Universal Design for Learning (UDL) was adapted from the architectural concept of designing buildings that are accessible to the widest range, abilities, and interests of all people. UDL applies this philosophy to the classroom, promoting successful learning for all students while reducing the barriers they may face due to diverse learning styles, abilities, and interests.
UDL says that because everyone learns differently, accessibility should be designed into lesson plans so that every student can understand and benefit from the same curriculum. Some kids are visual learners and benefit from the use of images during lessons; other kids benefit more from auditory presentations, such as saying the same thing in different ways or learning educational songs.
With UDL, Dr. Mary Falvey, professor emerita of special education at California State University Los Angeles (CSULA), explains, “students get a chance to hear things in the way they are actually going to learn it.” She adds that instruction should be varied from day to day, so kids who might have been struggling with linguistics have an opportunity to learn visually and vice versa. This helps the students who need it without calling them out individually.
Teachers trained in UDL understand that it is important to incorporate different needs, strengths, and learning styles into their lesson plans to engage as many students as possible. For example, they may use a combination of lecturing, visual aids, music, and tactile props (like sandpaper or shaving cream to engage students through their sense of touch). Teachers using UDL will also assess students’ knowledge using a variety of methods.
For more information about UDL in the classroom, see Universal Design for Learning 101.
