Flexible Instructional Design

UDL
PLANNING Intentionally create flexible, open learning
experiences and environments, that
GUIDE celebrate and plan for learner variability.

Deep Inquiry and Understanding

Flexibility
Provide opportunities for learners to develop
Inquiry the skills, strategies, and habits of mind to
Ownership explore personally meaningful questions and
problems deeply with others.

Using an iterative inquiry
approach, the goal is to build
inclusive classrooms designed
to support, enhance and
accelerate learner expertise.
#DiveIntoUDL
Ownership of Learning
Provide ongoing opportunities for learners to
build metacognition, self-regulation, and the
necessary skills and habits to successfully
drive their own learning.
 Creating a UDL Classroom Over Time
We believe developing professional expertise in UDL isn’t merely working your way through the guidelines or using them like a
checklist. Nor is it just providing learners with “voice and choice” offered through technology. As educators, the goal is to create
learning spaces that are inclusive of all learners: where systemic barriers are removed and technology provides access to learning.
For our students, the goal is to empower them as learners, to help them develop the skills, strategies and self-awareness to
effectively set goals, solve problems and continue learning with minimal extrinsic support.

In our experience working with educators, it became evident that while the theory of
UDL resonated with them, translating this knowledge into deep changes in the
classroom was more elusive. We were left with several questions:

● How do I move beyond the reactive, “Whac-A-Mole” type implementation to

one that is more intentional?
● How do I know what I’m doing is effective and what are the next steps I
should take?
● How do I move from extrinsic, teacher-delivered instruction to intrinsic,
student driven learning?
● How does UDL relate to and support the bigger picture related to
empowered learners able to drive their own learning, highlighted in the ISTE
Standards for Educators and ISTE Standards for Students?
● How does all this translate to school and district-wide changes?

#DiveIntoUDL
 Three Categories
To support your UDL professional learning journey and help answer the previous questions, we created this companion guide for our book. Our
goal is to give you both the “big picture” of what needs to change, and provide you with a detailed planner with actionable “next steps” for
implementation. We recognize our suggestions are in no way exhaustive. We created three interconnected categories, with the UDL guidelines
embedded throughout. They include:

1. Flexible Instructional Design - Intentionally create flexible, open learning experiences and environments that celebrate and plan for
learner variability.
a. This category represents the traditional approach to implementing UDL. It focuses on improving the goals, methods, materials and
assessment that make up classroom instruction. We expanded the focus to include planning for both the physical and social
environment, zeroed in on formative assessment and feedback, and took a closer look at learner variability and its impact on
instruction.

2. Deep Inquiry and Understanding - Provide opportunities for learners to develop the skills, strategies and habits of mind to explore
personally meaningful questions and problems deeply with others.
a. This category focuses on the type of learning opportunities students need to experience, as well as the interdisciplinary habits
they need to develop, to become expert learners. The goal is to move beyond traditional teacher-directed instruction while
ensuring students have the skills to work in this type of “self-driven” environment. The key elements of this category reflect many
of the standards and indicators within the ISTE Standards for Educators and ISTE Standards for Students.

3. Ownership of Learning - Provide ongoing opportunities for learners to build metacognition, self-regulation, executive function and related
skills and habits, to successfully drive their own learning.
a. This category explores the “hidden curriculum”, making its important role in learning success visible to students. With the explicit
inclusion and exploration of “self-learning” objectives embedded in every learning experience, students gain opportunities to
purposefully practice and gradually develop the necessary skills, control and habits to drive their own learning.

#DiveIntoUDL
 Your Choice
The three levels (Wade In, Shallow Swim, Deep Dive) were designed to encourage you to “start where you are” in your understanding of UDL. These
“stages”, however, were not intended to be implemented in a lockstep fashion. As with anything to do with learning there is both an art and science.
Your professional learning journey will be unique to you, based on your needs and preferences. To us, understanding the why behind what you are
doing is more important than charging through the stages. With this in mind (whether you are an individual teacher, a collaborative team or a coach or
administrator working with educators), approach these levels as cumulative and interconnected. Here are 5 possible ways you can use the UDL
Planning Guide:

Choose a Category
● You may decide to focus on one category such as Ownership of Learning. Taking a slow yet deep dive, as you move through Wade In to
Shallow Swim to Deep Dive, reflecting and adjusting your instruction as you expertise grows.
Choose a Level
● You may choose to focus on one level (Wade In, Shallow Swim or Deep Dive), and implement aspects within the three categories, building
confidence and competency before moving on to the next level.
Choose an Interest
● You may choose from different levels and categories of the chart based on your “jagged profile”. You may have a solid understanding of
some aspects of a category, while just beginning to grasp others. Unlike the “Whac-A-Mole” reactive approach, you will apply each change
with intent, and examine the effect on your students, before moving on.
Choose a Focus
● You may decide to use the guide for discussion and planning to build out a collaborative inquiry with your PLC, PLN or CoP.
Choose a Goal
● You may decide to use the guide as part of a change initiative in your school or district, using it to both frame and guide the changes.

