1. Department of Education OSEP Project Directors Conference July 21, 2009 - Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C. Learning Through Listening: Integrating UDL and listening… Mike Kurdziel, Chief Program Officer, RFB&D Dr. Christy Lendman, Educational Consultant Eric McGehearty, MFA, Educational Consultant

2. The importance of listening Teaching Listening in the classroom Understanding listening in todays environment Presentation Overview

3. Integral to language development and reading Foundation for critical thinking Essential for effective communication A workplace necessity Listening: An important Skill A core literacy of the 21 st Century

4. Little time for explicit instruction Teachers do most of the talking Rote drills are the norm Students with disabilities spend more time on basic skills And yet…

5. Teaching Listening Provides for alternative access Engages and motivates students Creates a positive classroom environment Gives students a life-long skill

6. Teaching Listening Listening skills can be taught explicitly, through direct instruction and in multiple formats. www.learningthroughlistening.org

7. Learning Through Listening Website Supports Listening to Learn Using Audio books RFB&D trainings Lesson plans, graphic organizers, and activities Universal Design for Learning (UDL) philosophy

8. Learning Through Listening Website Supports Learning to Listen Listening research & resources Listening Skills Inventory Interactive listening activities

9. Lavelle Listening Curriculum Project Lavelle Fund for the Blind Listening Skills curriculum adapted for B/VI students Lesson plans Listening strategies and activities Listening Skills Inventory (LSI)

11. New - Interactive Essays Developed in partnership with Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) Interactive Essays have both text and multi-media components highlight listening as a 21 st century skill- an important component of a universally designed curriculum Strategies and resources for teaching listening Profiles of expert listeners A guide to audio tools for classroom use

12. Interactive Essays – A Guide Module 1: Listening and the UDL Framework Module 2: Audio in the classroom Module 3: A Digital Audio Omnibus

13. Interactive Essays – A Guide, cont. Module 4: Expert listeners Module 5: Listening in the Classroom Module 6: Listening Outside the Classroom

15. Listening in a Multimedia Environment Multi modal presentations show increased comprehension Students with learning disabilities showed a 38% increase in content acquisition Multitasking v.s. Multisensory Grades 4-8 New Jersey, Rutgers University Study, 2004-2005

16. and RFB&D

17. Collision of a Fourth Grader Eric McGehearty Books in Concrete and a School Desk 5 x 6 x 3 2004

18. Success in College and Graduate School Power Listening Skills Proactive Listening Audio Books

19. Synapse Eric McGehearty Copper, Plastic and Steel 5x 10 (variable) 2003

20. Now that Im a Father

21. Questions?