonstrate knowledge, but oftentimes, the same materials are provided to all students. I call this "packet syndrome." CAST calls it, "one-size-fits-all," teaching and learning.

Assessments

Assessments are an expression of student learning. When designing assessments, it's critical that teachers consider exactly what students need to know and do and then strip away any specific methods that have been tied to the goal. Essentially, when reviewing your standards, you will ask yourself, "How will students provide evidence that they met the goal? Can they have choices?"

Translating the UDL Principles into Choice

Now that you have a better sense of the types of choices you're looking for, you may still be wondering how each of the principles of UDL translates into choices for students. The following may be helpful.

Engagement

Students are engaged in authentic, relevant learning opportunities.

What does this look like?

There is a clear culture that values creativity, risk-taking, growth mindset and the fact that there are many ways to arrive at the same destination but that the journey is different for everyone.

A daily agenda or checklist is provided to help students monitor their progress.

Classroom arrangement is set up for minimal distractions.

Students are allowed to work collaboratively. Teachers may facilitate Paideia seminars, Socratic circles, etc...

Engaging choices for assignments: simulations, mock interviews, poetry slams, blogs, debates, etc... are offered regularly if not daily.

Students have an opportunity to personalize their goals. For example, if students are writing arguments, they are all writing about topics of interest to them, exploring the resources that work for them, and express what they know with an authentic product.

Rich, mastery-oriented feedback is provided from teachers and peers consistently - including feedback from students to teachers so they can become an integral part of the design and delivery of their own instruction.

There are many opportunities for students to self-assess their progress, make changes if necessary, and get feedback on how to continue to work toward their goals so they can make better decisions about methods and materials in the future.

Teachers are monitoring the classroom to keep students on task, helping them stay organized and prevent frustration, but students also collaborate to push each other to continue to apply effort and persistence.

Representation

Content and skills are presented in multiple ways and students have a choice about which methods and materials to use to reach the goal.

What does this look like?

Learning objectives or standards are posted and visible to students so they know what the ultimate goal is. Teacher explains the standard to students and its rationale. All students could tell an observer the goal of the lesson.

More than one presentation method is apparent and students are accessing different experiences: lecture, reading text, audio, video, reciprocal teaching. If there is one predominant presentation method, there are additional representations embedded (i.e, teachers read directions while projecting them with a document camera, or students watch a video with closed captioning.)

Teachers pre-teach vocabulary and activate prior knowledge. May use Frayer models, vocabulary tables, images etc...

Teachers provide opportunities or stations where students can learn information on their own (i.e, read a text, view a video, listen to audio, work in a collaborative group, etc...)

Teachers use Powerpoint, Prezi, Glogster, the online textbook, Youtube, or other presentation software to present content. This integrates visuals, audio, and text.

Teacher uses diagrams, charts, and images throughout the lesson. Does not only rely on text.

Allows students to access technology (IPads, Nooks, etc...) so they can customize the display of information.

As students read or do research, teachers remind them to highlight patterns, critical features, and/or big ideas. Not just reading text without scaffolds.

Model note-taking while presenting information (i.e, Cornell notes or slotted notes).

Teachers use some sort of a system like Google Classroom or a Learning Management System (LMS) like Canvas to display and deliver classroom content and activities so that it is available both in class and out of class so that students are able to access the information whenever they need or want it. This access will be available to parents as well.

Expression

Students are provided with choice and/or scaffolding when expressing their knowledge in formative and summative assessments.

What does this look like?

Not all students are completing the same assessments in the same way (but it's because they made the decision - not just the teacher). For example, if all students are asked to solve an equation, students may have the choice of using math reference sheets, manipulatives, calculators, scratch paper, in small groups, with a partner, etc....If students are working toward a written task, they may have the choice of writing on paper, using a device, accessing a graphic organizer, exemplar, rubric, etc...

