To reach all, we must reach each
Every classroom is filled with amazing individuals who vary wildly in who they are as people. This includes BIPOC students, LGBTQIA+ students, and students who are new to the language of instruction, have learning differences, are experiencing poverty, need behavioral supports, have had poor previous instruction, or have endured trauma. This diversity is an asset that educators can leverage when we ensure our instruction is tailored to the strengths and needs of each student. That’s where Universal Design for Learning (UDL) comes in.
UDL ensures all students succeed by enabling educators to remove barriers to learning. Supported by neurological and education research, the tenets of UDL challenge educators to engage students and sustain their interest, represent instruction in accessible ways, and support students to demonstrate their learning in multiple ways. This guide shows how UDL can serve as a pathway to equitable learning outcomes through
- Practical advice for creating safe, affirming learning environments that encourage belonging
- Demonstration of how to represent content, concepts, and skills in different ways to provide students with multiple modes of expression
- Tables for planning and reflection
- Graphics illustrating multiple means of expression
By applying UDL principles, educators can anticipate potential barriers to learning and adjust from the start, driving the accessibility of learning for all students by meeting the needs of each student.
Lee Ann Jung,PhD,is founder of Lead Inclusion, Clinical Professor at San Diego State University, and a consultant to schools worldwide. A former special education teacher and administrator, Lee Ann now spends her time in schools, working shoulder-to-shoulder with teams in their efforts to improve systems and practice. She has consulted with schools in more than 30 countries and throughout the United States in the areas of universal design for learning, inclusion, intervention, and mastery assessment and grading. Lee Ann is the author of 7 books, numerous journal articles and book chapters on inclusion, universal design, and assessment. She serves on the advisory board for Mastery Transcript Consortium, as section editor of the Routledge Encyclopedia of Education, and on the editorial board member for several professional journals. In her community, Lee Ann is a board member for Life Adventure Center, a local nonprofit with a mission of healing for those who have experienced trauma.
Bring Lee Ann Jung to your school or district! Learn more at LeadInclusion.org
