by Elizabeth Stein

The teacher life is a busy life, no question. Since my last post about integrating the Universal Design for Learning approach into instructional planning and teaching, I’ve received some predictable questions: “How do teachers find the time to do all that?” Or simple, flat statements like: “I don’t have time for that.”

Case closed, right? I don’t think so. I’d like to keep the discussion going and try to show how I’m working to integrate UDL in my own English inclusion class. First, here’s some context.

• My district has not adopted a formal UDL framework (yet–>grin<)

• Most public school teachers where I teach and across the United States are swept up in the instructional shifts brought on by the Common Core. We are in the midst of adjusting to CCSS curriculum changes. And let’s face it, for many people change is scary.

• Most teachers either do not know about UDL or they feel they do not have the time for it based on what little they do know.

• The lesson outline you are about to see was planned with a focus on the Common Core — the thought of including UDL strategies was not on my co-teacher’s mind.

UDL is not about causing change. It’s about looking for natural connections to what one is already doing that can help diversify instruction. It’s about raising our own awareness and turning up our reflective skills so we become accustomed to thinking about how lessons align with the needs of diverse learners.

In my own situation, I’ve decided rather than to push my UDL passion on my co-teachers, I will begin by noticing what they are already doing and make the effort myself to weave UDL in naturally. It’s a start.

Here’s my approach to integrating the UDL framework

Since UDL is in perfect alignment with the Common Core (and I purposely state that as a fact, rather than an opinion), I’ve decided to dedicate this post to zooming in on a specific lesson. I want to show the value of a UDL mindset that even the busiest of teachers may easily adopt — pain free.

My hope is that general education teachers and special education teachers alike will see that UDL is all about high quality instruction and points the way to expanding our best practices to meet the needs of all learners.

This school year, rather than plan direct UDL lessons, I decided to take a thoughtful approach and look at a typical school day for me. I asked myself, “What’s happening in classrooms that naturally align with my wish to make sure that we are implementing a mindful Universal Design for Learning approach? Are there multiple ways that representation, engagement, and expression are happening during daily instruction?

Last week I listed  some of what I noticed going on in my inclusion classrooms. This week let me tie that to a specific lesson, planned with the Common Core in mind and without UDL even coming into the conversation. Here’s the gist:

Purpose of Lesson: To deepen student understanding of famous Civil War leaders and events and broaden their background knowledge of the Civil War.  This lesson provided background as we prepared to read Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt.

Process: Using the Carousel Protocol, students read various texts to gather information on the Civil War and listed important facts about given topics. The classroom was set up with desks in groups of four or five. At each group was a large piece of chart paper with a topic clearly listed at the top. Nonfiction texts of various reading levels were stacked on the desks to support the given topic. Students were given time to read through the text, discuss their findings, and write their key points onto the large chart paper.

After time was up, each group moved to the next table where they would begin their research, discussion, and writing on another topic (and another poster). As class time came to a close each group had the opportunity to review and add facts to the posters.

Assessment:

• My co-teacher and I walked around the room listening in on students’ conversations in the midst of the learning–we gained information about their level of comprehension and ability to use text features to locate important information.

• Students’ written facts demonstrated their ability to read and identify key facts.

• Some students sketched their new understanding rather than writing words.

• Students’ listening and speaking were noted through their group discussions as well as whole class discussions.

 UDL easily aligns with this lesson

According to the Three UDL Principles, here’s how UDL naturally aligned with this lesson:

The aim of a UDL lesson is to create (1) resourceful, knowledgeable learners through multiple means of representation; (2) strategic, goal-directed learners through multiple means of engagement; and (3) purposeful, motivated learners as a result of multiple means of expression. In this lesson, many of those objectives were achieved thanks to the learning strategy selected and the opportunities and options given to students to express and demonstrate their learning. Additional time invested: practically zero.

It is truly amazing how UDL is naturally embedded into high quality, Common Core lessons. Can you imagine what more might be done when UDL is intentionally planned and included in lessons? I can, and that is my mission in my own school and district. It’s really not nearly so much about time as it is about strategic thinking and planning with all students in mind.

Here’s a question…

What natural UDL connections do you see in your inclusion classrooms? Share what you see…and what you hope to see…and then let’s discuss ways to make it happen.

by Elizabeth Stein

Last week I wrote about how high quality instruction must consistently occur before any testing accommodations have a chance of being meaningful. But high quality instruction doesn’t just happen; it has to be crafted. And it has to be given time to become a natural part of the teacher’s style as she or he builds a repertoire of strategies that blend seamlessly with standards, grade level expectations, students’ needs, and personal teaching style.