Still have questions?

Watch the videos on the next page for ideas on how to use the guide
or visit the DiveIntoUDL website to see examples
from educators just like you.
#DiveIntoUDL
 Using the Guide

oo n
g S
i n
Introduction to UDL Planning Guide

m
C o
Wade In Shallow Swim Deep Dive
#DiveIntoUDL
 Flexible Instructional Design
● Learner Variability
● Instructional Goals
● Accessible Materials, Resources and Tools
● Instructional Methods
● Formative Assessment and Feedback
● Physical Environment
● Social Environment
#DiveIntoUDL
 Learner Variability
Wade ● Consider students “in the margins” as you plan - both those who are disabled by the curriculum and those who find limited challenge in the
In curriculum
● Take a “bird’s eye” view of your intended lesson/unit - Who will benefit? Who will experience a barrier?
● Recognize cultural variability and plan ways to include and celebrate
● Regularly consider how the concept of “average” impacts your instruction, expectations, assessment, routines, etc.
● Share your jagged learning profile with students
● Share with students how various technology tools support, enhance and accelerate your learning

Shallow ● Move past the “medical model” of disability. Assume learner variability and competence
Swim ● Ask “what is disabling about this activity, task, assignment, etc?”
● Design for variability - there is no average student
● Introduce students to the concept of a jagged learning profile
● Work with your students to better understand their unique strengths, needs, preferences and interests
● Beyond celebration (such as “cultural months”) embed diversity into instruction, routines, processes, etc.

Deep ● Encourage students to consider their jagged profile when determining tasks, group make up, next steps, resources, timelines etc.
Dive ● Encourage students to voice their learning needs and recognize the needs of other learners
● Continue to highlight and celebrate variability and diversity, and encourage students to do so
● Encourage learners to seek out tools and apps that support their unique profile and share their findings with others

#DiveIntoUDL Flexible Instructional Design

 Instructional Goals
Wade ● Separate the goal from the means to demonstrate the goal
In ● Introduce students to technology tools to help them demonstrate their understanding when you cannot separate goals and means
● State learning goals in student friendly language
● Help learners to articulate the learning goals
● When planning, focus on the instructional goals of the learning and the means to get there, rather than the average learner

Shallow ● Focus learning around essential questions and big ideas

Swim ● Prompt students to write goals in their own words
● Ensure the goal of assessment (formative/summative) is separate from the means (and provide technology tools when one interferes with
the other)
● When possible allow for choice of summative assessment tasks - ensure universal accommodations are in place when choice isn’t possible

Deep ● Generate essential questions and big ideas together

Dive ● Together, connect and align curriculum goals to essential questions and big ideas
● Include student-driven questions and goals

#DiveIntoUDL Flexible Instructional Design

 Accessible Materials, Resources, and Tools
Wade ● Begin with the goal of creating an “all access” classroom. For every lesson/activity/project ensure there are multiple ways for learners to
access information and multiple ways for them to express their understanding
In
● Locate a variety of accessible digital, video, visual and print resources to support access to information, opportunities to interact with the
information and ways to demonstrate the learning
● Provide “tiered” resources in both digital and print (such as leveled text, picture books) and share with students the reason for the levels
(supports those new to english, new to the topic, difficulty with vocabulary, etc.)
● Make available, demonstrate and model the use of technology to support access to, processing of and demonstration of learning
(text-to-speech, screen reader, word prediction, etc.)
● Share freely and frequently that technology supports, enhances and accelerates learning - it isn’t a crutch and it isn’t cheating
● Locate resources that represent cultural and language diversity

Shallow ● Ensure all technology (apps, platforms, tools) are accessible, and provide alternatives if they are not
● Provide students with a variety of ways and tools, to access information and demonstrate their understanding
Swim
● Ensure easy access to support technology throughout the day, don’t create barriers to overcoming barriers
● Create opportunities for learners to plan, organize and express their understanding beyond writing and notes - mind maps, audio files,
sketchnotes, drama, art, video, song etc.
● Model and guide students in articulating their needs and advocating for the use of certain methods, tools, resources, etc.
● Ensure students have continuous access to a wide variety of technology tools, model your use of them and encourage use for both student
need and preference

