Block 2: Inclusive Instructional Practice – Chapter 4 of U.D.L

     To help us work towards our school goal of purposefully implementing the Universal Design for Learning approach to our formal planning (sometimes referred to as “Backwards by Design”, “Understanding by Design”, or “Planning With The End in Mind), my principal has provided our staff with a copy of Dr. Jennifer Katz‘s book, Teaching to Diversity: The Three-Block Model of Universal Design for Learning. As I make my way through the book, I will be summarizing my learning as a means of organizing my thoughts and getting clarification on particular ideas.

The Planning Continuum
– Students need to connect concepts in order to develop deep
  long-term understanding (teachers can set up year-long plans
  to help accommodate this)
– Planning For The Year
     – Try to set up an even number of units per term to ensure
        that everything gets covered and you can easily manage
        your time (combine connected units where needed)
     – Set up units between different subject thematically in order
        to build strong connections and big-picture thinking
          – Ex. Human Impact (Social Studies) and Ecosystems
            (Science)
          – Easily done when multiple subjects are taught, but require
            careful planning and open communication when done 
            between teachers
     – Build in other subjects so that all subjects are included
     – Determine what units will fit into what term. There may
       be a natural skill progression or seasonal progression
– Strategies for Variations on The Year
     – In multi-grade classrooms, teachers may build two-year plans
       that allow them to cover both grades units over the two years or
       combine similar units from both grades
     – In one-class classrooms, teachers may collaborate with other
        teachers
– Planning the Units
     – Start with the end in mind and determine what assessments will
       fit the needs of the students while covering the outcomes
     – Understanding is a conceptual approach, which emphasizes
        thinking
     – Outcome is a skills-based approach, which emphasizes performance
     – Determine essential understandings from each subject and then
       combine to reach approx. 15 understandings for three units
– Creating Inquiry Questions
     – Hook students in
     – Build questions off of the essential understandings developed before
– Creating Rubrics for Assessment For, As, and Of Learning
    – We need to assess using different methods to meet the needs of our
       students but do not change standards for students
    – Use your essential understanding as the highest level of your rubric
       since it is essential, then use descriptive verbs to build the rest
     – Give students input in the rubric in the sense that they revisit the
       rubric and alter as necessary after the project/activity has already
       been explored
     – Use formative assessment to understand where your students are
        starting from
     – Make sure you incorporate multiple intelligences and don’t “teach to
       yourself”. A lot of times, teachers who are musically-inclined incorporate
       a lot of music in their rooms, kinaesthetic incorporate movement, etc
     * Case Study: Sara (music lyrics)
– Planning Lessons
     – Follow a pattern that allows for a gradual release of responsibility
     * Case Study: Karl and Mitchell (memorized rap lyrics)
     * Case Study: Nate and Michael (industry)

Literacy Across The Curriculum
– Covering topics thematically can help a student’s literacy because they
   have a basis to build vocabulary off of
– Reading fluency means they can recognize 95% of the words
– Don’t get into the trap of grouping by ability level
– Buy 5 copies of 6 varied books about the same theme

Numeracy and Integration
– Making sure to include math in your thematic approach drastically
  strengthens the ability to make connections and helps ensure that
  math concepts are not taught in isolation
– Ex. Teaching about the north in Grade 4 Social Studies, practice
  fractions to demonstrate the population of First Nations, Metis,
  Inuit, and Other – Fraction in food groups – Create a song using
  a certain beat