UDL Toolkit

Now that we have an understanding of what UDL is, we can explore deeper to what tools we can place in our toolkit to help students be successful.  Just like any toolkit needs appliances to be complete such as hammer and nails, a toolkit for learning needs to be stocked with strategies and resources.  With the help of this toolkit, students of all types of disabilities will be able to strive for success in a classroom.  This toolkit can be helpful for all subjects from writing to mathematics.  Not only can it be helpful in general subjects but continues beyond to topics such as study and research skills, which in my opinion are just as important. 

Before this toolkit I never knew that so many different types of resources existed out there.  When I am in the classroom, this toolkit will definitely be my number one source for math, study, and research skills.

References:

http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com

What is UDL?

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is curriculum that gives equal opportunities for all students to learn.  With UDL we can create goals, assignments, assessments, and materials for each individual student.  Individualizing is possible because there are three main brain networks that we will look at.  The first is Recognition Network that determines what a student is learning.  By understanding this network, we can present information that is appealing to students.  The second is Strategic Network that lets students understand how.  This network specializes in allowing students to express what they learn in a way that is most comfortable to them.  The final network is the Affective Network that helps students realize why they are learning.  This network focuses on how we can draw in and engage students to what is being taught.  The table below gives examples on how to appeal to each network.

http://www.cast.org/library/UDLguidelines/version1.html

By knowing how the brain works, we, as educators, can present information in a way that is easiest for each individual student to understand, let students present information in a way that is most comfortable for them, and find the motivation for students to learn.  With a combination of all these, every student can be successful in a classroom.  I think these brain networks are important to for teachers to know because one size does NOT fit all.  With this information we can then individual the lesson plans for every student instead of a one size fits all curriculum.

References:

http://cast.org/udl/index.html

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog, Learning: A Never Ending Journey!  In this blog you will be able to follow my journey while I learn about Assistance Technology.  I will be learning about Assistive technology practices that can help lead to the success of students with disabilities in a social or academic setting. 

Although I am not currently teaching in a classroom, Assistance Technology surrounds students all day every day whether they know it or not.  These forms of Assistive Technology vary from using a laptop, a high-tech tool, to a pencil grip that makes it easier for some students to write, a low-tech tool.  As mentioned before, the use of these practices can help a student with disabilities become more independent in the classroom.

Personally, I am taking this class as an elective because I think knowing this information can help me when I do have my own classroom.  In schools today, inclusive classroom is a common practice and since I am not certified in Special Education, I want to make sure I can prepare myself as much as possible so ALL my students can be successful in the classroom.  This belief of mine is similar to Universal Design for Learning (UDL); UDL gives equal opportunities to learn to all students.  On my next post I will go deeper into UDL so stay tuned!