Deep ● Encourage students to locate, select, make and share accessible resources for learning
● Allow students to choose how they will demonstrate their learning in ways that meets their needs and the purpose of the task
Dive
● Encourage students to stretch their skills by choosing how they will demonstrate their learning in ways that challenge them
● Allow students to use technology to support both needs and preferences
● Encourage learners to consider the needs of their audience when creating a final product - have them ensure it is accessible

#DiveIntoUDL Flexible Instructional Design

 Instructional Methods
Wade ● Examine your current roster of instructional strategies using a UDL lens. Do they support your diverse learners? Do they support
student-driven, problem-based types of learning?
In
● Include a variety of forms of instruction over the course of a unit of study - direct, whole class, small group, adaptive, etc.
● Begin to use formative assessment to determine learner needs and then work with small groups, tailoring instruction to needs. (To begin
choose a curriculum area that is your strength.)
● Focus on one area of the curriculum to personalize for students (writing lends itself to this process): provide options (topic, what to publish),
individual and small group instruction and feedback, peer reviewers, graphic organizers, technology tools (speech to text, voice recognition,
word prediction), mini-teaches (live or video) to teach writing skills (structure, research, proofreading), etc.
● Establish teacher-student conferences to begin to personalize learning as student share their learning and discuss next steps
● Teach learners protocols, strategies and routines to support transition to student-driven learning - how to ask for help, finding resources,
staying on task, problem solving, etc.

Shallow ● Use whole class sessions sparingly - to introduce concepts and topics and to build classroom culture, norms and routines
● Continue to build out mini-teaches and center activities (hands on, experiential, building tools, math manipulatives, etc) to support and
Swim
extend learning, as well as provide choice
● Gradual release responsibility for learning to students - i.e., use “bingo” cards to give students choice in how and what they learn, and/or how
they demonstrate that learning
● Leverage on demand “micro-learning” - provide access to short videos/resources on related topics or skills, or provide access to adaptive
programs (Khan Academy) that help students build foundational skills they need for deeper learning tasks
● Give students opportunities to pursue curriculum defined, learner developed projects (20% club, passion projects, etc.)
● Seek out researched based instructional strategies that better support student-driven, problem-based types of learning.

Deep ● Seek authentic learning opportunities that allow students to practice skills in real world contexts (shadowing, service activities, etc.)
● Explore instructional strategies that support learner expertise and deepen empowered student learning - check out this list of ideas.
Dive
● Support learners in setting long-term college and career goals, establish timelines, develop action plans
● Use virtual tools (video chat, blogs, social media) to expand learning opportunities beyond the four walls of the classroom
● Teach students to lead the learning as they develop expertise and share their knowledge with others. Help them to consider UDL and
variability.

#DiveIntoUDL Flexible Instructional Design

 Formative Assessment and Feedback
Wade ● Discuss difference between growth, progress and achievement - Emphasize growth and progress over achievement
● Discuss the different types of assessment - assessment of learning, assessment for learning and assessment as learning
In
● De-emphasize the negative consequence of making errors, decrease emphasis on social comparison
● Practice “sandwich” feedback - positive - need - positive
● Use tools such as Google docs comment feature or add ons such as JoeZoo
● Begin to include “quick checks” for understanding to guide instruction: clickers, red/green cards, thumbs up/down, mini whiteboards, etc.
● Use rubrics and checklists for feedback during the process of learning - includes comments, next steps rather than marks or a grade
● Create digital portfolios - use to assess work in progress and provide feedback in real-time
● Ensure assessment processes and feedback are accessible to the learner

Shallow ● Highlight process of learning, efforts to improve, reaching personal growth goals, and progress towards meeting standards Poll students to
determine knowledge and understanding before beginning a unit of study - ensure poll is accessible
Swim
● Expand feedback to more curriculum areas - include written and verbal feedback of the learning process
● Ask students for feedback on their feedback - do they understand it, can they take the next step, how does it change their thinking, etc.
● Create mini-teachers, small group lessons and use support video to address learners’ next steps
● Provide scaffolds such as charts, template and, “next steps” guides to help students use feedback for improvement
● Expand your use of formative assessment tools such as Pear Deck, Socrative or Kahoot - just ensure they are accessible to all
● Create digital portfolios - beyond one-sided feedback, ask questions to engage in conversation with students around their learning
● Work with students to deconstruct exemplars and establish criteria for success
● Have students reflect on how scaffolds such as charts, template and, “next steps” guides help them improve

