Universal Design for Learning in Action

100 Ways to Teach All Learners

by

Whitney H. Rapp, Ph.D.

St. John Fisher College Rochester, New York

Baltimore • London • Sydney

Excerpted from Universal Design for Learning in Action: 100 Ways to Teach All Learners by Whitney H. Rapp, Ph.D. Brookes Publishing | www.brookespublishing.com | 1-800-638-3775 © 2014 | All rights reserved

Contents

About the Author ... ix
Acknowledgments ... xi

Section I Overview

Foundational Theories ... 2
How Do All of These Foundational Theories Fit Together? ... 11
What Does This Book Add to All of These Theories? ... 12
Addressing Barriers and Misconceptions ... 13
Format of the Book ... 15

Section II Strategies for Engagement

Providing Multiple Means of Engagement ... 18
Considerations ... 19
Engagement Through Space: Bulletin Board Borders ... 21
Engagement Through Space: Seating ... 22
Engagement Through Space: Lighting ... 24
Engagement Through Materials: Fidget Toys ... 25
Engagement Through Materials: Professional Equipment ... 26
Engagement Through Materials: Writing Surfaces ... 27
Engagement Through Classroom Management: Jobs ... 29
Engagement Through Classroom Management: Meetings ... 31
Engagement Through Classroom Management: Smarty Pants ... 33
Engagement Through Classroom Management: Organized Classroom ... 35
Engagement Through Technology: Interactive Whiteboards ... 37
Engagement Through Technology: Videoconferencing ... 39
Engagement Through Technology: Blogs ... 40
Engagement Through Content Instruction: Tactile Activities ... 42
Engagement Through Content Instruction: Bag of Writing Ideas ... 44
Engagement Through Content Instruction: Mnemonics ... 45
Engagement Through Content Instruction: Computer Software Programs ... 46
Engagement Through Social Interaction: Games ... 47
Engagement Through Social Interaction: Grouping ... 48
Engagement Through Social Interaction: Dice ... 49
Engagement Through Social Interaction: Redefine Bullying ... 50
Engagement Through Executive Functions: Using the Arts ... 52
Engagement Through Executive Functions: Cue Signals ... 54
Engagement Through Executive Functions: Minecraft Video Game ... 56
Engagement Through Transition to Adulthood: Bingo ... 57
Engagement Through Transition to Adulthood: Real-Life Situations ... 58
Engagement Through Transition to Adulthood: Invite People to Meetings ... 60

Section III Strategies for Input

Providing Multiple Means of Input ... 62
Considerations ... 63
Input Through Space: Food, Drinks, and Gum ... 66
Input Through Space: Nooks ... 68
Input Through Materials: Visually Accessible Text ... 69
Input Through Materials: Auditory Books ... 70
Input Through Materials: Tactile Books ... 71
Input Through Materials: Self-Amplifiers ... 72
Input Through Classroom Management: Schedules ... 73
Input Through Classroom Management: Syn-naps ... 74
Input Through Classroom Management: 10:2 Theory ... 75
Input Through Technology: FM-Adapted Computer Stations ... 76
Input Through Technology: Digital Text or E-books ... 77
Input Through Technology: Note-Taking Hardware and Software ... 79
Input Through Technology: Access to Auditory Input ... 81
Input Through Technology: Access to Visual Input ... 83
Input Through Content Instruction: Peer-Mediated Instruction ... 85
Input Through Content Instruction: Study Snippets ... 86
Input Through Content Instruction: Responsive Resource Posters ... 87
Input Through Content Instruction: Humor ... 88
Input Through Content Instruction: Visualizing ... 89
Input Through Content Instruction: Continuum of Abstractness ... 90
Input Through Content Instruction: Accessible Presentation Software ... 91
Input Through Social Interaction: Social Stories ... 93
Input Through Social Interaction: Social Skill Autopsy ... 94
Input Through Social Interaction: Gaming Technology ... 95
Input Through Executive Functions: Planner Options ... 97
Input Through Executive Functions: Web-Based Materials and Information ... 99
Input Through Executive Functions: Graphic Organizers ... 101
Input Through Executive Functions: Timers ... 103
Input Through Transition to Adulthood: Resource Ring ... 105
Input Through Transition to Adulthood: A-to-C Chart ... 106
Input Through Transition to Adulthood: Visual Goal Plan ... 108

