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2. Action/Expression: Physical Action: Vary methods for response/navigation: Not all students are able to just open a book and start reading. The EZreader provide an alternative in the requirements for interacting with instructional materials. It may even promote a better learning experience for a student with books.

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EZ reader strips are a small, clear strip that are placed over a line of text while a student is reading. The purpose of the strip is to allow students to focus on that particular line while reading so they are not distracted by other elements in the story. EZ reader strips are typically found in elementary primary classrooms but are beneficial in older grade levels as well. There are a variety of options out there, but below is a link to an example.
UDL Checkpoints & Guidelines
1. Engagement: Self-Regulation: Facilitate Personal coping skills & strategies: Reading is a challenging task. Having an EZ reader can scaffold the process for a frustrated student. It can also help a student realize, "I am a good reader, and this tool will help me get better."
2. Action/Expression: Physical Action: Vary methods for response/navigation: Not all students are able to just open a book and start reading. The EZreader provide an alternative in the requirements for interacting with instructional materials. It may even promote a better learning experience for a student with books.
3. Engagement: Recruiting Interest: minimize threats/distractions: Having an EZ reader can sometimes increase the novelty of a task, and can vary the level of sensory information the student may feel while reading. Since the purpose of the EZreader is to minimize distractions while reading, the student is able to focus on one piece of text at a time to do their best reading.
Ez reader strips address specific learner variability as they allow students to focus on one line of text at a time, eliminating distractions or the chance of feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of words on a page. Reading is a very complex process for many students and is cognitively demanding. Allowing them to take things one line at a time can provide students with necessary support to hone their reading skills. They can be also helpful to students who may have visual impairments or trouble focusing on text.
https://www.reallygoodstuff.com/ezc-reader-strips/p/143538/

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Flexible seating provides students with different types of chairs and workspaces in the classroom. It is a way for students to choose what is comfortable for them to do their best work and engage in learning. Students' individual learning needs vary, so we can't expect every student to be able to work productively in a typical desk. Flexible seating does not have to be expensive, and does not need to be fancy. Practically anything could be considered a "flexible seat." Floors, low tables, cushions, special seats, small group tables, traditional desks, standing desks, etc all count!
UDL Checkpoints & Guidelines
1. Engagement: options for self regulation: facilitate personal coping skills and strategies: Students are able to try different seating options which can help them eliminate task-irrelevant distractions & events. Using a different seating option is a way of demonstrating coping skills as students learn to find an option that works best for them in different situations.
2. Engagement: options for sustaining effort & persistence: foster collaboration & community: Flexible seating will allow students to sit in proximity to peers in various locations throughout the classroom. This encourages opportunities for peer interactions and peer tutors, and constructs communities of engaged learners.
3. Engagement: options for self-regulation: promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation: Flexible seating requires self-regulatory behaviors as students need to monitor what works for them as well as how they are utilizing the different seating options. It also can increase the length of on task behaviors.
Flexible seating addresses specific learning variability and barriers as it can promote effective student engagement and focus. Students who need more stimulation or movement than a traditional desk provides will benefit from this option. Also, it promotes students learning to advocate for themselves as they learn what seating options work best for their unique needs.

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Rory's Story Cubes are a favorite in my classroom. Each "story cube" (9 total) has different hand-drawn cartoon pictures on them of various things - animals, planets, objects, faces, etc. Students can roll the cubes and create a story from the pictures they generate each time they roll. They can roll 1-2, or as many as 9. Story cubes can be used for writing practice, or to simply generate conversation between students.
UDL Checkpoints & Guidelines
1. Engagement: Recruiting interest: optimize individual choice & autonomy: Students can have choice about what to do with the cubes - they may choose to write a traditional story, make a book, illustrate a storyboard, etc - all based on the cubes they roll and the pictures they find. It is a way to offer learners choice and build self-determination and pride in their work.
2. Engagement:  Effort/Persistence: Vary demands and resources to optimize challenge: Teachers can easily change the demands of the story cubes to match student needs. Some students may roll 1-2 cubes to create a short story, others may need as many as 8-9 to create their story. Teachers can also select which cubes individual students use, perhaps if some lack specific background knowledge of topics. Teachers can create specific expectations (Use 4-5 cubes, use 6-8 cubes) or give students expectations of numbers of sentences, etc within their stories.
3. Representation: Language & Symbols: promote understanding across languages: The story cubes have small pictures on them. All students will benefit from the visual, non-linguistic picture supports when "rolling" their story. Teachers can also use the story cubes to teach new vocabulary to EL students. For example, if they roll a picture of a castle, a teacher can use that picture to teach the word castle and link it to the student's home language.
Story Cubes address specific learner variability as they allow for easy differentiation in process, products, and content. Story Cubes are a motivational way to get students interested in writing, which will benefit all students in a class. The cubes tie in the visual component of learning that so many students benefit from regardless of ability. It also is a way to promote learning discussion and conversations. I could use these in my classroom to generate discussions between peers. Some students could even use them for sorting purposes.
https://www.storycubes.com/

