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Universal Design for Learning Strategy Database

Expression & Communication (UDL Checkpoint 5)

There is no medium of expression that is equally suited for all learners or for all kinds of communication. On the contrary, there are media, which seem poorly suited for some kinds of expression, and for some kinds of learning. While a learner with dyslexia may excel at story-telling in conversation, he may falter when telling that same story in writing. It is important to provide alternative modalities for expression, both to level the playing field among learners and to allow the learner to appropriately (or easily) express knowledge, ideas and concepts in the learning environment.

Use multimedia for communication (Checkpoint 5.1)

Unless specific media and materials are critical to the goal (e.g., learning to paint specifically with oils, learning to hand write with calligraphy) it is important to provide alternative media for expression. Such alternatives reduce media-specific barriers to expression among learners with a variety of special needs, but also increases the opportunities for all learners to develop a wider range of expression in a media-rich world. For example, it is important for all learners to learn composition, not just writing, and to learn the optimal medium for any particular content of expression and audience.

Strategy
Compose in multiple media

  • Non-verbal expression: allow multilingual learners to demonstrate their understanding through images. For example, when studying the life cycle of the plant, allow them to draw and label the stages instead of reporting their understanding only orally. 

  • Choice of project format: such as text, speech, drawing, illustration, comics, storyboards, design, film, music, dance/movement, visual art, sculpture, or video
Use physical manipulatives 
  • Blocks
  • 3D models
  • Base-ten blocks
Use social media and interactive web tools

  • Discussion forums

  • Chats

  • Annotation tools

  • Storyboards

  • Comic Strips

  • Animation Presentations

  • Flipgrid

  • Collaboration boards

  • Jamboards
Solve problems using a variety of strategies  

 

Use multiple tools for construction and composition (Checkpoint 5.2)

There is a tendency in schooling to focus on traditional tools rather than contemporary ones. This tendency has several liabilities: 1) it does not prepare learners for their future; 2) it limits the range of content and teaching methods that can be implemented; 3) it restricts learners ability to express knowledge about content (assessment); and, most importantly, 4) it constricts the kinds of learners who can be successful.

Strategy
Provide spell checkers, grammar checkers, word prediction software.  
Provide text-to-speech software (voice recognition), human dictation, recording.  
Provide calculators, graphing calculators, geometric sketch-pads, or pre-formatted graph paper.  
Provide sentence starters or sentence strips. Sentence Frames: Sentence frames are effective for students who need support in developing academic language. For students who are repeating simple sentences (I was happy to...I was happy to…), a sentence frame (One thing I enjoyed about the park was…) can help introduce new sentence types. Sentence frames can also support students who struggle with syntax. For example, students who are struggling with word order (writing things like “I liked the whale gray because…”), they can receive a sentence frame that begins, “I liked the gray whale because…”.
Use story webs, outlining tools, or concept mapping tools.  
Provide Computer-Aided-Design (CAD), music notation (writing) software, or mathematical notation software.  
Provide virtual or concrete mathematics manipulatives (e.g., base-10 blocks, algebra blocks).  
Use web applications (e.g., wikis, animation, presentation).  

 

Build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice and performance (Checkpoint 5.3)

Learners must develop a variety of fluencies (e.g., visual, audio, mathematical, reading, etc.). This means that they often need multiple scaffolds to assist them as they practice and develop independence. Curricula should offer alternatives in the degrees of freedom available, with highly scaffolded and supported opportunities provided for some and wide degrees of freedom for others who are ready for independence. Fluency is also built through many opportunities for performance, be it in the form of an essay or a dramatic production. Performance helps learners because it allows them to synthesize their learning in personally relevant ways. Overall, it is important to provide options that build learners’ fluencies.

Strategy
Provide differentiated models to emulate (i.e. models that demonstrate the same outcomes but use differing approaches, strategies, skills, etc.).

  • Three step interview: In the “Three Step Interview”, there are three roles: interviewer, interviewee, reporter. Students take turns assuming each role. There are many scenarios in which this interview process can reinforce learning. For example: 

    • The interviewee may take on a character from a book. The interviewer may ask questions to the character about their problem in the story and how they solved it. The reporter observes the interview and takes notes.

    • The interviewee may take on the role of a scientist. The interviewer may ask questions to the scientist about the scientific method (or whatever science content is being taught). The reporter observes the interview and takes notes.

  • Multiple models: Show multiple ways to: complete a math problem, craft a problem statement, write a persuasive essay
Provide differentiated mentors (i.e., teachers/tutors who use different approaches to motivate, guide, feedback or inform).

  • Language models: It’s important for multilingual learners to have different language mentors. Ensure that multilingual learners have strong language modeling from teachers and peers who provide examples of different linguistic strengths and different means of feedback. 

  • Back and Forth: Partner A explains to their partner a problem, process, concept, etc., assigned by the teacher. Partner B writes down their partner’s explanation. Partner A checks Partner B’s writing for accuracy, making sure Partner B has captured their explanation correctly and that they both agree on the response. Students reverse roles with another problem, process, concept, etc., so that Partner B has the opportunity to explain verbally. Partner A records the explanation and Partner B checks for accuracy.(Aligned to Speaking/Listening standards)

  • Purposeful pairing for inside/outside circles: In this strategy, students are arranged into two equal circles, one inside the other. Students from the smaller inside circle face those in the outer larger circle.. Students ask each other questions about a review topic. These may be either teacher or student generated. Students from one of the circles rotate to either the left or right. The teacher determines how many steps and in which direction. Another question is asked and answered. Teachers can pair students in different ways to provide differentiated language mentors.
Provide scaffolds that can be gradually released with increasing independence and skills (e.g., embedded into digital reading and writing software).

  • Scaffolded sentence frames: Provide multilingual learners with a strong model of the expectations for language. For example, model the expectations for answering questions in complete sentences by providing a sentence frame for the first question. Then, allow multilingual learners to complete the rest of the questions independently. 

  • Oral language rehearsals: In order to provide multilingual learners with opportunities to practice oral language before writing or high stakes speaking (presentations), it is essential that teachers provide opportunities to practice language in stress free situations like turn and talks or one on one rehearsals with the teacher.
Provide differentiated feedback (e.g., feedback that is accessible because it can be customized to individual learners). Private corrections/model correct language: Ensure that you are not overcorrecting the language of multilingual learners. In order to reduce the stress of being publicly corrected, ensure that language corrections are specific to the needs of the students and done privately. Teachers should model the correct language, not emphasize the correction.
Provide multiple examples of novel solutions to authentic problem.