Section IV Strategies for Output

Providing Multiple Means of Output ... 110
Considerations ... 111
Output Through Space: Mobility Supports ... 114
Output Through Space: Student-Created Bulletin Boards ... 116
Output Through Materials: Coded Assignments ... 117
Output Through Materials: Supports for Interactive Whiteboards ... 118
Output Through Materials: Writing Supports ... 120
Output Through Materials: Universal Tools ... 122
Output Through Classroom Management: Integrative Movement ... 123
Output Through Classroom Management: Transition Areas ... 125
Output Through Classroom Management: Coded Classroom ... 127
Output Through Technology: Photo Essay ... 128
Output Through Technology: Universal Computer Equipment ... 129
Output Through Technology: Communication Supports ... 130
Output Through Content Instruction: Graph Paper ... 132
Output Through Content Instruction: Socratic Seminars ... 134
Output Through Content Instruction: Student Recordings and Videos ... 135
Output Through Content Instruction: Prequestions ... 137
Output Through Content Instruction: Reading Reflection Cards ... 138
Output Through Content Instruction: Music ... 139
Output Through Content Instruction: Drawing ... 140
Output Through Social Interaction: Response Scales ... 141
Output Through Social Interaction: Mix-Freeze-Pair ... 143
Output Through Social Interaction: Rally Table ... 144
Output Through Executive Functions: Rubrics ... 145
Output Through Executive Functions: Templates ... 146
Output Through Executive Functions: Visual Reminders ... 148
Output Through Transition to Adulthood: Visual Presentation of Goals ... 149

Section V Strategies for Assessment

Providing Multiple Means of Assessment ... 152
Considerations ... 153
Assessment Through Testing: Adapted Tests ... 157
Assessment Through Testing: Retesting ... 159
Assessment Through Testing: Computer Practice Tests ... 160
Assessment Through Testing: Activities with Products ... 161
Assessment Through Testing: Entry and Exit Responses ... 162
Assessment Through Homework: CHOICE! ... 163
Assessment Through Homework: Family Projects ... 165
Assessment Through Homework: Peer Groups ... 167
Assessment Through Performance Assessment: Family Message Journals ... 169
Assessment Through Performance Assessment: Solving Real-World Problems ... 170
Assessment Through Portfolio Assessment: Ability Profiles ... 172
Assessment Through Portfolio Assessment: Responsive Report Cards ... 174
Assessment Through Self-Evaluation: “I Can…” Sheets ... 175
Assessment Through Self-Evaluation: Learning Logs ... 176
Assessment Through Self-Evaluation: IRS Questions ... 178
Assessment for Self-Evaluation: Three Cups ... 179

Section VI A Living Resource

Reflections for Additional Strategies ... 182
Theory Books ... 183
Strategy Books and Materials ... 184

About the Author

Whitney H. Rapp, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Inclusive Education, St. John Fisher College, 3690 East Avenue, Rochester, New York 14618

Dr. Rapp is Associate Professor of Inclusive Education at St. John Fisher College, where she teaches courses on inclusive education pedagogy, assessment, classroom management, and diversity issues. Dr. Rapp holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and psychology from the State University of New York at Potsdam and master’s and doctoral degrees in special education from Michigan State University. Prior to her experience in teacher education, Dr. Rapp taught many grade levels in a variety of settings, from fully inclusive classrooms to residential special education schools. All of these experiences reinforced her belief that all children can learn and that all children should learn together in inclusive settings. Dr. Rapp’s current research interests include universal design for learning throughout the school years and college. She is the coauthor of the textbook Teaching Everyone: An Introduction to Inclusive Education (coauthored with K.L. Arndt; Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 2012), and she presents at local, state, national, and international conferences on differentiation of instruction, teacher education, and inclusion. She serves on the Board of Directors of TASH. Dr. Rapp’s spare time is spent with her husband and three children, riding bikes, hiking, playing board games, reading, watching movies, and enjoying Owasco Lake.

PROVIDING MULTIPLE MEANS OF ENGAGEMENT

UDL includes many different ways to engage students in learning. Each student is unique in his or her learning style, abilities, and ways of engaging in various learning opportunities. Some prefer working alone, whereas others prefer group work. Some prefer open-ended, highly subjective tasks, whereas others prefer structured, objective tasks. To increase engagement, teachers need to catch students’ interest, as well as help them sustain effort and persist toward a goal, and self-regulate their learning behaviors (National Center on Universal Design for Learning, 2011). To set the tone for effectively engaging students, it is important to decrease discomfort and distractions. Some students can focus their attention easily on a given task, whereas others have more difficulty filtering out distractions in the environment, some of which may cause discomfort or distress. There are many factors involved here to make sure the classroom is physically and emotionally comfortable. Physically, the temperature should be moderate, the lighting should be adequate, and the furniture should be appropriate for all students’ needs. Emotionally, the classroom should be supportive, free of ridicule and judgment, and encouraging. Each student should be urged to take risks but not forced out of his or her comfort zone, which is unique to each student.

