Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to instruction that gives all students access to the curriculum. It asks us to look at our students as individuals to understand what they need, what their strengths are and what motivates them. A common misconception about UDL is that this approach is only appropriate for students with disabilities. While students with disabilities benefit from the modifications made using the three principles of UDL, this approach is beneficial to everyone. Universal Design for Learning uses three principles to make instruction accessible to all students in a classroom. These principles are: Multiple Means of Representation, Multiple Means of Action and Expression and Multiple Means of Engagement. These three principles were created because we have three networks in the brain that help us learn: Recognition Network, Strategic Network and Affective Network. To learn more about this, visit Cast.org by clicking here. Multiple Means of Representation asks us to provide content in various ways to our student. This can be done by providing audio, video, visuals, manipulatives and handouts during class instruction. This principle not only includes how we deliver the content of a lesson but how we help students categorize this information. This is important when we are planning so that we can be sure to activate prior knowledge and link our lesson to a meaningful activity, asking students to apply what they learned. Multiple Means of Action and Expression asks us to provide some choice and variety when students share what they know. Here, we should consider that some students do a great job expressing themselves in written form, while others prefer speech. Assistive technologies are especially very helpful here--using an tablet, cell phone or computer to complete/access an assignment. We should provide opportunities for students to set their learning goals here and monitor their own progress, as well. Multiple Means of Engagement asks us to consider a students interests and strengths. Here we ask ourselves the question, "What motivates my students to learn?" We can provide options for students to focus on their individual interests by increasing choice in the classroom. We want to encourage their effort and interest in this principle by allowing students to collaborate and providing them with constructive feedback. Finally, to further engage our students with a task, it is important that we ask them to self reflect and assess their own product and learning. One suggestion is to provide a rubric for students to use for self scoring before you grade their assignment.
To learn more about Universal Design for Learning, check out the video by CAST below or visit Cast.org.
Conferring with your students on a regular basis is a must in the classroom, as it provides you with oh-so-many opportunities to address their individual needs. However, it tends to be one of those things that many of us avoid. Hopefully, after reading some more information about the "why" and "how" of a conference, you will be sold on its power.
Why should I conference?
To begin, conferences
offer you an opportunity to provide individualized
instruction to the learners in your classroom. During this time, immediate
feedback, both
+/-, can be given during a private conversation. Conferring regularly with your students can prevent
future misunderstandings about an assignment or your expectations of how work should be completed. This translates into LESS
work for you later and as a teacher in today's climate, who wouldn't want that? In additional to all the benefits a conference offers the teacher, students also like them, as they provide
an opportunity for you to get to know them without everyone else being involved.
When should I conference and who should I meet with during my conference?
You can conference with your students during independent work time. Each conference takes between 5-20 minutes so you can meet with multiple students for various reasons each day. Many teachers have conferences for writing or reading reasons, but they are also appropriate (and needed) in math activities, too!
The beauty of a conference is that everyone gets one! While the reason for the conference
and the frequency of conference may be different, the best thing
about a conference is it is for all students—struggling learners,
advanced/gifted, English Language Learners, Special Education, etc. Some of your students may need to meet with you multiple times a week, while others will only need to meet with you once every few weeks.
What do I teach during a conference?
There are many different types of conferences; each type lending you a moment or more to address a need or provide additional instruction to push a student further, instructionally.
On-the-Spot Conferences/Discussion Conferences
Visit briefly with students at their
desks
Monitor student’s work or check progress
Pre-reading or
Pre-writing Conference
Plan for the
reading/writing session
Feedback Conference
Use this instead of writing comments on a paper.
Share a graded assignment with your feedback
Use the rubric whenever possible
Additional Lesson Conferences
Individual--maybe small group
Can be used as Tier 2 and/or Tier 3 interventions
(Re)teach a procedure, strategy, or
skill that is needed for this student (s)
Revision/Editing Conference
Revise Writing/Repair Comprehension
Proofread
writing/read with a grammar focus
Focus on spelling, punctuation, grammar,
mechanics within writing/reading
Treat your conference as a conversation. Be less formal than when you teach the class. Allow the back and forth of this conversation to lead your student to new understanding.
Consider using a structure to make your Conference Effective. These four steps will give you a way to cover all the material you have planned and have some consistency from one conference to the next.
1. Research
2. Compliment
3.Teach
4. Link (Next Steps)
A great blog to visit for more information about conferring with your students is Two Reflective Teachers. The image below if from their blog.
How do I keep track of the student I meet with and what was said?
There are many
forms/tools that you can use and modify to get your started. Pick
one that fits your style!
Things to consider:
-Do you want to use a clipboard? What about a binder?
If you've moved away from the paper ways of the past, consider using an app. Two to consider are Confer and Reading Note.
Still looking for more information?
Visit Pinterest. There are many great boards about holding a student conference that can give you tips and materials to use during your conference time.
You can view some great conferences in actions by visiting the links below.
Anderson, C.
(2005). Assessing Writers. Portsmouth:
Heinemann. Anderson, C. (2000). How's it going?: A practical guide to conferring with student writers. Heinemann Educational Books.
Calkins, L. M., Hartman,
A., & White, Z. (2003). The conferring
handbook. Firsthand Books. http://tworeflectiveteachers.blogspot.com/
I'm often asked, "Where can I find articles for my students?" As a teacher, it can be time consuming AND frustrating to look for texts at multiple levels and about various topics to reach all of the learners in our room. Because of this, I thought it would be great to provide you with a list of some of my favorites. Please feel free to add comments with new suggestions so that I can continue to update the list for others..