When teaching specific methods, such as solving an algebraic equation or writing an essay, teacher provides the following: work exemplars, rubrics, frequent mastery-oriented feedback, and all necessary resources and materials necessary to complete assignment (i.e, textbooks, pencils, paper.) but not all students have to use the same methods or materials. It's up to them to self-reflect and create strategies that will allow them to meet the goal.

Teachers may offer engaging choices for assessments, so students can express their knowledge or skills in many different ways: simulations, mock interviews, poetry slams, blogs, debates, essays, multimedia presentations, etc...

Teachers use think-pair-share, private think time, partner tasks, exit tickets or other dipsticking methods so all students are assessed daily.

Teachers have multiple methods of assessing student knowledge when working toward content standards. May be a combination of the following: debates, Socratic circles, essays, objective tests, projects, skits, lab reports, journals, etc...

UDL in Action

Check out the following videos and consider how these teachers provide students with choices by using the UDL Guidelines. Remember, you don't have to do what these teachers do to implement UDL, but you will see that there are patterns between them.

In UDL-topia, students have choices in goals, methods, materials and assessments, and these choices are both engaging and accessible. But early UDL implementation may be only focused on providing choices in one or more areas, so when you're looking for the UDL principles in action, you may see glimpses in a class that is not yet universally designed for all learners to be able to personalize their learning experience in meaningful ways. So, how do you move from point A to point B? As with all things UDL, you need to personalize that process for you and your students, and that starts with asking them for their feedback.

In UDL, student voice is optimized. Strong UDL practice starts with collaborating with students to ask students what they need to be successful. David Rose once said,
"Teaching, at its core, is emotional work."
I truly believe that students know what they need to be successful and that everything that they need to follow their passion and achieve their dreams is inside of them. We as educators have a tremendous opportunity to learn more about our teaching from our students if we are open and ask the right questions and listen to their answers.

So, here is my official answer, if all students are working toward the same rigorous standards but making choices that allow them to honor their strengths, challenge themselves and follow their passions, then that's what UDL looks like.

Dive deeper into UDL. Explore our range of online courses, all universally designed.
Editor's Note: This post has been updated from its original publication.

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Million Dollar Question: What Does UDL Look Like?

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What is UDL and What does it look like in a classroom? An overview of examples and real-life applications of Universal Design for Learning in the classroom

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https://padlet.com/CASTUDL/LookingForUDL

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Resources by Principles, Guidelines, and Checkpoints

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Resources by Principles, Guidelines, and Checkpoints

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(download as a PDF)

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Does UDL have research supporting it?

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Is UDL primarily used to support students with disabilities?

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UDL just sounds like good teaching. How is this different from what I already do?

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How can I implement UDL with little or no technology?

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How does UDL differ from personalized learning or differentiated instruction?

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How do I have time to incorporate UDL into my lesson planning or class time

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Will my students be prepared for standardized assessments?

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Applying UDL to Disability Service Provision

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Applying UDL to Disability Service Provision

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Tale of 4 Districts: http://goo.gl/pKby3d

Implementation Video: http://goo.gl/kSUSzf

UDL in Revere: http://www.udlinrevere.com/

Looking for UDL Protocol:

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Link to technology tools to help with the implementation of UDL

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UDL & PBIS: UDL Matrix with PBIS reflective questions

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UDL & PBIS: UDL Matrix with PBIS reflective questions

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Copy of Updated Learning Enviornment Design PBIS.docx

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Curriculum Adoption Rubric

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Math

Learning Menus: Giving Options and Independence (Grade 6)

Concept First, Notation Last (Grade 7)

ELA

Exploring Imagery Through Beowulf (Grade 7)

Taking a Leap Into Blogging (Grade 6)

Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners (Grade 7)

Writing Higher Order Questions (Grade 7)

Science

Exploring Real World Energy Transformations (Grade 6)

Using Science Games to Deepen Learning (Grade 8)

Thinking Big about Engagement (Middle School)

Social Studies

Performance as a Culminating Activity (Grade 6)

Differentiating with Learning Menus (Grade 7)

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Math

Three-Act Tasks: Modeling Subtraction (Grade 2)