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Epic is a digital library with over 3500 books. It is free for teachers. Epic allows teachers to create a "class" with individual student profiles and accounts. Students can self-select a variety of engaging fiction and nonfiction books. Teachers can create collections, administer book quizzes, and more. They can build collections of books centered around different topics and track student reading progress. Epic is accessible on devices including laptops, chromebooks, iPads, and tablets. Many books have an audio read aloud option and other audio features including glossaries and more.
UDL Checkpoints & Guidelines
1. Representation: Language & Symbols: Support decoding of text: Many of the books are audio-enabled, and are full of various features to support students as they read such as illustrations, text features, key terms, and other options. These features allow students to focus on the material and the learning instead of having to struggle through decoding materials or print that may be too hard.
2. Action & Expression: Expression & Communication: Fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice & performance: Students benefit from the audio options on books, which is a built-in scaffold that can be removed as students become more proficient readers. Students are able to build collections of books, which allows them to synthesize what they have learned about given topics.
3. Perception: Comprehension: Guide information processing & visualization: Within EPIC, students are able to chunk information into smaller elements. For example, they may choose to focus on 1-2 books or a chapter at a time instead of reading an entire book which could be overwhelming. Many of the books are interactive and can be highlighted, marked, and reviewed many times to guide exploration and new understanding.
EPIC addresses specific learner variability in the sheer number of texts and books available to students. It optimizes student choice by providing a number of different topics that are relevant and authentic to student learning. Even reluctant readers are motivated to find a book that interests them. It supports students who may be reading below grade level (or not at all) by providing the read aloud option on many texts. EPIC can be used in a number of classroom settings and can support students on a number of projects. Because students are able to revisit, pause, and highlight books, they can use it to guide research projects or minilessons on different comprehension skills and strategies.
https://www.getepic.com/app/edu-dashboard

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PearDeck is an interactive slide show similar to Google Slides or PowerPoint. Students are able to participate in questions or prompts using devices. They can type, draw, drag a pin or dot, choose from several options, rate how they are feeling using smiley faces, and more. PearDeck can be used before, during, and after a lesson. It is totally anonymous and students are unable to see other responses unless a teacher shows them to the group.
UDL Checkpoints & Guidelines
1. Representation: Perception: Customizing display of information - PearDeck is very flexible and the text, images, and graphics can be made very large. Teachers can control the timing of the slides to allow for students who need more time to work at an appropriate pace. Layout and visual elements can be simple or complex, and can be easily changed to reflect the needs of a class.
2. Action/Expression: Executive Functions: Enhance capacity for monitoring progress: PearDeck can be used to self-monitor and reflect upon learning, or simply how students are feeling. It allows students to use templates that guide self reflection. In a slide, a teacher can ask students to "circle how you are feeling" about certain topics. This provides valuable information to a teacher about concepts, but can also help students think about what they can improve on and what they are doing well with.
3. Engagement: Sustaining Effort & persistence: Teachers can provide immediate feedback within PearDeck that emphasizes improvement. Students will benefit from hearing teacher feedback immediately to their responses on slides as well.
PearDeck addresses specific learner variability as it allows for an engaging, self-reflective experience. It can be used to demonstrate understanding of concepts, but can also be used to self-reflect on personal coping skills and strategies. All students can benefit from developing coping skills, and PearDeck is one way teachers can check in with their students on how they're feeling in a safe, anonymous format. Students are also able to benefit from the custom displays and the interactive format of the slides.
https://app.peardeck.com/home/?action=signin

