NOTE: To change the image on this slide, select the picture and delete it. Then click the Pictures icon in the placeholder to insert your own image. UDL & DIFFERENTIATION Chad Satcher ED - 673

Compare and Contrast UDL is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on the insights of how people learn. (Rose, 2001). The differentiated classroom is an attempt to reach each individual student with individualized lessons, while staying constant with the Core Standards. (Hall, 2002). Both are equipped to provide equity in the classroom, thus catering to each student’s individuality, while progressing through the standards. UDL wants to minimize barriers and maximize learning for all students. However, the differentiated classroom wants to acknowledge the barriers, but provide accommodations to work around these barriers. Both strive for the same end result, but take different paths to achieve the desired results. UDL believes in a flexible curriculum, while the differentiated classroom believes in maintaining the curriculum, but providing flexibility in the lessons themselves. Both are goal oriented, and it’s in UDL’s three steps, where they somewhat mimic the differentiated approach. UDL offers three paths: 1. Representation, which is to vary the styles of learning to represent the students. 2. Action and expression, which offers numerous options for proficiency. 3. Engagement, which relies heavily on offering multiple avenues of interest to maintain the student’s engagement during lessons. (Edyburn, 2009).

Compare and Contrast - Continued Both of these strategies offer the same results. Without differentiation, UDL doesn’t work. If the goal of every educator is to prepare our students for life after graduation, we must find a way to marry these two strategies together to provide our students the highest opportunities for success. Both of these want the educator to challenge the diverse learners in our classroom, and to find harmony in this diversity. At the end of the day, it really comes down to preference, but I see multiple benefits to combining the two and doubling my chances for success.

Combining the Two In my classroom, I will be combining the two. We will take a good hard look at each student, and decipher a strategy that will benefit each one. We will start by recognizing the student’s abilities and disabilities. Identifying the underlying barrier in a student’s learning is a key step to mastery of our core standards. We will develop the skills and strategies needed to address each student’s needs and start bridging the gaps in their learning. We will also start prioritizing their accommodations to make sure we can assess each student’s progress to make sure we’re heading in the right direction. After establishing our plan of attack, we will make sure we have differentiated assignments that will be challenging for all our learners. We want to make sure we offer equitable services for each child, and not to focus on one group. There is a growing trend, in Texas, of our “lower” level students reaching their minimum scores, while the “upper” students achieve zero progress. When differentiating our lessons, we must make sure to challenge all our students, to show tangible growth across the board.

My Classroom There are many different ways to deliver new information in my classroom, but one way I have found that has been very beneficial is the flipped classroom. I typically send home a video link, which delivers the message of the new material that will be covered during the lesson. This strategy eliminates the need for full-class lecturing during the introduction stage. Some students will find the flipped classroom webinar sufficient and will be ready for activities. This gives me the opportunity to allow them to move forward, while also giving me individual time to work with those who need more time introducing new information. This gives me the best opportunity to differentiate my assignments, thus offering the greatest chances for successful lessons. On the first day of a new session, after the flipped classroom assignment, we typically begin class with the KWL assignment. This allows me to monitor misconceptions and develop strategies to bridge the gaps. Once the strategies are developed, I assign differentiated assignments based on the barriers blocking their progress. By differentiating the lesson, we optimize the students engagement and solidify our efforts to reach all of our children, no matter their current level.

References Rose, D. (2001). Universal design for learning. Journal of Special Education Technology, 16(4), 64. Hall, T. (2002). Differentiated instruction. Wakefield, MA: National Center. Edyburn, D, and Gardner, J. (2009). Universal design for learning. Technology and Media Division of the Council for Exceptional Children: pg. 14.