Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a way of planning to support the needs of the varied learners in your classroom. CAST is a well-known organization involved in the research and implementation of UDL. They create and share various resources on their website including UDL Guidelines and some ‘tips sheets’ for designing inclusive learning. These include connections to social-emotional learning, reducing stereotyping and creating a positive classroom climate among many others.
UDL at a Glance, CAST (4 min)
Shelley Moore, a local champion for inclusion has a UDL blog post: Everything I need to know about UDL, I learned in Kindergarten and a multitude of practical resources on her website. Her LearnSomeMoore website has many examples of inclusive unit and lesson plans, including some video of implementation in the field. Shelley also hosts an engaging series of Youtube videos on her 5 Moore Minutes Channel. (You may appreciate her bowling analogy.) Her episode titled: Removing the barriers: planning for all.
The following video, shared by the Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium, provides an overview of UDL while embedding examples of UDL in action across grade levels.
Additional Resources:
- BC Campus has locally and openly published A Comprehensive Guide to Applying Universal Design for Learning: a collection of three UDL Workbooks
- Teach Special Ed is an Ontario based website (french and english) that, among other things, outlines teaching strategies for working with diverse learners.
- Visit the UDL Project, funded by the New Brunswick Ministry of Education, for some teaching resources including templates, rubrics and lesson materials across grade level/subject areas. It also includes K-5 resources specific to Math and Language Arts for K-5.
- The 4th Box is a website/organization using an imaginative/creative-based approach to inclusive learning design (google translate option in top right corner)