Math as a Social Activity (Grades 3–5)

English Language Arts

Targeting Learning with Success Criteria (K)

Praising the Process (Grade 1)

Academic Choice: Comprehending and Retelling (Grade 1)

Informational Texts: Reading for Inquiry (Grade 2)

Oracy in the Classroom: Strategies for Effective Talk (Grade 3)

Science

Making Claims from Evidence (Grade 2)

Studying Balance in Art and Science (Grade 5)

Social Studies

Our Selves, Our Classroom, Our Families (Grade 1)

Organize Your Thinking to Critically Analyze Text (Grade 5)

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Math

Calculus and Drumming

Coding in the Algebra Classroom

ELA

Author's Choices: Collaborating in Close Reading

Making Learning Personalized & Customized

Science

Energy & Matter Across Science Disciplines

Literacy in Physics: Reading a Primary Source

Social Studies

Infographics for Change

Encouraging Students to Take Action

Classroom Culture

Student-Centered Learning: Building Agency and Engagement

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https://padlet.com/carey/UDLclassroom

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UDL Theory and Practice book

UDL Myths and Facts

Visual Concept Map

UDL Exchange

National Center on UDL

BookBuilder

CAST free learning tools

BCSC Tech Tools

UDL Strategies from Goalbook

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Let's go bowling!

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Shelley Moore: Transforming Inclusive Education

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National Center on Universal Design for Learning

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ES Math

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UDL math 2nd grade lesson - PS 110M - NY

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In this video you will see Ms. Bakian teach her 2nd grade class a math lesson incorporating the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.

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ES Math

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UDL math 2nd grade lesson - PS 110M - NY

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In this video you will see Ms. Bakian teach her 2nd grade class a math lesson incorporating the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.

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ES Math

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UDL math 2nd grade lesson - PS 110M - NY

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In this video you will see Ms. Bakian teach her 2nd grade class a math lesson incorporating the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.

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Elementary School Speaking and Listening

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ELA.SL.5.1a

Common core State Standards

ELA: English Language Arts

SL: Speaking and Listening Standards K-5

5: 5th Grade

1a:
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and
texts, building on others' ideas and expressing
their own clearly.

a. Come to discussions prepared, having read
or studied required material; explicitly draw
on that preparation and other information
known about the topic to explore ideas under
discussion.

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and
carry out assigned roles.

c. Pose and respond to specific questions by
making comments that contribute to the
discussion and elaborate on the remarks of
others.

d. Review the key ideas expressed and draw
conclusions in light of information and
knowledge gained from the discussions.

Download Common Core State Standards (PDF 1.2 MB)

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Discussion and Supporting Materials

Thought starters

1. How does this strategy enrich discussion?

2. What is the difference between the Post-it strategy and traditional note-taking?

3. How could you use this strategy to encourage reluctant students to participate?

School Details

Stevenson Elementary School
14220 Ne 8th St
Bellevue WA 98007

Data Provided By:

Teachers

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Post-its: Little Notes for Big Discussions

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Fifth grade teacher Stacy Brewer has her students use Post-its to take notes on a text in preparation for class discussion. Stacy explains how this strategy helps students remember what stood out to them when reading. After taking notes with Post-its, students come together to discuss the text.

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UDL at a Glance

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Choice Directions

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Sharing Standards Language with Students

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Discussion and Supporting Materials

Thought starters

1. How does talking explicitly about the Common Core affect students?

2. What could you do to adapt Ms. Novak's strategies for your grade level?

3. How could sharing the Common Core with your students enhance your own understanding of the standards?

School Details

Col Moses Parker School
75 Graniteville Road
Chelmsford MA 01824

Data Provided By:

Teachers

Pre-K Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 / Administrator

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Sharing Common Core Language with Students

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Eighth grade ELA teacher Katie Novak uses the Common Core State Standards to communicate her expectations to students. Katie gives each student a copy of the CCSS and refers back to them as she teaches. Katie explicitly uses the language of the Common Core with her students, sharing the importance of teaching students the "how", "what," and "why" of her expectations.

