UDL To Solve Problems

Stefanie Trentacoste

SPED 644

• Common Core standards

• Implementation of small group

instruction

Woodholme Elementary’sSchool Improvement 2013-2014

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What goals are we trying to achieve through small group instruction?

Problem

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“Small Group instruction of grade level standards by increasing the rigor of the texts read (including texts beyond the enrolled grade level), increasing work on drawing inferences and evidence from texts, and increasing the time on task for comparing and synthesizing ideas across texts over that provided for the

In addition, this group extends learning through using and to develop skills in ,

, and .

Students also using above-grade level standards.”

Small Group Instruction

Retrieved from http://www.bcps.org/offices/gt/curriculum-default.html

What does the research say?

• Schools with effective reading programs

facilitate a variety of instructional

practices including whole group, small

group, and individualized instruction.

• Scheduling an uninterrupted block of time

for reading is ideal in order to maximize

opportunities for differentiated instruction.

Teacher Barriers…

But how do we do all of these changes

with …

Heterogeneously grouped classrooms

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problem…• Too many diverse learners who are not having

instruction facilitated or scaffolded from the teacher.

• Curriculum is absent and not enough resources are given to

support implementation of successful small group instruction.

• Teachers are burning out from working overtime in producing

materials to help meet student’s needs in the classroom.

• Providing appropriate resources and instructional

implementations to support students engagement, expression,

and representation for the extreme diversity in each classroom.

Teacher’s Goal:

To increase awareness of tools available for UDL by applying

principles of UDL to Maryland’s Common Core State

Curriculum in order to implement small group instruction and

establish a differentiated and meaningful learning

environment for students.

But how can we do this????

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Universal Design For Learning

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Access for All

• Embedding flexible strategies into the curriculum

during the planning process

• Reduces the need for retrofitting

accommodations for individual students

• Flexible teaching and carefully planned choices

for all students to demonstrate their knowledge

Retrieved from www.udlcenter.org

Putting It Into Practice

I Generated lists of tools/strategies to be used to

support using my educator’s Checklist

1. Multiple means of representation-process

2. Multiple means of engagement-process/product

3. Multiple means of action and expression-product

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Considering teachers pulling

small group, I figured the main problem

would be differentiating for each group.

Especially because there are so many

different ability levels in each classroom.

So I knew this would require taking a look at

each UDL principle carefully on my Educator

Checklist.

First Step!

What I noticed…

• All the principles are applicable

• when it comes to small group instruction

with heterogeneously grouped

classrooms.

• But, teachers want to feel more

comfortable using these resources from

UDL and not feel like it is “one more thing

on OUR checklist!”

Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater!

I think it’s important that teachers use the

materials and resources that are available

on a daily basis. The philosophy of UDL does

not say we must go out and buy new

technology.

Using technologies and resources that are

already in the classroom and the curriculum

to meet the needs of our students is the key!

Work smarter not harder?

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Low to Lite Tech Supports

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•Foldables (Dinah Zike)

•Color support

•Reading Guides

•Highlighter tape

Windows 7 Ease of Access

• Magnifier

• Onscreen Keyboard

• Speech Recognition

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Windows 7 Readability Statistics

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Microsoft Word-AutoSummarize

For example, a student could use Office Word 2007 to create

an automatic summary of a number of long science articles or

to quickly create an abstract for a finished history report. The

student runs AutoSummarize and then edits the summary. AutoSummarize analyzes a document and then assigns a

score to each sentence. You decide the amount of detail you

want, and AutoSummarize uses the scoring system to extract

the key points and assemble them for you. Choose one of the

four types of summaries, and Office Word 2007 displays the

extracted text.

After AutoSummarize finishes, you can edit the results to fit your

needs.

• Struggling readers

• Struggling writers

• Lack of motivation

• Study skills

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V.11 Writing Supports

Graphic Organizer Outlining

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Word PredictionHere we are talking

about two distinct third

party word prediction

software programs: Word

Q and co writer.

Both programs work with

any word processor

providing the students

with an onscreen writing

support. They also

provide for students who

have significant difficulty

with spelling and use it

invented spelling.

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Clicker 5

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Offers both text and picture support

to help students with reading and

writing.

You can see from the screen there is

a typing or writing window as well as

a grid window. The grid is totally

customizable. Allowing for students

to write what they are capable of

writing.

Online support and activity bank

Classroom Suite

This program is similar

to the clicker 5 -offers

a report generating

feature as well as a

correction feature.

The correction feature allows the correct

answers to be put into

the activity giving the

students get

immediate feedback.

Activity exchange

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Web-Based ResourcesBCPS Databases

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CAST TOOLS and Cool Websites!

• Case Stories– http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/casest

ories/cs2/index.cfm?page_id=42

• Videos from the field– http://www.udlcenter.org/resource_library/videos/

fromthefield

• Planning Self Check– http://udlselfcheck.cast.org/check.php

• Lesson Builder– http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/

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References

•Tracey E. Hall, A. M. (2012). Universal Design for Learning in the

Classroom. New York: Guilford Press.

•Retrieved online at http://udlexchange.cast.org/home

•Digital Text: Rose, D., and Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning.

ASCD. Retrieved online at

http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/

(this text is currently under revision- Spring 2014)