Virtual Learning Network

Teachers are passionate about meeting the diverse needs of all their learners, sometimes this can be overwhelming, so it's encouraging to see that there are digital tools, teaching ideas examples and support material to help us in the classroom.

Are there smart ways to ensure that students have their learning potential maximized and barriers to learning minimised - where lessons are designed and delivered to cater for diverse learning preferences and challenges while still remaining sane?

There sure are! One way is to use a framework like Universal Design for Learning which enables teachers to create:

“…instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone – not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customised and adjusted for individual needs."

While there’s too much to unpack from the updated resources from Enabling e-Learning and latest guides from Inclusive Education, there are some fantastic places to start to explore the principles of the UDL framework to support engagement, self regulation, multiple forms of processing, communicating, expression and representing information as well as providing an innovative environment to help meet diverse learner needs. For example, UDL in the classroom (TKI) has an excellent breakdown to start with on:

• Know your learners

• Plan to include all learners

• Identify and minimise barriers to learning

There are also some wonderful short clips from schools that demonstrate a variety of technologies and methodologies that can inspire an idea for change. For example, one of the following school stories might inspire you to trial a new something new with one of your learners, with a similar challenge for learning - dyslexia, dyspraxia, Aspergers, ADHD. For more stories go to Universal Design for Learning.

1:1 Netbooks – Allowing excellence in the classroom Tyler, a year 6 student with dyspraxia, uses a netbook to help him write creatively instead of being inhibited by the speed of his handwriting or his ability to form letters.	Supporting a learner with Aspergers syndrome Teacher, Kate Friedwald and parent, Denise Fuller, explain how Mitchell, a student with Aspergers syndrome, uses Facetime on an iPad to support his learning needs and develop friendships.	Supporting a learner with dyslexia Teacher, Kate Friedwald explains how careful and consistent presentation of visual information and classroom organisation supported by technology is designed to foster independent learning in a student with dyslexia.
Using an iPad to support independent writing for a student with ADHD Daniel, a student with ADHD, and his teacher explain how he uses apps on his ipad to support his reading and comprehension.	Using an iPad to support learning Felix, a year 5 student with dyslexia explains how he uses iPad apps like IWordQ to make the process of reading and writing easier.	Enabling student ownership of learning by providing a differentiated programme for a learner with ADHD Daniel, who has ADHD and his teacher talk about how having a must-do/can-do list and an ipad enable him to have ownership and control over his learning.

Sometimes it could be worth asking, if the way we’ve done things is still not meeting the needs of learner/s, what will we change? One new idea, resource or teaching methodology/delivery might well be worth considering or trialling in a cycle of professional inquiry.

What story has inspired you? Might well be one of your own :-)