In architecture, universal design refers to "an orientation to design based on the following premises:
- Disability is not a special condition of a few;
- It is ordinary and affects most of us for some part of our lives; and
- If a design works well for people with disabilities, it works better for everyone." (from Adaptive Environments, cited by <LINK URL="http://www.accessiblesociety.org/topics/universaldesign/" LINKTARGET="_blank">The Center for an Accessible Society</LINK>)
These same ideas hold true for instruction. Teachers who embrace Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a research-based framework for providing a wider range of learning options in classrooms, aim to provide all students access to important learning experiences. UDL regards difference as the norm rather than the exception and embraces variance with the goal of improving the quality of instruction for the entire class. The following UDL strategies have the potential to engage, support, and challenge students with a wide range of learning needs.
Using Audio Recordings for Pre-Writing
Often, students experience a disconnect between their thinking and their readiness for writing those thoughts. This is especially true for students who are learning English, students who have dyslexia, or students who struggle to maintain attention. To capture the ideas running through students' heads and "save" them for writing, teachers can ask students to first record themselves telling a story, explaining a process, proving a point, etc. As students listen to their own voices, they can capture—and even refine—their thinking as they type, write, or solve. This technique highlights what students can do and uses it to help them accomplish what they perceive they cannot do. Along the way, it builds both confidence and capacity for new learning.
Targeted Classroom Talk
There are students in every classroom who think deeply, broadly, and creatively about content but seldom—if ever—contribute to a class discussion. It may be that these students need to filter their thoughts through several language layers before they speak or lack confidence in their ability to speak the target language clearly. Some students have such creative imaginations that their thoughts spiral into unusual avenues that can be considered "off topic." Others may just need a bit more time to process than their peers. Rather than regarding these students with labels (such as English language learners or students with ADHD or autism or disengaged) and giving them a "pass" during discussion, teachers can invite all students into the conversation by using strategies such as the following:
- Think-Pair-Share: This strategy may be as old as the hills, but teachers often misuse or overlook it. "Think" time gives students a chance to process, translate, and record thoughts to be ready to contribute. The "pair" phase gives students who lack confidence a chance to practice their answers with a peer—a rehearsal that will increase their self-assurance in the "share" phase. If the "share" phase is implemented with Popsicle sticks or a digital communication tool like Class Dojo, all students know they are accountable for their answers and will invest more heavily in the "think" and "pair" stages. Further, if students know they can share their partner's answer rather than their own (giving credit where credit is due), they are more likely to both speak and listen while pairing. Questions with many possible answers provide the best fodder for think-pair-shares and give all students the opportunity, and the expectation, to showcase critical thinking. Those types of questions are best planned in advance.
- Talking Chips: The teacher may distribute two or three talking chips (poker chips or some other token) to each student with the expectation that they use all their chips during a discussion. Once students spend all of their chips, they are "out" of opportunities to contribute. This strategy operationalizes the expectation that all classmates speak and all classmates listen. It helps students who struggle with impulsivity—for any number of reasons, labeled or not—to exercise self-control. This, in turn, provides more opportunities for reticent students to speak without having to compete for a chance to do so. The number of talking chips can be adjusted for different students and can be negotiated between the teacher and student to heighten comfort level and investment.
- Role Cards: Assigning specific roles to students during whole-class or small-group discussions gives each student partial responsibility for the success of that discussion. Roles such as Director, Includer, Questioner, and Pacer—along with their respective responsibilities and sample "soundbites" (Doubet & Hockett, in press)—encourage unique contributions from each student and provide scaffolding to do so. Teachers can assign roles strategically, or students can choose their roles. It's best to allow students to "try on" several roles throughout the semester or year to find those that provide both support and challenge.
Providing Choice
Unfortunately, teachers often give the fewest choices to students who learn differently. In attempting to "cure" students of their learning "ills," teachers sometimes "prescribe" courses of study with few opportunities for student feedback on how to take in, process, or demonstrate their learning. This adversely affects students' motivations and, in turn, their performances.
Although choice empowers students, it may overwhelm teachers. It doesn't have to! Some choices, such as product options (for example, show what you learned through a blog post, a podcast, or an instructional video) require advanced planning, while others can be low prep. Teachers can give simple choices such as providing a variety of contexts for a story problem or several different audiences for a writing prompt. They may allow students to work alone with white noise in their headphones or in silence, or with peers. Simply letting students determine the order in which they will complete tasks can go a long way toward reducing resistance. The more students have a say in what and how they learn, the more likely they are to invest in tasks.
Each of these UDL approaches allows students to bolster their weaknesses by capitalizing on their strengths—while teachers honor the unique traits of every learner in the classroom, regardless of label (or lack thereof). In using such strategies, teachers provide all students access to worthwhile experiences, build self-efficacy, and foster a sense of belonging.