Today we met at the Center for the first day of our Universal Design for Learning Institute. What a packed day! Past participants let us know that they wanted more strategies. We adjusted for today. As a matter of fact, one person let us know that “it’s OK to include some theory, you know.”

Today we learned that UDL Consists of twelve principles, spread across three brain networks. More specifically:

To support the students’ diverse recognition networks:
–provide multiple examples
–highlight critical features
–represent information in multiple media and formats
–provide supports for limited background knowledge

To support the students’ diverse strategic networks
–provide flexible models of skilled performance
–provide ongoing relevant feedback
–provide opportunities to practice with supports
–provide adjustable levels of skill

To support the students’ diverse affective networks
–offer choices for content and tools
–provide adjustable levels of challenge
–offer a choice of rewards
–offer a choice of learning context

A quick glance at the session evaluations revealed a desire to learn more about the framework of Universal Design for Learning, the theories that it is based upon, and a clearer understanding of UDL in general. We will definitely provide that. In fact, we have it on the agenda for Friday.

As promised, the strategies we used today are posted below. Feel free to use them in your work at school.

• Affinity

• Digital Text

• Double-Entry Journal

• Frayer Model

• Gallery Walk

• Give and Go

• Human Consensogram

• Pair Share

• Quick Writes

• Reflective Journal

• Text Rendering

• Text-to-Speech

• Thinking at Right Angles + Directions

• Walk and Talk

• Exit Slip (3, , 1 Strategy)

• UDL Toolbox (blank)

Please feel free to share your thoughts about today’s session.