Providing new access to the general curriculum: UDL
Hitchcock

The core group usually consists of 3 grade levels and outcomes are directed towards this core group for any grade level. Anyone outside of that group has to be programmed for specailly.

 Trying to cater for every possible need in a class is flawed. There are 25-30 students, each with a need and learning style. There are differences in cognition, intelligence, talent, etc. teachers are not able to cope so a new approach is needed. Either we teach to the core or do something else. It is this something else that i want to be able to present to my teachers in working from grades 9-12.

It was easier in the past because segregation could attempt to cater for groups of needs. inclusion places too many demands to meet needs and when meeting needs of students becomes the focus (along with curriculum outcomes) disaster looms.

In my own experience I have seen segregation at its worst. As I moved to high school in UK (grades 7-12) students were put into group 1,2,3,4 or 5. 1 was the highest and 5 the lowest. i noticed that any students put in group 4 or below (even those who wanted to do well and be successful) were doomed. They had no way out. I saw their motivation die and I hated it.

AT is an intervention that has made it easier for all people but in education is something lost or negotiated when things get easier?

'Building to support learners from the beginning' is the essnece of UDL.

What does it mean when it refers to 'all learners' or 'diverse learners'. Who are they? How do they differ in their learning? On refelction and adding to my notes at the end of the course I can recognise these differences and how UDl and ST can cater for them. I want to stress that a strength recognised in a psycho-educatinal assessment may not be a learning strength. exploration into learning styles still needs to be sought for struggling students.

Segregation in order to 'catch up' did not work so students were included but with littl eor no support. the came the role of the resource teacher but along came segregation again. now, with UDL, we are looking at integration with support through the use of AT.

Is the school environment a true environment of society. i.e. if we set up systems and modifications in school are they available outside. If printed material is not to be the main source of information in school will it not be the main source outside?

Advocacy is a huge barrier to support. Talking of learning support, a friend of mine who is a college learning support teacher claims that her students do not know their strengths and challenges and how to advocate for themsleves. This makes it more diffciult to provide for their needs. It at least means that more time is spent in exploration instead of learning.

So deciding on the goal is paramount for UDL.

Adaptations:
There is a great concern at my school where adaptations are numerous and very few teachers are following them. It is an exercise in paperwork.


For me the focus is having access to a) the technology and b) the resources within that technology e,g, the right apps and how to use them. When ipads are introduced the appropraite PD is essential.
 

Through UDL would it be possible to produce a student graduating with knowledeg in e.g. history of Nova Scotia and not be able to write it down? In a history class I guess the focus is on the history understanding and not on the essay composition. Although composition can be achieved without pen to paper. If this skill is not learned will the student be disadvantaged after graduation?
On refelection, I have focussed on the 'writing' and not on the 'recording'. This is something this course has taught me. Writing is not the only form of record knowledeg and understanding.


The Math example has the varied approach but in my eyes fails to capture the curiosity of the students in that they are not inspired to think deeply about the concept. A better approach would be to pose a situation or problem or question that will get the students thinking. (enquiry appraoch)
 

Is UDL the approach asking teachers to aim their instruction and planning to the learning disabled and therefore making it accessible to everyone? Has disability become the core group? What are the implications for this on everyone? Focus on the group and you get some being segregated, focus on the minority and all will be caterd for?
 
Is enough flexibility provided to ensure that all students can learn?

Again identifying the goal is key in making sure skills are acquired and info learned.

UDL is a remarkable method of approaching teaching. All learners are planned for at the outset, in the planning stage.

Simon