Options for Catching Interest

One of the most effective ways to catch students’ interests and encourage them to attend to important information is to provide choice and autonomy. Students can choose the process used to accomplish a task, the tools or materials used during the process, and the product they create to show their learning. Differentiated menus are an excellent example of offering choice to students. As long as the choices are appropriate—not too easy and not too challenging—providing choice increases interest and engagement. Another important way to interest students is to offer relevant, valuable, authentic activities. Teaching them to work division problems in math for the purpose of completing a worksheet or test is not authentic. Bringing in a cake and teaching them to work a division problem so that each student receives an equal piece is relevant. Having students bring in real problems from home—How should the vegetable garden be divided? How can I double or halve a recipe? How much tile do I need to cover the bathroom floor?—and working out the problems to inform their families is valuable. Make sure activities are culturally relevant, as well as socially, developmentally, and individually appropriate.

Options for Sustaining Effort and Persistence

Once the teacher has a student’s interest, it is important to help the student persevere in his or her efforts. Sustaining effort on a task can be increased by frequently revisiting the goals and steps toward the goal so that the student can strive for the goal. Varying resources and changing materials can refresh engagement. Fostering collaboration and communication through carefully structured groups helps students guide each other toward task completion. Providing frequent feedback and showing the student how much progress has been made demonstrates how far he or she has come and how much is left to do.

Options for Self-Regulation

For students to self-regulate their learning behaviors, they need to know what those behaviors are and how they can be improved. As a teacher, every time you find an effective strategy for a student, it is important that the student be made aware of the strategy and its positive effect. The more students know about their strengths, needs, and best strategies, the more they will be able to take charge of their own learning, including self-regulating their performance and progress. Areas in which a student should be self-aware include extrinsic (external) and intrinsic (internal) motivators, personal coping skills, self-assessment, and self-reflection. Some extrinsic motivators may be grades, prizes, or rewards (e.g., extra recess, computer time). Some intrinsic motivators may be pride in a job well done, excitement about the topic, or a feeling of being challenged. Coping skills that help students focus their attention or work through overwhelming situations include drawing or doodling, chewing gum, talking to a peer or counselor, and writing in a journal. Self-assessment and self-reflection are difficult to develop. It is not easy for people to step back, look at themselves objectively, and be honest and specific about how they are doing and how they can improve. Teachers can provide scaffolds that help students assess their own performance and reflect on ways to improve. Fostering independence generally increases motivation and engagement. At any age, students are ready to take on a new task themselves.

CONSIDERATIONS

There are several considerations to keep in mind when thinking about how to engage diverse learners.

Human Interests Are Unique and Dynamic

No two students are engaged the same way, even if they share commonalities. Not all students with autism, for example, are engaged in the same way, just as not all boys are engaged in the same way, and not all African American students are engaged the same way. Even identical twins have different perspectives and experiences that shape their unique interests. No two students are alike. Nor is any one student the same for very long.

Sustained Effort, Persistence, and Self-Regulation Depend on Many Variables

Willis (2006) described the role of emotion and stress in students’ abilities to process information, sustain attention, plan and set goals, problem-solve, critically analyze, and evaluate outcomes. In either a stressed or a bored state, the part of the brain’s limbic system called the amygdala shifts into overdrive. It is important to maintain a balance between stress and boredom. Students need to be challenged but not frustrated, and they need to feel comfortable in a predictable environment without being bored.

Engagement Through Space: Seating

Offer varied seating. An outdated belief is that in order to be engaged, a student must be sitting up straight in a chair, at a desk, with feet on the floor. Now we know that some students are more engaged when moving or standing. It is time to rethink seating in the classroom. Student desks and chairs may still work best for some, so they should continue to have their place—as long as they are adjustable—but more options need to be added. For example, using a stability ball instead of a standard chair turns a student desk into a newly engaging workspace. Bean bag chairs and yoga mats moved to quieter, more private areas of the classroom create a more relaxing space where some students are able to work longer and more efficiently. Small-group tables allow students to have company or collaborate in their work.