Classroom Practices

Colorful graphic with black and white images of different modes of teaching

Inclusive Curricular Design

All classroom teachers can make their lesson plans more inclusive through use of Universal Design for Learning, or UDL.

UDL is a framework that strives to creating a learning environment that is inclusive and accessible to all types of learners. It focuses on changing the learning environment rather than the learner.

UDL can be thought of as an educational version of a pedestrian ramp - although it was primarily designed for wheelchair accessibility, it also benefits parents with strollers, cyclists, energetic children, and anybody transporting rolling luggage. The environment has been changed in a way that benefits a wide variety of people, not just individuals with disabilities.

Resources for UDL strategies

UDL Guidelines from CAST

"What is Universal Design for Learning?" from understood.org

Berkeley : Universal Design for Learning

image: https://www.ehc.edu/inclusion-dialogue-center/academic-diversity/inclusive-teaching/

Physically Inclusive Classrooms

Teachers can independently make their classrooms more accessible to students through creative and thoughtful use of furniture, classroom tools, and classroom management.

Classrooms with flexible seating can address the needs of students with ADHD or sensory-related disabilities by providing a variety of options and allowing for movement during lessons. It can also provide social interactions that would not be available in a traditional classroom environment.

Create quiet spaces for student use, which provides a respite for students with sensory-related disabilities and calm study space for all students. Store classroom materials in a location that is accessible to all students, regardless of physical capability.

Resources for Inclusive Classrooms

TeachHub provides a good summary of flexible seating

An Inclusive Learning Environment from Good2Know

image: https://www.learningpersonalized.com/flexible-classroom-spaces-from-physical-change-to-instructional-change/

word cloud with accommodation and learning disability words

Integrate Accommodations

Students with 504 Service Plans are provided accommodations that are typically implemented by the classroom teacher. Classroom teachers should review 504 Services Plans at the beginning of each school term and be prepared to integrate them into classroom practices.

Common accommodations include preferential seating, chunking of long-term assignments, extended time for assessments, permitting a student to listen to an audiobook rather than reading visually, and visual organizers.

Accommodations should not require any change to your lesson plan or syllabus. They are meant to help students access the existing curriculum.

Resources for Accommodations

Common Accommodations from understood.org

Accommodations: What They Are and How they Work from understood.org

Suggested Accommodations for ADHD, from ADDitute Magazine

image: http://dreamstime.com

Implement SDIs

SDIs are specialized instruction provided to meet the individualized needs of students with IEPs. Many of them can and should be implemented by the classroom teacher, but the also may include more extensive interventions that require Student Services support.

SDIs are provided to help students with disabilities meet their annual measurable goals. They may be cross-curricular or they may focus on one class, for instance, a student with a Specific Learning Disability in reading may be provided an SDI of a specific reading program to meet the goal of developing reading skills.

Classroom teachers should coordinate with a student's special education case manager to ensure any SDIs are implemented appropriately and consistently.

Resources for SDI

What is Specially Designed Instruction from A Day In Our Shoes

Specially Designed Instruction from UFT

image: https://news.kleinisd.net/2018/12/17/high-yield-instructional-strategies-vs-specially-designed-instruction/