Private: Universal Design for Learning
Challenge
View the movie below and then proceed to the Initial Thoughts section (time: 1:49).
Transcript: Challenge
Sycamore Middle School is an urban school with a large percentage of students from diverse backgrounds. Eleven percent of its students have disabilities, a typical number for the district, 85 percent receive free or reduced lunches. Although some of the school’s students perform well academically, a number of them do not score in the proficient range on the required subject areas on the end-of-year standardized test. Sycamore Middle’s teachers are aware that their students have a great range of interests and abilities, and they are finding it difficult to meet all of their learning needs. Some students are not challenged, others struggle with the academic expectations, and others are simply not engaged. The staff questions whether their traditional methods of instruction are adequate and whether their current instructional practices are meaningful, motivating, and engaging for such a wide range of students. They wonder, too, whether there is a better way to provide instruction to help their students to be more successful.
Here’s Your Challenge:
How can teachers at Sycamore Middle School meet the educational needs of all of their students?
To meet the needs of the widest range of students, what should teachers consider when planning their instruction?
