Competency:

  • Teachers will purposefully plan for students in all 3 tiers.
  • My group’s assignment: UDL Assignment

Reflection on Shelley Moore’s UDL Templates

The UDL planning sheets designed by Shelley Moore were very informative. Through studying the three templates in Nan Steven’s EDIE class, I have learned how to better plan for my future students. The templates reminded me that teachers need to deliberately and effectively plan for the student who is the ‘hardest to reach/teach’ to ensure all students have access to the curriculum.

Furthermore, as a former Education Assistant, I have some experience with the RTI triangle and knowing how tiers 1-3 work. However, seeing it on paper and using it for the group project in EDIE 4100 emphasized to me how teachers need to plan first for tier 3 students, and then for tiers 1 and 2. Reviewing and using the templates also helped me to more clearly understand Shelley Moore’s language of ‘all, most, some,’ and ‘essential, targeted, and universal supports.’

Through completing the templates, I feel more confident in determining the access point to learning. My group had originally picked the ‘Bowling pin’ template before switching to the RTI template. Through working on the ‘Bowling Pin’ template I spent a large chunk of time determining the access point. This experience made me really think, ‘How can all students have the ability to engage in the learning content?’ Overall, it was great to decipher the “I need to” statements to the “I can try to” statements for students with a lesson in mind.

The templates also reminded me that different supports can be used for students who need adaptations because they struggle, but also for those students who need more of a challenge. I have little experience working with students who excel and need challenges, so the planning sheets helped me generate ideas on how to support these students, which turned out to be a great learning opportunity for me. Some ideas that my group and I came up with were presentations, technology apps, and for students to help their peers.

Overall, Stevens’ (2020) EDIE lecture on the templates solidified how teachers can reach all of their students. It was clear that Shelley Moore’s templates help teachers plan for tier 1, 2, and 3 students in a straightforward method. Ultimately, I believe the templates created by Shelley Moore help teachers become better inclusive educators who can support students who need the most help and also those who require a challenge.

References:

Solde, K., & Steven, N. (2020, October 28). [Including all learners: Universal design for learning]. School of Education, TRU. https://moodle.tru.ca