Universal Design For Learning

The Universal Design For Learning, or UDL, is a way for improving and optimizing learning and teaching. By using these standards, educators and librarians, alike, are able to have a guideline to follow to improve their practice. Below I have listed how the UDL can be applied to my classroom and teaching style. 

The Guidelines Currently Being Used

Language and Symbols (2)

Because I'm currently an English teacher, I feel that this guideline is a given. Nearly everyday we are covering some kind of component of this guideline. We don't necessarily "support decoding of mathematical notation", however we do a lot of "clarification of vocabulary" and "illustration through multiple media". One proponent that I support is the idea of taking ownership of one's learning. As such, in order to clarify vocabulary, I have students use a dictionary to look of the definition of a word they don't know, and explain that word to a partner using their own words. 

Comprehension (3)

Comprehension is another guideline that I think is a given for the English classroom. "Activate or supply background knowledge" is one key point to the guideline that I try to do with every new lesson. We will either have a class discussion before  I introduce new material, or assign research in some capacity, in order to supply the background knowledge. 

Expression & Communication (5)

For this guideline, I allow students to "use multiple tools for construction and composition". This generally comes about when we are focusing on a writing unit. I will allow students to compose using different formats, and research using different tools.

The Guidelines I Can Add Right Now To My Teaching Practice

Executive Function (6)

By "guiding appropriate goal setting", students will be taught to set goals for themselves and how to achieve those goals. I think that this would be an easy guideline to implement because there is little to no planning outside of actually teaching the students about setting goals. This is also another way students can share the responsibility of their learning. 

Physical Action (4)

I already have the tools and equipment to implement this guideline in my classroom. The problem is that I always forget to "vary the methods for response" when teaching. I get so bogged down with the actual information I need to teach, that I forget how I teach it. If anything, this guideline is something I have to do. 

The Guidelines That Look Great, But I Might Need Some Help To Implement

Self Regulation (9)

I like the idea of developing "self-assessment and reflection" for students to reflect on how they did on an assignment. Students will learn from their own mistakes and how to improve upon them, making it a true authentic learning experience. The problem I can foresee with this guideline is that, at least with the high school aged students I teach, they are very lazy and want to do the least amount of work. In order for this to be successful, students will have to expand on the work they have already completed. I think this work, but will require students to become familiar with the routine and expectation of the self regulation. 

According to the UDL Guidelines, they "can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. " As a librarian, I would like to explore the guideline, Perception, more closely. In this guideline, you are to "

“The UDL Guidelines.” UDL, 31 Aug. 2018, udlguidelines.cast.org/.