I want to invite you to join me in a bit of an exploration into implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL)—what that actually means in our classrooms, and some simple, practical things that can help us along the way. If you’re not aware of what that is, you’re definitely not alone—I wasn’t either, not that long ago! People talk about it as a framework, but honestly, the thing that helped me most was finding a simple way to think about it.
My youngest son has something called FPIES, which basically means no yoghurt, milk, or any dairy—something we learned very suddenly when he was little. I never really gave much thought to special diets before, but suddenly I had to learn a lot about food just to be able to go out safely and eat anywhere. It turns out, checking every single menu for dairy is a skill in itself. Through all this, we discovered it’s actually a lot easier not to ask for “non-dairy” (which can confuse people), but to ask for “vegan” food—because by definition, vegan meals don’t contain dairy. That covers our bases.
Think about expanding this a bit. If you were making dinner for a big group, there could be all sorts of intolerances: peanuts, seafood, gluten, dairy, you name it. You could try to cook five, six, or even seven different meals for everyone’s needs. Or, you could pick something like gluten-free vegan, and know everyone will be looked after, all with just one dish. This, in a nutshell, is how I now picture Universal Design for Learning: finding ways so all students’ needs are met, but also so it’s actually feasible for us as teachers.
If you’re a teacher, you’ll probably recognise this: For a long time, I thought “differentiation” meant I had to plan a unique program for every single student. That’s a worthwhile goal, for sure, but when things get busy (and they always get busy), it’s just so hard to keep it all going. Eventually, things start to drop off—not through lack of trying, but just because there aren’t enough hours in the day. Some students’ needs get missed. That’s why I started looking for ways to set up my classroom so it builds in support for everyone, so that meeting diverse needs just happens more naturally. That’s what UDL is all about.
Universal Design for Learning basically means doing three things:
- Offering different ways for students to engage—This could be giving students choice in how they learn or show what they know.
- Representing your content in different ways—Presenting information not just one way: reading, listening, visuals, hands-on, etc.
- Allowing different ways for students to do what you’re asking—Whether it’s a project, essay, poster, video, or a conversation, students have options.
There are plenty of tools out there to help with this—everything from websites like Read&Write, to things as simple as providing graphic organizers, storyboards, or letting students record their answers if writing is a barrier. For me, it’s about setting things up so we all have a good shot at success: students, teachers, everyone. It takes a bit of thought at the start, but once things are in place, it runs a lot smoother.
Universal Design for Learning isn’t about adding more to your plate, or making teaching harder. It’s about stepping back, figuring out big-picture ways to make learning work for all of us, and making sure we don’t lose any students along the way just because their needs are a little different. For me, just like cooking for a big group, UDL is about creating something everyone can enjoy, together.
Jak Baddams