Deep ● Expand the use of conferences to formatively assess students’ higher order thinking, deep understanding and problem solving skills
● Ensure your use of formative assessment moves beyond multiple choice and fact-based questions to higher order thinking
Dive
● Explore mastery-oriented feedback using a progress bar, levels and/or comments that focus on next steps - this could be done in a digital
portfolio or using rubrics
● Expand timely, useable feedback - written and verbal - across curriculum areas with a continued focus on growth and acceptance of
mistakes as part of learning
● Create a formative assessment loop within a digital portfolio to include teacher feedback, student reflection and next steps, and where
possible, parent comments
● Have students co-design their own success criteria - rubrics, checklists, etc. to be used for feedback and formative assessment
#DiveIntoUDL ● Have students create “next steps” resources that support their learning needs and preferences and share for class use Flexible Instructional Design
 Physical Environment
Wade ● Consider arranging desks into groups (of four) rather than rows
● Provide areas for the students to read or do quiet work
In
● Utilize other areas of the school such as the library/learning commons
● Consider ways to organize materials to contain clutter
● Keep visual information (on walls) organized and necessary
● If possible provide a visual free area (without distracting images, posters, etc.) - space for sensory breaks
● Discuss with students how environment can support or hinder learning.
● Ask students for images of places they like (or would like) to learn.
● Provide writable surfaces and easy access to technology

Shallow ● Reconfigured desks for different tasks (groups, circle, arc, etc.)
● Provide a desk or set of desks that remain in place for those who need consistency
Swim
● Create a variety of places for students to work independently, as a team, etc.
● Create centers with access to tools, resources and support to complete tasks or build necessary skills to complete tasks
● Create tactile area that includes tools for creating, planning, modelling and building concepts - including math manipulatives, art supplies,
robotics etc.
● Have students reflect on their choice and use of different classroom seating options and their impact on their learning/executive functions
● Seek student input for classroom design and use

Deep ● Provide a variety of flexible seating areas that can change with need
● Maintain areas for quiet, conversation, concentration, etc.
Dive
● Expand the classroom to other locations in the school, community, home, online
● Provide a personal area (especially if there are no traditional desks) such as a cubbie, tray or drawer
● Give students choice of where they sit and freedom to work in alternate locations as needed
● Include a variety of flexible seating beyond chairs including balls, mats and cushions
● Have students include their choice of environment in their planning and reflections with explanations for their choice
● Allow students to configure the classroom as a collaborative task

#DiveIntoUDL Flexible Instructional Design

 Social Environment
Wade ● Design equitable processes, procedures and class routines and review and revise regularly
● Design procedures around asking for support, requiring a break, asking for clarification etc.
In
● Design for the “primitive brain” - reduce threats and distractions
● Create “community” through drama activities and class discussions (talking stick)
● Rotate leadership roles and support both introverts and extroverts in the role
● Include learning differences in equity and inclusion discussions
● Include culturally relevant resources and access to multiple language text versions or translations
● Introduce students to the term Universal Design for Learning

Shallow ● Verbalize, model respect for and celebrate learning, behavior and cultural differences
● Have students explore some of the assumptions and beliefs they have about school, grades and learning
Swim
● Have students help design processes, procedures and class routines
● Have students help design procedures around asking for support, requiring a break, asking for clarification etc.
● Lead collaborative teams through a project process - setting goals, determining roles, meeting responsibilities, etc. Deconstruct
the experience and establish protocols for group work
● Establish team roles and rotate learners through the roles, providing support as needed
● Promote positive peer feedback including suggestions to improve

Deep ● Continuously model respect for, inclusion of and celebration of learner variability
● Embed (within curriculum, instruction and routines) the many ways of knowing, understanding and being of different cultures and groups
Dive
● Have students design processes, procedures and class routines and rules that acknowledge all learners and help create a respectful and
positive learning environment
● Have students design or refine procedures around asking for support, requiring a break, asking for clarification etc.
● Have students create checkpoints for teams to help them track and monitor collaborative group activities
● Together define and then create a classroom vision for a community of learners that includes shared respect, interest and support
● Extend community by reaching out to classrooms in the school, district and globally, to work and learn together
● Have students analyze UDL’s assumptions and beliefs and apply them to their classroom social environment with an intent to improve

#DiveIntoUDL Flexible Instructional Design

 Deep Inquiry & Understanding
● Authentic Learning Opportunities
● Deep Comprehension
● Knowledge Curation and Construction
● Interdisciplinary Expertise
● Open Creation & Communication
● Collaborative, Global Citizen

#DiveIntoUDL
 Authentic Learning Opportunities
Wade ● Focus on essential questions and the big ideas.
● Break curriculum down into information that is essential to know, important to know and nice to know.
In
● Teach and model the steps of design thinking: empathizing, problem definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing.
● Encourage iterative approaches to solving problems and completing tasks
● Support computational thinking

