Udl di

UDL and DI The Teacher’s Toolkit

Universal Design for Learning is the “toolkit” for delivery of Differentiated Instruction

“Show me that I am accepted as I am!”

The Teacher’s Toolkit

This is every teacher’s challenge, and coming toward the third year with many of the same students by looping, I realize how difficult that challenge is with many of our most needy students. Just getting them to accept themselves and to experience success is a struggle. This is a struggle I have still lost this year with several students, but we do have one more year!

DI is the teacher’s mindset that invites and fosters learning.

UDL is a universal approach to providing the multiple avenues for DI

DI is a teacher’s response to each individual student’s needs, not by individual lesson plan, but by active placement in a group, or

modifying an assignment or the interpretation of an assessment.

DI is the teacher’s mindset that invites and fosters learning.

Example: While an assessment would utilize UDL to access all students, DI would be important in assessing the results for each student. A “failure” by percentage might be a huge gain by a student having difficulty that has just succeeded in getting twice as many correct, or writing a whole page where before they wrote little to nothing. Knowing that student’s capacity and change, being able to give them more confidence and rewarding them for twice as many correct or a full page effort is a chance for them to experience success!

DI is the teacher’s connection to students.

UDL is a process or a technique to open multiple possibilities for a student being able to connect to the content, the media, or the process that can inform them. DI is the intimate knowledge a teacher needs of their students to be able to guide each student through the best learning experience and making them confident and capable learners.

Example: UDL can provide the multiple approaches needed to give each student a path, but without the guidance of the teacher to steer those students to their best possibility and assess their progress and success and make corrections, students cannot always find success. Dedicated and strong students persevere, and as we know, and cannot be stopped. It is the students who are doubtful of themselves, that have a history of failure, that need guidance and more help. DI concepts help the teacher form the connection of the teacher with each individual student.

DI is the teacher’s connection to students.

DI is about the student to student connection.

In UDL, grouping students is a technique to address the needs of the many learning styles and needs of students, but DI is about the teacher’s knowledge of who to group together, or sometimes who to keep apart to increase learning. There are also those times when a teacher knows, and even the student knows, that it is a time for them to work solo.

Example: Student to student connections are powerful, and it is the teacher, knowing each student, who can sort and combine the class for a project, and be able to know when a student must be removed from a group because they just can’t function well in the social environment. It may be just for that lesson, or that day, or it may be something that takes time until the student feels capable of being successful in a pair or group. Flexibility is the key.

DI is about the student to student connection.

Technology and Differentiated Instruction

Technology, in DI, as it is in UDL, is a great tool.

Technology and Differentiated Instruction

• Technology can adapt to the capabilities needs of the student, no matter now varied or limited

• Technology can be expanded to meet the needs of those ready for more, or be narrowly focused to meet the needs of a student limit in sight or in hearing

Technology and Differentiated Instruction

Technology can be a hook and a motivator. It is attractive to students and often involves visual or aural features that students enjoy or can be customized to suit their interests.

Technology and Differentiated Instruction

Technology is the most incredibly rich and varied resource that taps the entire breath and depth of human knowledge. Students need to become self-empowered and individual learners, capable of using this resource in their education as well as in the workplace of the future.

Universal Design for Learning might be a foundational toolbox for education, but Differentiated Instruction is the heart and soul!