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Raz-Kids is a digital reading library that allows students to read books at their individual reading level. They are able to take quizzes that provide teachers with data to track proficiency. Each student's library has a collection of books that are suitable for them, and it can be used at school and at home. Many parents (especially in my class!) love having their students use Raz-Kids at home. It is a great way to differentiate at home reading options for students.
UDL Checkpoints & Guidelines
1. Engagement: Effort & Persistence: Heighten Salience of Goals/Objectives - As students become more proficient readers, they will move through the levels of RazKids books. Teachers can set goals with students as they move through the A-Z levels. As students are able to read more difficult texts, the levels of books they have access to will change and they will be able to select more challenging materials. It is a way to scaffold student learning while encouraging students to work towards long term goals.
2. Representation: Language & Symbols: Understanding across languages: On RAZ kids, many books are available in Spanish. For schools that have a heavy Spanish-speaking population, this would be invaluable to build home literacy. Students will benefit from tools such as virtual dictionaries in the books themselves and the visual supports such as pictures, diagrams, etc.
3. Engagement: Recruiting Interest: Choice & Autonomy - Students are able to choose their own reading materials at a level suitable for them. Offering a few levels of books for students in their individual A-Z library is a way to show them they are able to read a variety of materials, not just one level. Having some "challenge" books in their library gives a choice of perceived challenge. Students can also work through the library at their own pace before it advances them to the next level.
RAZKids supports individual learner variability because it engages students of all ability levels in the process of reading. No matter ability level or interest, students can choose materials they like to read while being challenged to become better readers. The audio options within the books allows struggling readers to access content while practicing crucial skills, and higher-ability students can benefit from hearing fluent reading and practicing those skills. Teachers can easily differentiate and students can track their own progress as they advance to different levels, suggesting a motivational component to RAZ kids.
https://www.raz-kids.com/

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BrainPop Jr. is an online resource that has short videos pertaining to commonly studied concepts in all academic areas. These videos are narrated by two characters - Annie and Moby, and introduce concepts with varying degrees of questioning and scaffolding. Accompanying visuals and explanations are included within all videos. BrainPop Jr. has many other resources to accompany videos including quizzes (easy and hard levels), options to talk, read, and draw about concepts, games, and jokes. With certain packages, students can have a log-in and are able to access BrainPop Jr. at home or on their own device.
UDL Checkpoints & Guidelines
1. Representation: Comprehension: Activate or supply background knowledge: The videos in BrainPop Jr. anchor instruction by using visuals and images that students already know. It also starts with focus questions that guide students' understanding towards new concepts.
2. Engagement: Options for sustaining effort & persistence: vary demands and resources to optimize challenge: Students are able to choose a variety of options to demonstrate understanding, such as easy or hard quizzes. Teachers can also assign these to students, which is a way to differentiate for individual student needs.
3. Representation: highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships: The videos focus on "big" topics such as "seasons," or "plant life cycle," and so many more. It shows the big ideas while breaking them down into smaller, more manageable steps for students to understand what makes that particular concept so important.
4. Engagement: provide options for sustaining effort & persistence: foster collaboration & community: Videos can be viewed whole class, which is a good way to foster discussion amongst students and build understanding. Students are able to work together to complete the various activities.
BrainPop Jr. supports learner variability as it is audio-based, so students who are unable to read traditional materials will benefit from the videos that support student learning. Students are able to receive immediate feedback when they take quizzes, which is also a motivating way to self-assess understanding of certain concepts. BrainPop Jr. also provides a variety of options to show understanding - the activities that follow each video include writing, drawing, quizzes, jokes - it is like having a built-in choice board for each video. Teachers can allow students to choose what option they would like to do.
https://jr.brainpop.com/

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The Math Learning Center is a digital math manipulative center for elementary students. Students are able to explore fractions, geoboards, money, vocabulary, number frames and lines, place value blocks, and shapes. Simple and engaging, the math learning center apps allow students to practice important math skills on their personal or shared devices without the need for multiple sets of materials. Students can work at their own pace to build numbers and can build their own understanding of math concepts with concrete visual models to scaffold their learning.
UDL Checkpoints & Guidelines
1. Engagement: vary demands and resources to optimize challenge: Teachers can easily differentiate the tasks students do with the manipulative pieces by increasing or decreasing levels of complexity. For example, students can build 2 or 3 digit numbers with place value blocks depending on ability. They can count different combinations of coins in a multitude of different ways, or even work with fractions. Students could build fractions, compare fractions, etc, based on their learning needs.
2. Representation: Language & Symbols: illustrate through multiple media: Instead of responding to math problems in a traditional format, students could use the virtual manipulatives to illustrate their problem solving and thought process in an alternative form.
3. Representation: Comprehension: guide information processing and visualization: The virtual manipulatives are an excellent interactive model that guide student exploration and understanding. It can also serve as a gradual scaffold - as students become more proficient with their math concepts, they may not have to rely as heavily on manipulatives.
The math learning center supports specific learning variability as it heavily emphasizes the concrete stage of mathematics. All students benefit from the visuals and hands-on approach. No matter their math ability, students are able to work on similar concepts to their peers because of the exploratory nature of the manipulatives. It is easily differentiated, so all students can feel successful with the task they are given. It removes the barrier of holding pencils or reading math words. It also allows students to gain important technology skills.
https://www.mathlearningcenter.org/resources/apps