Shallow
Swim ● Explicitly teach students effective research strategies to locate information and other resources
● Encourage students to evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information, media, data or other resources.
● Guide students in considering the accessibility of the resources and tools used for research and the sharing of findings

Deep ● Incorporate current events to drive the exploration of real-world issues and problems.
● Facilitate communication between learners and outside experts using a variety of communication tools and formats.
Dive
● Support a “fail-forward” culture by encouraging learners to take action to address the issues and challenges identified in their research

#DiveIntoUDL Deep Inquiry & Understanding

 Deep Comprehension (Close Reading)
Wade ● K-4: create small group and individualized instruction to build or address gaps in reading with a focus on improved comprehension beyond
decoding
In
● Gr. 4-6: Continue to support reading (decoding) skills but provide learners with technology access to grade level content material
● Provide technology to support: Vocabulary (word prediction, built in dictionary, Syntax (word prediction), Structure (concept mapping, writing
frameworks), Decoding (text-to-speech), Language (translation)
● Help learners actively engage with the text by focusing on understanding of self & others (fiction) and understanding of the world (non-fiction)
● Highlight or emphasize key elements in text, graphics, diagrams, formulas
● Teach students when to skim and scan, and when to read deeply. Provide opportunities for sustained reading by providing daily
uninterrupted reading.
● Ensure all learners have access to quality (and well-known and well-loved) literature, and challenging non-fiction text (www.bookshare.org)
rather than leveled text and industry created materials. Where possible connect literature and non-fiction text to units of study
● Share your love of reading, by reading aloud everyday from a variety of genres (picture books, articles, non-fiction, fiction)

Shallow ● As students move through the grades, shift focus from learning to read to reading to learn. Emphasize comprehension over decoding -
provide all learners access to rich reading materials via technology
Swim
● Continue to teach learners to access the meaning of text, make connections between text and critically analyze the text for bias and
accuracy
● Emphasize higher order thinking - focus on big ideas and overarching concepts for deep understanding rather than the minutiae of content
specific details and facts
● Encourage learners to actively engage with text by creating notes, highlighting key points, making a concept map or orally recording key
ideas

Deep ● Continue to provide technology to support reading and the expression of ideas around reading for both need and preference
● Continue to encourage learners to gain understanding of their world (and apply it to the actions) through fiction and nonfiction text
Dive
● Continue to teach learners to access the meaning of text, make connections between text and critically analyze the text for bias and
accuracy
● Promote a skeptical approach to information available on the internet and encourage facts, research and causation (not correlation).
● Continue to help learners actively engage with the text by actively applying what they learn to new idea and projects (non-fiction) and to the
skills they need for collaborative work and other “soft” skills (fiction).

#DiveIntoUDL Deep Inquiry & Understanding

 Knowledge Curation and Construction
Wade ● Activate or supply background knowledge in a variety of ways, promote independent access of resources
● Guide students through information processing by modelling the use of advance organizers such as KWL, concept or comparison maps in
In
both print and digital forms, as well as creation tools such as concept mapping programs (Popplet, Webspiration)
● Model the completion of outlines, graphic organizers, concept mastery routines and other organizational strategies to help students
understand the processes and steps involved.
● Use formative assessment to determine need, then use a variety of means (direct instruction, experiential learning, video, adaptive
programs) to pre-teach critical prerequisite concepts
● Using a think aloud process, highlight, prompt and model for students the key features, big ideas, skills, processes, and strategies related to
curating and constructing knowledge
● As a class, curate information from digital resources. HIghlight a set of tools and methods to help create collections of artifacts that
demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions

Shallow ● Quiz students using online polling app to assess level of background knowledge - provide a variety of options to help them develop
prerequisite skills including video resources and online interactives (at school/at home)
Swim
● Provide multiple entry points to a lesson and optional pathways through content (e.g., exploring big ideas through dramatic works, arts and
literature, film and media)
● Through goal setting and reflection, prompt students to connect the tools, organizers and strategies they use, and their ability to remember,
understand and connect ideas and concepts
● Provide students with templates and guides to help them plan and use effective research strategies to locate information and other resources
for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
● Using guidelines and “look fors”, students evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information, media, data or other
resources.
● Provide students with various tools and outline various methods students can use to curate information from digital resources using a variety
of tools and methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions.
● With a variety of templates and frameworks available, students ask questions and design projects to actively exploring real-world issues and
solve authentic problems.