Recently I went to The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because I’m always thinking these days about this blog and reflecting on practice, I quickly saw the connections between the skills needed to be a highly qualified teacher and those needed to be a successful artist. More specifically, the skills of a sculptor.

A sculptor uses a chisel as a tool to fine-tune and shape his vision into a work of art. Like sculptors, teachers chisel away to fine tune our teaching creations. Unlike the sculptor, our medium is intangible — but it is also multi-layered and sensitive to slight variations.

We chisel away at our words to make sure we give students the most important facts and ideas clearly. We chisel away at pedagogical theories in order to translate these ideas into meaningful teaching behaviors. We chisel away at our actions in order to perform best practices that will meet the unique needs of our diverse learners.

In order for the sculptor to create her masterpieces, she relies on a familiar and well-established tool–the chisel. In order for teachers to truly create a masterpiece, we need to search for our tool, and it is not something that is always easily identified.

Our masterpieces will not emerge from the packaged program or accompanying teacher’s guide, or that latest KIPP book with all the “how to’s” of being an effective teacher. No, it goes way beyond that.

I’d like to offer my version of a teacher’s chisel–a professional tool that can help us to successfully create optimal learning environments. This tool is called the Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

And UDL can be such a powerful chisel. If we stay mindful as we use it, we can not only create one sculpture at a time, like the artist. We also have the power to create a classroom full of masterpieces –simultaneously. It’s simply amazing.

In my last post I suggested that you watch a four-minute video to give you a foundation for understanding what UDL is all about. So why not take those four minutes to check out UDL at a Glance (if you haven’t already). I’ll be here when you get back.

Back already? OK, another website you need to check out when you have the time is The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST). CAST is a nonprofit educational research and development organization that works to make learning accessible for all students through Universal Design for Learning.

Comprehensive – Common Core – Common Sense

Trust me on this: UDL is such a common sense approach to teaching, and it aligns smoothly with the Common Core. In fact, I’m not aware of any other effective way to guide all students to access the core curriculum.

The concept of UDL allows teachers to adapt the curriculum, customize the delivery of instruction, and assess understanding in ways that allow students to demonstrate knowledge, play to strengths, and flourish as learners.

Lesson planning using the UDL approach encompasses three guidelines or provisions:

1.  Multiple means of representation
2.  Multiple means of engagement
3.  Multiple means of expression

My district has not yet formally adopted a UDL framework, but I am working with colleagues to bring a higher sense of awareness and application on a district-wide level. As I stepped out on this journey a year or so ago, I began by noticing what teachers in my district were already doing–without any knowledge that their practices already aligned with UDL. This was great news because as I work to bring UDL to my district more formally, the transition will be a very smooth one for so many teachers. And it doesn’t hurt that UDL aligns with the Common Core standards that are on everybody’s minds.

Here’s some examples of UDL-compatible practices — things I do and see as I teach alongside my colleagues:

Multiple Means of Representation:

• Homework is written on the board for students to copy into their agenda
• Homework is posted on a class website for all to access
• Directions for class work are visually displayed to supplement the auditory modality
• Graphic organizers are used routinely
• Aim and lesson objectivesare posted on the board
• Outlines of class notes are provided to guide understanding of key ideas
• We use clear language and repeat key words and ideas
• We use document cameras and interactive whiteboard slides to model thinking and key concepts

Multiple Means of Engagement

• Students repeat directions following teacher explanations
• We have open class discussions, and students add their thinking to the thinking of others
• We include cooperative learning activities, such as think-pair-share, and jigsaw
• We allow options of working with peers or working solo
• We have individual dry erase boards to record and display thinking and responses to questions
• Strategies such as Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) are used to guide comprehension
• During shared reading, all students can follow along with individual copies of the text as the teacher reads aloud

Multiple Means of Expression

• We do quick-writes
• We use dry erase boards as response cards
• We provide visual and auditory feedback
• Students complete graphic organizers
• They sketch/write/speak to express their understanding
• We allow use of spell-check, dictionaries, thesaurus
• Students discuss thinking with a partner before responding
• We use checklist/outlines/organizers to check off steps toward task completion

Clearly the ideas I’ve expressed so far are all examples of low-tech, multiple means to guide students to comprehend content at deeper levels. In an upcoming post I will outline how the framework of UDL aligns naturally with the reading and writing Common Core anchor standards in my inclusion English class.

As you will see, it is truly amazing how UDL, natural teaching common sense, and the Common Core blend so seamlessly together. It’s all about making the curriculum accessible to everyone. And isn’t that what we all should be about?

Give your teaching a closer look. What UDL strategies are you providing? What UDL strategies would you like to provide?

UDL Graphic: Palm Beach Schools