Universal Design for Learning
  • Welcome!
  • Learning By Design: MSET/Common Ground 2013
  • Historical Foundations
    • Universal Design in Action
    • UDL: A Paradigm Shift
    • UDL in our lives
  • Brain Networks
    • Meet your Brain
    • Brain Rules
    • Three Brain Networks>
      • Recognition Network
      • Strategic Network
      • Affective Network
      • Brain Networks Activity
    • UDL and Learner Variability
    • Reading, Technology and the Brain
  • Teaching Students in the Margins
    • Do you have a disabled curriculum?
    • Principles of Mind
  • UDL Guidelines
    • What are the UDL Guidelines?
    • Principle I: Representation>
      • Multiple Means of Representation in Music
    • Principle II: Action and Expression
    • Principle III: Engagement
    • UDL Guidelines in Practice
    • Reviewing a Science Lesson for UDL Principles and Guidelines
    • Tools for Guidelines and Checkpoints
  • Barriers to Learning
    • Barriers to Learning- Goals
    • Barriers to Learning- Materials
    • Barriers to Learning- Methods
    • Barriers to Learning- Assessments
    • Lesson Evaluation and Redesign
    • Teacher Spotlight: Barriers
    • Barriers to Learning: Sample Redesigns
  • The Common Core and UDL
  • UDL Exemplars
  • Engaging Students Using Technology
    • Problem Solving and Curiosity
    • Digital Learning
    • Creativity and Learning
    • Blooms and Web 2.0 Tools
    • Favorite Tools
  • Resources for Professional Development

UDL from the Teacher's perspective

Now that you studied the UDL principles and found that all students can learn once barriers are removed. How does viewing the curriculum as disabled rather than students change the way you develop your lessons?

Watch the video below of High School Science Teacher, Linda Mullen discuss how she develops lessons using UDL and how UDL has changed her teaching.

Linda Mullen, Science Teacher
Dorchester County Public Schools

“Now that you studied the UDL principles and found that all students can learn once barriers are removed. How does viewing the curriculum as disabled rather than students change the way you develop your lessons?”

Linda: The way I look at it is, the curriculum tells us what we have to teach but does not say you how.  Rather than looking at kids and saying “well, they can’t do this, they can’t do this” UDL tells us: “Find what they can do. Find their strength and play to that strength.” If that means that if you need to show it to them in a different way, or you need to let them show you in a different way, that is where you multiple means of expression, engagement and representation.

“If you think of a lesson that you have developed, and how you might engage those students differently, what are you doing or will you do differently now?”

Linda: I think I am focusing in on who my students are and working towards what interests them. How can I make this something that is relevant to them? Because that is the hardest part- once we do that, they can develop their own interest and we can roll from there.

Created by Learning by Design, LLC