Do you want to find a way to reach every student in your classroom? Are you trying to figure out how to decrease barriers to learning? Do you want to be more flexible in your teaching? You might want to consider Universal Design for Learning!
But, what is Universal Design for Learning?
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is organized around three ideas which align with how the brain learns.
- The first principle provides multiple means for engagement of students, which correlates to the affective network in the brain impacting the “why” of learning (i.e., motivation, purpose of learning, etc.)
- The second principle provides multiple means of representation, which aligns with the recognition network of the brain. This is the “what” of learning (i.e., options for comprehension or intake of info.)
- The third principle provides multiple means of action and expression. The “how” of learning is related to the brain’s strategic network and suggests that educators need to find ways to allow for different ways to express knowledge gained.
Every child needs motivation, opportunities to take in information, and ways to express that learning!! One way to ensure this is to incorporate UDL principles into your lesson planning. Patti Kelly Ralabate, the author of Your UDL Lesson Planner, states, “…the realities of today’s diverse classrooms and the expectations that all educators can and must be able to address the learning needs of all learners” is a major reason for teachers to use UDL frameworks in lesson design.
This can be done by following these steps:
1. Define Learning Goals
Define learning goals using flexible verbs and share them with students. Flexible verbs provide all learners with an opportunity to achieve the goal. For example, instead of saying, “Students will write a summary,” you can say, “Students will summarize…” This allows for multiple ways for students to express their knowledge and doesn’t constrain students who may struggle with writing.
2. Recognize Differences
Recognize the differences in your students. There are numerous variables in how learners are motivated, interact with information, and ultimately demonstrate their learning. Students have different strengths and weaknesses; they process information differently; they have different interests; and they are motivated by different factors. No two individuals are identical, so why would we design a single lesson?
3. Align Goals & Assessments
Assessment should be aligned with goals and also be used to drive instruction. There should be assessment of learning (summative), and for learning (formative). Rubrics are helpful for both purposes.
4. Differentiate Student Resources
Infuse Universal Design for Learning strategies into your research-based instructional methods. For example, if you often lecture, you could use a graphic organizer to allow students to take notes for a visual representation or include brief discussions and reflective opportunities, as not all students process auditory information.
Choose to use materials and media that add value. You want to make these decisions based on how well the resource helps ALL learners achieve the learning goal. Remember, these can be high tech AND low tech.
5. Reflect and Reassess
Reflection is imperative to this process. After you have taught the lesson you planned, ask yourself what went well and what needs to change. Did ALL students meet the learning goal? What do you need to revise to make the lesson more powerful next time?
The bottom line is we want EVERY student to be successful in school; we can no longer just teach to the middle. UDL offers a way to increase the likelihood that ALL students succeed.
Ready to strengthen your teaching by combining purposeful design and data-driven decision making? Course 5384: Designing Inclusive Instruction for All Learners guides you through the foundations of effective pedagogy with Backward Design, Universal Design for Learning framework, and tools to create enhanced lessons with differentiation, scaffolding, and accessibility.
This post was originally published on the Learners Edge Chalk Blog and has been updated for 2026.