Deep ● With guidance and support, have students self-assess, based on their understanding of themselves as learners, what background
knowledge, prerequisite schools and support they require and then determine what strategies, resources and tools best fit their needs.
Dive
● Encourage students to independently choose various outlines, graphic organizers, concept mastery routines and other organizational
#DiveIntoUDL strategies to visualize key ideas, examples and nonexamples, and relationships Deep Inquiry & Understanding
● Through goal setting and reflection, have students plan for and reflect on the ways and means to construct knowledge and develop
 Interdisciplinary Expertise
Wade ● Identify and teach the specific practices, habits of mind, and commitments unique to each content or subject area
● Create visual maps to help students visualize how the various content, skills and practices connect
In
● Highlight, discuss and explicitly identify cross-curricular connections and applications especially in the area of communication, planning and
conceptualizing

Shallow ● Through discussion, highlight the specific practices, habits of mind, and commitments unique to each content or subject area
● Support goal setting in which students identify the practices, habit of mind and skills from various content areas they need to explore,
Swim
integrate or improve
● Through cross-curricular activities, help students generalize knowledge, skills, processes and concepts from one content area to the other
● Highlight the comprehension, communication and planning and organization skills embedded in every content areas
● Provide project planners and rubrics, to help students identify cross-curricular skills
● Work with students to develop a list of skills and habits. Use list to create “balanced” project and discussion teams

Deep ● Encourage students to integrate and apply the specific practices, habits of mind, and commitments unique to each content area
● Support goal setting in which students identify the practices, habit of mind and skills from various content areas they need to explore,
Dive
integrate or improve
● In their project planner, have a space for students to make cross-curricular and content areas connections important to the project’s
successful completion
● Encourage students to identify the comprehension, communication and planning and organization skills from various content areas they
need and ensure they or their team members have mastery
● As students build out plans, encourage them to create diverse teams that represent cross-curricular skills and abilities

#DiveIntoUDL Deep Inquiry & Understanding

 Open Communication and Creation
Wade ● Model for students how to use various digital tools and platforms to support and enhance the creation of different types of communication
● Provide options, including both digital and concrete, to give students choice in the demonstration of their understanding
In
● As a class, discuss the need to customize the message and medium for different audiences (younger students, parents, other schools, etc.)
and to consider the accessibility of various forms of communication to reach a diverse audience
● Provide exemplars of various digital objects such as visualizations (infographics, word clouds, interactive charts, graphs), models (concept
maps, mindmaps, flowcharts, prototypes) and simulations (virtual labs, interactive activities), and discuss the accessibility of each as a
learning tool
● Highlight accessibility features such as captions for videos, image descriptions. Discuss their intent and use beyond those they were
designed for (i.e., captions support those who are deaf, but also support comprehension for everyone, those learning English and people in
noisy places such as airports)
● Teach students research skills and presentation methods to hone their message
● Teach various persuasive strategies (ethos, pathos, logos), and structured frameworks (expository, persuasive, narrative, description) to help
students communicate effectively and strategically.

Shallow ● Guide students in choosing the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.
● Provide access to videos, resources and charts (strategies, frameworks, examples) for students to independently access as needed
Swim
● Discuss and model the need to provide multiple ways for people to access your message (video with captions, images with descriptions, text
and video, images and audio)
● Teach the underlying design skills related to the medium: video, blogging, podcasts, infographics, posters etc. Canva has many tutorials on
the topic.
● Together create rubrics/checklists to facilitate the design communication, media and final products that are accessible and relateable
● Provide opportunities for students to provide peer feedback in order to improve the quality of communications in a collaborative manner

Deep ● Support the development of a unique voice that represents students’ personality and creativity as part of their communication
● Encourage students to publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for different audiences
Dive
● Encourage students to publish or present content that provides multiple ways to people to access and meets accessibility standards with the
inclusion of captions, transcripts, alt text, etc.
● Support students as you challenge them with ambiguous, open-ended questions and multiple points of view to extend their effort and
persistence

#DiveIntoUDL Deep Inquiry & Understanding

 Collaborative Global Citizen
Wade ● Model, discuss and provide resources (rubrics/checklists) to help student develop skills for collaborative group workj
In ● Introduce students to online platforms such as Google Drive, in which students organize, track and complete collaborative group work with
classmates
● Ensure the tools and platforms are accessible to all students
● Provide opportunities for students to share their work outside of the classroom through social media (blogs, video, Twitter, etc.)
● Debrief often about positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior online, help students be self-aware concerning their behavior online
● Create opportunities for students to work or meet virtually with others such as Skype in the Classroom which offers virtual field trips, mystery
meets, as well as opportunities to partner with other classrooms

