2. MyUDLSchool
Components
When designing my elementary
school using UDL principles, the
following will be addressed:
• Structure
• Classes
• Personnel
• Instruction
• Curriculum
• Technology
• Assessment
4. STRUCTURE
In my school, everyone will have equal access to the learning
environment.
Multiple ramps outside and inside of the school
Wide doorways
Elevators or lifts for those unable to use stairs
Handicapped accessible restrooms
Automatic sliding doors
Braille on every sign
6. CLASSES
Classes will be grouped by grade level with no more than 20 students that have varying
ability levels. Every school that I have been at seems to be good at grouping a majority of
the lower performing students and those with behavior challenges in the same class. In a
class with varying ability levels everyone can learn from each other.
Teachers will be provided with materials and required to use methods that incorporate
the three UDL principles. Instructional materials in an electronic format will be the
cornerstone of each UDL classroom that offers a great deal of flexibility. Electronic
materials will be used on and manipulated by computers, making it easy to alter content
to meet the needs of different students.
All classroom will be spacious, have desks and chairs that accommodate the needs of all
students, and access to the latest technology.
7. PERSONNEL
My personnel will be very diverse.
For every general education classes there would be a teacher and TA in
there at all times.
For every self-contained special education class there would be a
teacher / TA to student ratio of 2:4.
For every 15 kids receiving resource, there would be a teacher and a TA
to provide support.
For every 5 inclusive students there will be one support facilitator for
them in the general ed classroom.
There will be a lead teacher for each department/grade level.
At least two full time master technology teachers.
9. INSTRUCTION- Representation
Teachers will present instruction using
multiple media, such as oral lectures,
textbooks, charts or diagrams, audio tapes,
and videos.
They will also change the content from one
medium to another, such as oral output for
students with reading difficulties or pictures
and illustrations for students who need a
visual image.
Materials would have changeable font style
and size, highlighting of main concepts, or
variable volume and speed controls.
Material will be adjusted to match students'
cognitive styles. For example, students who
prefer sequential, factual information might
learn a history lesson from a timeline-style
presentation. Students who learn better with
a base of broader concepts might choose to
have the same lesson presented from a big
picture, or cause-and-effect perspective, with
dates and facts filled in later.
Instruction will
provide
multiple means
of
representation.
Comprehens
ion
Perception
Language,
expression,
and
symbols
10. INSTRUCTION- Expression
Our students will not be limited to one
way of completing assignments.
Teachers can match the curriculum to
each child's strengths.
Assignments will be accepted in various
formats. A student who finds written
expression difficult might show his
knowledge orally; another might turn in
a report, write a play, or develop a
project to demonstrate learning.
Those students who are slowed down by
the physical effort of writing with paper
and pencil will be allowed to use the
computer and printer.
Instruction will
provide
multiple means of
action and
expression.
Executive
Function
Physical
Action
Expression
and
Communic
ation
11. INSTRUCTION- Engagement
Our UDL instruction will allow flexibility in
how our students interact with the material
so that they will not become bored or
unmotivated. The teachers will tailor the
level of difficulty of assignments, so that each
student is challenged while meeting the
overall goals of the lesson.
Teachers will allow students to choose their
preferred method of learning new material.
One child might learn vocabulary by playing
a game in a race against the clock; another
might create stories or even artwork to
incorporate the new words.
Teachers will also tailor the content to match
kids' interests. For example, math principles
could be taught using topics ranging from
hockey to horses.
Instruction will
provide
multiple means of
engagement.
Self-
regulation
Recruit
Interest
Sustain
effort and
persistence
12. INSTRUCTION- Engagement contd.
Instructional materials will provide extra support where students need it. For reading practice,
independent readers could read silently from a book. Students needing more support might read
computer-based stories where they could click on a troublesome word to hear it pronounced or have
the entire text read aloud.
Assignments will be varied according to each child's skills. If the goal of a project is to learn research
skills, more advanced students will be required to produce a longer report or cite more references.
Students with less developed research skills might gain as much from creating a report using fewer
references to cover a limited number of key points.
14. GENERAL CURRICULUM
Using my state’s TEKS objectives, I would build the general
curriculum using the UDL Curriculum Toolkit. This
software will allow my staff to create flexible and
customizable educational materials that can meet the needs
of all students and allow them to progress to their full
potential.
I would also build a functional curriculum for those
learners whose disabilities significantly impairs their ability
to progress to their fullest potential using the general
curriculum.
15. TECHNOLOGY
In my UDL school, I
would use technology to
create an educational
environment that allows
all students to succeed
in the general education
classroom. Technology
can be used to reach the
recognition, strategic,
and affective brain
networks.
16. TECHNOLOGY- Recognition
Technology would be used to
provide multiple means of
representation for all students
which accesses their
recognition network. My school
would use video and audio
representation, pictures, and
music, just to name a few.
Those learners who are
kinesthetic will benefit from
using IPADS, laptops,
SmartBoards, and iPods.
18. TECHNOLOGY- Expression
• Technology would also be used
to reach our students’ strategic
networks by allowing them
various ways to interact with
the material and to
demonstrate mastery of skills
and concepts.
20. ASSESSMENT
In my school informal UDL assessments will be embedded into daily
instruction.
UDL formative assessments will be conducted after every unit.
Any of the tools listed under technology/expression can help assess
what a student has learned.
Any student who qualifies for special education services will be allowed
to take standardized assessments on their functioning level instead of
grade level.
All assessments will be given via whichever type of media a student
benefits most from.
21. References
Rose, DH., & Meyer, A. (2002) Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age.
Universal Design for Learning. Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, Alexandria Virginia.
http://community.udlcenter.org/photo/udl-in-tagxedo
http://www.ginacarson.com/gc/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/UD-snow-steps.jpg
http://www.unifiedav.com/blog/68/smart-boards-collaborative-classrooms/
classroom future.jpg‑
thegoodlife-lindsay.blogspot.com
http://visual.ly/how-different-will-classrooms-future-be
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/udl_intro/concept/#tech
http://alyssiakajati.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/education-system.png