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Transforming Inclusive Education

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Shelley Moore: Transforming Inclusive Education

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Choice and Learning Menus

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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.

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ES Math- 1st

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UDL math 2nd grade lesson - PS 110M - NY

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In this video you will see Ms. Bakian teach her 2nd grade class a math lesson incorporating the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.

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MS Reading/LA

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3rd- HS Math

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Jonathan Winn, San Diego's 2011 High School Teacher of the Year, has developed a high voltage classroom atmosphere that inspires students to get excited about math and excel at AP calculus.

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Masterful Teacher: Jonathan Winn Makes Calculus Cool

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Jonathan Winn, San Diego's 2011 High School Teacher of the Year, has developed a high voltage classroom atmosphere that inspires students to get excited about math and excel at AP calculus.

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Audio Books online

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Instantly access 25,000 high-quality books for kids

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Instant access to thousands of great kids books.

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Social Emotional Color Wheel and Lessons 

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Social Emotional Color Wheel and Lessons 

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picture exchange communication system cards

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Do2Learn: Educational Resources for Special Needs

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picture communication cards, songs, games and learning activities for autism, fetal alcohol syndrome and disabilities

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This cooperative learning strategy has been around for decades, but how well do you really know it?
Say "Jigsaw" in some teaching circles and no one will bat an eyelash. It's one of those techniques that has been with us so long, it is no longer seen as new. When considering methods to share in my collection of instructional strategies, I ignored it for a long time because I assumed most people already knew how to use it. Still, I figured it was worth including at some point.

When I finally sat down to review the steps of Jigsaw, I came across a few surprises.

Although Jigsaw is typically presented as just one in a number of cooperative learning strategies, its origin story has little to do with academics. The strategy was developed by social psychologist Elliot Aronson in 1971 in response to the racial turmoil caused by recent school desegregation in Austin, Texas. "Long-standing suspicion, fear, and distrust between groups produced an atmosphere of turmoil and hostility," Aronson recalls on his website, The Jigsaw Classroom. "Fist-fights erupted in corridors and schoolyards across the city. The school superintendent called me in to see if we could do anything to help students get along with one another."

Rather than take a crisis management approach to the situation, which they believed would only put a band-aid on the problem, Aronson and his colleagues wanted a solution that was more organic, something built into the structure of students' everyday learning. What they came up with was Jigsaw, an instructional approach that required students to learn from each other, rather than from the teacher. Because students in a Jigsaw classroom could not succeed without one another, they had to learn to get along. "Learning from each other gradually diminishes the need to try to out-perform each other because one student's learning enhances the performance of the other students instead of inhibiting it, as is usually the case in most competitive, teacher-oriented classrooms."

For a more thorough understanding of the strategy and its history, read the Jigsaw Classroom's Jigsaw Basics white paper.

Although cooperative learning in general has been proven to have a strong positive impact on learning (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001), researchers have found that Jigsaw in particular improves students' social-emotional learning. In studies comparing Jigsaw with traditional direct instruction, students taught with the Jigsaw method demonstrated increased feelings of autonomy, competence, and intrinsic motivation (Hänze & Berger, 2007). Another study comparing Jigsaw with cooperative learning that didn't include interdependence (a hallmark of Jigsaw) found that the Jigsaw students demonstrated improved attitudes toward their peers and reduced indicators of racial prejudice (Walker & Crogan, 1998).

Many teachers are looking for ways to help students become more independent learners who also function well in groups. If done correctly, Jigsaw can fulfill all of those needs without ever losing academic rigor.

As a teacher, I never received any formal training in this strategy, and when I tried it, I found it didn't work quite as well as I'd hoped. After studying the steps again, I realized I was organizing my groups the wrong way. Plus, I never bothered to give the quiz at the end.

Anyway, here's a video overview of the steps. If you're new to the strategy, this will show you how to do it. If, like me, you've tried it without success, this may help you fine-tune:

Want these steps written down? Click here to download a free copy (will open in a new window).