Shallow ● Have students help you review or create rubrics to support collaborative group work
Swim ● Lead collaborative teams through a virtual project process - setting goals, determining roles, meeting responsibilities, etc. Deconstruct the
experience and establish protocols for this type of group work
● Ensure the tools and platforms are access to all students in the classroom and virtually
● Establish team roles and rotate learners through the roles, providing support as needed
● Expand the use of online platforms such as Trello or Google Drive in which students organize, track and complete collaborative group work
that includes virtual partners, other classrooms or invited experts
● Develop classroom protocols for online behavior - posting, interacting, group work, virtual teams (cultural/educational differences)

Deep ● Seek out opportunities for students to engage with learners from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Debrief to discuss the similarities
and differences.
Dive
● Provide scaffolding, rubrics and resources to support groups as the move towards independent inquiry with teams both in the class and
virtually
● If possible, give your students opportunities to investigate real-life problems by collaborating with others virtually on purposeful global
projects. Two platforms to explore are iEARN and Taking IT Global.

#DiveIntoUDL Deep Inquiry & Understanding

 Ownership of Learning
● Personal Goal Setting
● Learner Voice and Advocacy
● Self-Reflection and Metacognition
● Executive Function
● Self-Monitoring and Self-Regulation
● Agency

#DiveIntoUDL
 Personal Goal Setting
Wade ● Help students create simple learning and personal goals with indicators of success and timelines
● Set up regular times for students to monitor and reflect on their progress - Teach students to monitor their progress and growth
In
● Create simple templates to allow learners to “cut and paste” their initial goal setting plans and provide high quality goal-setting exemplars
● Help students to focus on growth and progress rather than achievement alone
● Provide prompts to help learners accurately measure skills needed to complete assignment - estimate necessary effort, resources, level of
difficulty, etc
● Discuss how “mindset” can interfere with completion of goals (I not good at…), share your own personal goal setting process
● Help students articulate how executive functions support their personal goals

Shallow ● Build out goal setting using SMART goals that breaks down goals into manageable steps and key indicators of success
● Also have students include a timeline, resources and technology to support their goals
Swim
● Include an executive function goal - planning, organization, memory, etc. either on its own or part of a larger goal
● Encourage students to self-monitor their progress including use of technology tools such as reminder apps or calendars
● Set up periodic conferences to review growth and progress
● Encourage deep reflection on goals and next steps based on growing understanding of self as a learner
● Help teams share their goals and align and connect them to meet their team goals
● Incorporate digital portfolios to upload goals and document progress

Deep ● Encourage students to align goals to personal interests, outcomes, important skills and habits related to executive functions and
self-regulation
Dive
● Have students determine the timeline, resources and technology to ensure they meet their goals
● Encourage teams to share their goals and align and connect them to better meet their team goals or to address conflicting goals
● When goal setting for assignments and projects, have students determine the “why” and set their purpose
● Conference with students to share reflections and build metacognition
● Expand use of digital portfolios to capture goals, progress, feedback, reflection and final product/results

Ownership of Learning
 Learner Voice and Advocacy
Wade ● Model how to articulate your learning needs, encourage students share their needs
● Create opportunities for students to share their ideas in open, receptive environments
In
● Plan for and include options for sharing for those who typically do not have a “voice” in the classroom
● Privately poll students to determine interests and to provide their opinions and feedback
● Create various methods of sharing/answering avoid traditional methods (hands up, come to the front) that favors more outgoing, confident
learners
● Provide wait time, provide questions ahead of time, encourage notes/sketching etc. for students who need additional time to process
● Incorporate alternate ways of expressing, sharing, problem solving, etc. beyond the dominant culture or instructional norm, i.e., eye contact,
speaking publicly

Shallow ● Help students understand and articulate their learning needs including possible support/solutions to address their needs
● Brainstorm with students the language to help them voice their learning needs and celebrate their strengths and potential
Swim
● Discuss expectations that help ensure each group member’s voice is heard
● When presenting, give students options - size of audience, location, technology support, etc.
● Give students options in how they share their “voice” - audio, video, print, image, drama, dance, etc.
● Help students set goals to strengthen their voice (and allow others their voice) by critically exploring their strengths and needs
● Include student voice in decision making and planning - poll for interests, brainstorm ideas and complete exit surveys
● Listen and act when students advocate for themselves: recognizing their need and when possible, helping them address it

Deep ● Encourage students to express their learning needs and preferences while recognizing the needs and preferences of others
● Encourage students to advocate for others when appropriate: acting as support but not the voice of others
Dive
● Recognize cultural diversity incorporating methods and means from other cultures such as talking sticks to promote voice
● Encourage students to challenge themselves, setting goals to strengthen their jagged profile, by including options that produce stress (i.e.,
choose to present findings publicly)
● Allow students to critique their learning experiences, voice their opinion and suggest next steps for their learning experience
● Encourage students to advocate for themselves beyond the classroom through clubs, blogging and PSA, etc.

