Educator UDL Resources and PL
UDL is for all learners. If you work in education in New Brunswick—as an educator, lead/coach, or administrator—this page is for you. Here you'll find additional tools and information to support the implementation of UDL in your own practice and schools.
Start small. Choose one focus within the framework. Choose one focus within your practice. Enlist the involvement of other teachers and talk with each other about your experiences. Trade suggestions. Share successes. Watch for change.
Loui Lord Nelson, Design and Deliver: Planning and Teaching Using Universal Design for Learning (2nd Edition)
Lesson Design Resources
What are you looking to learn more about?
The Realization of UDL in NB
Check out the following resources:
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DocumentWhat is Universal Design for Learning?
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DocumentPolicy 322 – Inclusive Education
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DocumentNew Brunswick Curriculum Framework
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DocumentMoving Forward
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DocumentUniversal Design for Learning Action Research
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DocumentLearning Disabilities K-12
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WebsiteDept of EECD – Diversity – Equity – Inclusion
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WebsiteDept of EECD – Student Services
UDL in Action/Classroom Models
Check out the following resources:
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VideoUDL Lesson Planning - UDL Foundations
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VideoA Student-Centered Model of Blended Learning (a model for both high school and middle school)
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VideoInformational Texts Reading for Inquiry (a model for elementary school)
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VideoUniversal Design for Learning and Explicit Instruction
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VideoMath Teaching Models: UDL
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PodcastThe UDL Approach, Episode 107: How Doug Smith and colleagues use UDL to design adaptive PE environments
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PodcastThe UDL Approach, Episode 36: This alternative high school principal shares how she connects artistic expression as a learning tool and UDL
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ArticleUDL in 15 Minutes podcast with Jana Nicol: The Follow-Up
Lesson Designing/Planning with UDL
Check out the following resources. (Note that this list is not exhaustive.)
Applying UDL to Your Own Lessons
Plan and deliver a lesson with UDL in three stages:
- Proactive design
- Implementation
- Reflection and redesign
Use this step-by-step planner to walk through the process.
Templates for Lesson Design
The following exemplar templates can be downloaded and used freely. However, you may prefer to instead redesign your existing lesson plans with UDL in mind.
Learner Variability
Check out the following resources:
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VideoLearner Variability (Nicole Tucker Smith)
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VideoLearner Variability (UDL-IRN)
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PodcastThe UDL Approach, Episode 117: How UDL shifted Tracy Dabbs' PD design
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WebsiteWhat is learner variability?
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DocumentCAST – UDL and the Learning Brain
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ArticleUsing Universal Design for Learning to Design Standards-Based Lessons
The Distinction Between UDL and Differentiation
Both UDL and differentiation are used as inclusive practices, but when and how do you know which one to use? Consider this distinction:
- UDL is a proactive design approach, used to increase both student engagement and student agency. It's a Tier 1 support for universal instruction and universal accommodations. UDL should be embedded into Tier 2 and 3 supports, whereas in Tier 1, it's the proactive approach to lesson design/planning.
- Differentiation is a strategy for identifying the needs of learners. The teacher uses the triangulation of data to provide support strategies, and it's a Tier 2 or 3 support.
Check out the following resources to learn more:
Blended Learning and UDL
Blended learning, which involves a combination of digital and face-to-face instruction and components, can help to address learner variability. For example, did you know that use of Microsoft TEAMS in a blended classroom can help with student participation in the learning process? Students can find dates, independently plan for projects, collaborate with others on assignments, and use accessibility tools. Before you create your own classroom website, you may wish to consider whether TEAMS might be a fit for you.
Check out the following resources to learn more about blended learning and UDL:
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VideoWhat Role Does Blended Learning Play in Developing an Expert Learner?
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VideoHow do I make Station Rotations work with UDL and Blended Learning?
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WebsiteDr. Catlin Tucker – Transform Your Classroom with Blended Learning
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ArticleA Teacher-Led Classroom Vs. A Student- Led Classroom
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The Shift to Student-Led: Reimagining Classroom Workflows with UDL and Blended LearningArticleBook
Positive Behavioural Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and UDL
Check out the following resources:
Equity and Antiracism and UDL
Check out the following resources:
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VideoIs Universal Equitable?
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VideoSharing Stories: Antiracism and Universal Design for Learning
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PodcastIf Equity is a Priority, UDL is a Must
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PodcastThe UDL Approach, Episode 115: UDL and the Wabanaki Framework
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WebsiteInclusive Practices Hub – Universal Design for Learning
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ArticleHow UDL Creates an Equitable Environment for Students
Cultural and Linguistic Inclusion and UDL
Check out the following resources:
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VideoHow Universal Design for Learning Supports ELL Through Multiple Means of Representation
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UDL and Language LearnersWebsiteVideo
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VideoUDL for Language Learners
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VideoPatti Ralabate on Braiding Universal Design for Learning and Culturally Responsive Teaching
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ArticleWhy UDL Matters for English Language Learners
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Article3 Ways to Support Multilingual Learners with UDL
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BookUDL for Language Learners
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BookCulturally Responsive Design for English Learners: The UDL Approach
AI for Inclusive Lesson Design
Check out LUDIA, your AI-Powered UDL Partner.
Accessibility
Accessible formats provide multiple means of representation for all learners. Remember, what's essential for some is good for all! While accommodations will still be necessary for some learners, learning materials and environments should be accessible to all.
Check out the following resources to learn more:
Professional Learning Resources and Opportunities
Are you looking to connect with education professionals in NB about UDL?
Join our MS Teams Communities of Practice! We offer virtual sessions and information and resource sharing. Let's connect and keep your UDL learning journey going.
Email heather.avery@gnb.ca for access. We look forward to seeing you there!
Do you want your team to learn more about UDL?
Invite UDL practitioners to deliver professional learning sessions to all members of your district and/or school team. Email heather.avery@gnb.ca for further information. We look forward to connecting with you about professional learning opportunities.
NB Educators Using UDL
For me, Universal Design for Learning is like a three-legged stool, offering students multiple means of exploration, expression, and exposition. Each leg is essential for balanced UDL.
Ben Kelly, Educator, Anglophone East School District
I love visiting classes in our school where the teacher is using UDL strategies! These classes are inclusive, engaging, and provide effective learning environments that benefit all students.
Angela Marr, Principal, Bayside Middle School
UDL is more of a mindset and a commitment to challenge ourselves, to elevate our practice, to help us teach students where they are considering those barriers to learning, and working to remove those barriers altogether.
Jana Nicol, First Nations Education Coach, Anglophone South School District
UDL breaks down barriers to learning by providing students with appropriate materials and motivation. Students have choices in how they learn and can choose based on their strengths; this gives them opportunity to succeed and increases their engagement.
Karen Welch, EST - English as an Additional Language Educator, Bayside Middle School/Bayview Elementary School