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FlipGrid is a digital resource where students create short videos in response to any topic of a teacher's choice. Videos are uploaded to one common place for all to view if they have access to the grid. It is a way to engage students and practice crucial speaking skills. Students are able to respond to other videos, which creates many opportunities for discussion and engagement. FlipGrid has engaging components built into the video recording, including using emojis and stickers on videos upon completion.
UDL Checkpoints & Guidelines
1. Representation: Perception: Offer alternatives for auditory information: Teachers can provide directions in auditory format. Instead of giving students written directions or written expectations for an assignment, teachers can record a flipgrid of themselves explaining, or even use ASL on flipgrid for students who cannot hear.
2. Action/Expression: Expression & Communication: Multiple media for communication: Students learn to compose media such as speech, video, etc, which is a way for students to build their expressive skills in a non-traditional way.
3. Engagement: Foster collaboration & community - Students are able to view and respond to one another's FlipGrids, which allows for community building. Clear rules and expectations for FlipGrid allow students to engage in the process of creating their videos in a safe, nonthreatening way while reflecting upon their learning.
4. Engagement: Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity - Students can respond or create a video on any topic of their choice, which is a way to make learning personally relevant. It is an authentic way to express learning and students can also discuss social issues or current events in a real form of communication to audiences.
Flipgrid addresses learner variability and barriers as it essentially takes away the reason for students to "write to respond." Those who struggle to hold a pencil or who struggle to write can easily engage in a flipgrid. Students who are nonverbal or struggle to communicate with peers can benefit from flipgrid as they are not necessarily forced to come up with speech on demand, but can plan out what they are going to say. Some students benefit from taking their device to a quiet, private location and recording their thoughts or responses. Flipgrid supports learners who are more engaged with technology as they are essentially utilizing technology to engage with learning in a self-reflective way.
https://flipgrid.com/

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StoryJumper is an online resource that allows students to create their own digital storybooks. In StoryJumper, students can select from a series of templates for their book. They can add visual images, change colors, text, and fonts to make their books more appealing. Students can narrate their books. They can also read and listen to other previously created books. StoryJumper allows you to purchase books when they are completed.
UDL Checkpoints & Guidelines:
1. Action and expression - Expression and communication - Use multiple media for communication: Students are able to show what they know through writing, typing, and narrating their stories. Using an interactive web tool reduces the barriers students with disabilities may face when required to utilize writing skills.
2. Engagement - optimize individual choice and autonomy: Because students have total control over the design and style of their books, there are many options for choice and autonomy within the project itself. Teachers can differentiate the process by giving as little or many guidelines to the project as they like. Books can have many components, or just a few. Students can also choose to work on a topic of individual interest, which will increase the motivation.
3. Representation: perception: Offer ways of customizing information: within the book itself, students can choose to narrate their book or have someone help them narrate it. They can choose to tell a story with words or pictures, or both. They can demonstrate understanding of stories or concepts through using images and narrating what they know. Because students are able to express information and understanding in a way that works best for them, it provides all learners with access to information and concepts.
4. Provide multiple means of engagement: optimize relevance, value, and authenticity
5. Provide multiple means of representation: language & symbols: illustrate through multiple media
StoryJumper addresses specific learner variability for reading and writing. For example, if a class is reading from a basal, a teacher could easily modify a story from that basal in StoryJumper to make it accessible to all learners. It could have simplified sentences, more pictures, and narrated options. StoryJumper could be used to demonstrate understanding of reading comprehension strategies such as characters, setting, sequencing, etc. Students could illustrate various story elements and describe them, etc. The options with StoryJumper are endless and provide lots of accessibility for all students.