I had no clue about this! Since the original Jigsaw strategy was developed, other educators have improved on it with their own variations (Coffey, n.d):

Jigsaw II has all students read all of the material, but then specialize in one area for their expert groups. Then, when quiz time comes, students' individual scores are averaged within each group to arrive at a group score, which is then compared with other groups. This encourages groups to work harder to ensure that all members learn.

Jigsaw III builds in a group review before the final quiz.

Jigsaw IV adds a few extra components to Jigsaw III: The teacher starts by introducing the material, quizzes are given to the expert groups, and a re-teaching period is built in to address material that wasn't taught well in cooperative groups.

I should mention that clear information on these three variations was very challenging to find; with that in mind, I believe there's a need for a well-written set of instructions to help teachers give each variation a try.

So how do you like them apples? Kind of makes you want to get Jiggy with it, no? (Sorry, I couldn't help it. It was sitting right there.) If you have experience with Jigsaw and have insights or tips to add, please comment below. If you have questions about implementation, let's hear those, too.

Jiggy. ♥

References:

Coffey, H. (n.d.). Jigsaw (Educator's guides: North Carolina digital history). Retrieved from http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-eg/4584#noteref5

Hänze, M., & Berger, R. (2007). Cooperative learning, motivational effects, and student characteristics: An experimental study comparing cooperative learning and direct instruction in 12th grade physics classes. Learning and Instruction, 17(1), 29-41. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959475206001174

Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Silver, H. F., Strong, R. W., & Perini, M. J. (2007). The strategic teacher: Selecting the right research-based strategy for every lesson. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Walker, I. (1998). Academic performance, prejudice, and the jigsaw classroom: New pieces to the puzzle. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 8(6), 381-393. Retrieved from http://uwf.edu/svodanov/AS/Jigsaw.pdf

Stick around.
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4 Things You Don't Know About the Jigsaw Method

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This cooperative learning strategy has been around for decades, but how well do you really know it?

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creative classroom management tool

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ClassDojo helps teachers, parents, and students build amazing classroom communities.

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Class MOJO videos to teach growth mindset

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Class MOJO videos to teach growth mindset

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(Video not working? Try this.)

Introduce your students to the idea of a Growth Mindset. The simple idea that your brain is like a muscle is proven to have profound impact on learning!

Watch the video with students - they'll love the story and identify with Mojo's struggle. The video ends with a question, leading right into a class discussion.

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(Video not working? Try this.) Introduce your students to the idea of a Growth Mindset. The simple idea that your brain is like a muscle is proven to have profound impact on learning! Watch the video with students - they'll love the story and identify with Mojo's struggle.

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The James Irvine Foundation: Linked Learning

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Linked Learning connects rigorous academics with real-world experience. It's relevant, and it's working. New interactive infographic shows why and how.

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Send Texts to Students and hides your personal phone number 

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Send Texts to Students and hides your personal phone number 

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Adoption and usage

Simple, effective, and surprisingly easy to use

With nearly 30 million users in 80% of US schools, the numbers speak for themselves: students, families, and educators love using Remind.

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Remind | Communication Platform for Education

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Remind is a communication platform that reaches students and families where they are and supports learning wherever it happens. Millions of educators, students, and parents use Remind to connect with the people and resources that help them teach and learn.

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Freerice.com | Not Your Average Online Trivia Game

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Play online, learn online and feed the hungry | Freerice.com

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For every correct answer you choose, 10 grains of rice are raised to help end world hunger through the World Food Programme.

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LibriVox | free public domain audiobooks

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LibriVox is turning 18, and we've just got another year older better! In the last year, our volunteers have created over 1200 new audiobooks, so let's celebrate our anniversary with 10 of the latest gems from our catalog. The most exciting thing of last year was the addition of another language to our catalog: Indonesian.

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News stories for younger students--highly engaging!

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Guy Raz is a radio broadcaster and the host and editorial director of NPR's TED Radio Hour