Reaching and Engaging All Learners through Technology

As we come to the end of our class, Reaching and Engaging All Learners through Technology, I am amazed at how much information I have learned. After discussing UDL with my principal, I found out that she was unaware of it and I was able to share the basic information with her. As stated by Rose & Meyer (2002), the central practical premise of UDL is that a curriculum should include alternatives to make it accessible and appropriate for individuals with different backgrounds, learning styles, abilities, and disabilities in widely varied learning contexts.
The first thing I will implement in my classroom will be using interest surveys and learning style profiles with my students. I will also ask the parents to complete a survey about their children. These surveys can be completed online and information collected automatically. In this way, I will have a better feel for my students and can provide lessons that are adapted to their needs and abilities. The intent of differentiating instruction is to maximize each student's growth and individual success by meeting each student where he or she is and assisting in the learning process (Hall, Strangman, & Meyer, 2009).
The resources I have gained through the Differentiation Station will be shared with my principal and my colleagues. These resources are so varied and useful; I especially like the sites that share a multitude of sites such as http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com/Literacy+tools . I can access information on literacy, math, science and other subjects as well in these resources. I plan on using videos from YouTube or United Streaming to provide auditory and visual learners more information. With the use of my Promethean Board, I will be able to create and use interactive lessons that will be spark their interests and meet the different needs of my students. The use of technology will engage and motivate my students. In addition, I plan on removing barriers to learning by providing larger fonts for readers, who have difficulty seeing and reading with audiotapes for learners who need to hear it as well as see it. I will be more cognizant of barriers such as these and will search for solutions for struggling students.
I plan on focusing my work on differentiating lessons as I go through this year and the next few. It is a process and one that I will continue to make. As Carol Ann Tomlinson (1999) stated, plan to be better tomorrow than today, but don’t plan to be finished.


Hall, T., Strangman, N., & Meyer, A. (2009, November). Differentiated Instruction and Impleications for UDL Implementation. Retrieved July 30, 2010, from Center for Applied Special Technology: http://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_diffinstructudl.html
Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). Differentiated Classrooms: Responding to the Needs of Al Learners. Association for Supervision and Curriculum.
Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/