Ownership of Learning
 Learner Choice and Agency
Wade ● Give students choice over the type of information resources they access to complete task
● Provide students with a variety of materials and methods to demonstrate what they know
In
● Provide all students access to and choice of support technology (text-to-speech, word prediction, concept mapping, etc)
● Guide students in their choice making, discuss their decisions and their effect (people to work with, places to work, medium to use, tools to
select, etc.)
● Explore and discuss choice and the learner’s responsibility to make good choices for their learning and growth
● Provide prompts to help learners accurately measure skills needed to complete assignment - estimate necessary effort, resources, level of
difficulty, etc

Shallow ● With students, customize a menu of options for everyday learning activities - choices in how they access information, engage with content,
and express what they know
Swim
● Poll students to determine their interests and preferences - include these as choices throughout a unit of study
● Brainstorm questions, problems or challenges the students have and would like to find answers to in the next unit of study
● Give students some choice in who they work with, location for their work, timelines and due dates, and resources they use
● Allow students to choose their goals, some success criteria and method of reflection for a particular unit or project
● Regularly poll students to determine interests, concerns, next steps - highlight for students when you include their suggestions

Deep ● Allow students to plan their learning - when, how, who, goals etc. - This could be 20% club or within a PBL environment
● Allow students to locate and use technology tools that best support their learning
Dive
● Give students choice in how they are assessed - let them create their own success criteria and rubrics - with evidence and support for their
learning needs, strengths and preferences
● For students with move intensive learning needs, give them choice and control over their advocacy plan
● Provide open choice for where students work
● Give authentic and relevant opportunities for self-directed learning - both passion-based and curriculum based

Ownership of Learning
 Self-Reflection and Metacognition
Wade ● Discuss the difference between self-reflection and metacognition
● Explore the term assessment as learning and the students’ ownership of the process
In
● Model metacognitive thinking for student
● Provide students with sentence starters and prompts to support self-reflection and metacognition
● Tie metacognition into discussions of executive functions - verbalizing how you learn, the strategies you use and next steps for improvement
● Help students focus on growth and progress, rather than achievement, by de-emphasizing summative assessment

Shallow ● Continue to discuss the differences (and connections) between reflection and metacognition
● Have students determine the strategies, routines and processes inherent in an upcoming lesson, assignment or project
Swim
● Support students as they learn to verbalize/record how they learn, the strategies they use and next steps for improvement
● Lead metacognitive discussions to support group planning and debriefing
● Create opportunities for students to record their metacognitive thoughts in their digital portfolios or other methods of documenting learning
● Give students practice recognizing what they don't understand
● Focus on Assessment for learning (rely less on marks and grades as “incentives”), and build out Assessment as Learning
● Lead students through peer feedback and assessment process

Deep ● Continue to model metacognitive thinking

● Encourage students to include their metacognitive thinking within their digital portfolio. Rather than describe what they did or learned, have
Dive
them describe how they learn, connecting to executive function and self-regulation.
● Have students independently determine the strategies, routines and processes inherent in an upcoming lesson, assignment or project
● Have students verbalize/record how they learn best, the strategies they use, and their next steps for improvement.
● Have students lead metacognitive discussions as part of team planning, check-in and debriefing
● Encourage students to include their metacognitive thinking within their digital portfolio reflections connecting them to their executive functions
and self-regulation.
● Expand on student ownership of assessment (Assessment as learning) - Help students build metacognition by reflecting on how they learn,
their executive functions and the growth of self-regulation for learner expertise
● Encourage student reflection before, during, and after completion of tasks - focusing on growth, a “not yet” mindset, and a willingness to
learn from their mistakes.
● Promote positive peer feedback including suggestions to improve
● Critical and creative thinking
Ownership of Learning
 Executive Function
Wade ● Highlight the various executive functions and how they impact learning. Switch the language from “bad” behavior to control of executive
In functions
● Review executive function with students before starting a lesson, complex or multi-step assignments or tasks
● Create an executive function overview resource for students to reference as needed
● Provide opportunities to roleplay and discuss executive functions in action
● Share executive functions you struggle with and/or strategies you use
● Model and discuss internal thought processes related to executive functions

Shallow ● Provide templates, checklists, strategies, online planners and other technology tools to support executive functions
Swim ● Have students articulate the impact executive function has on various classroom tasks
● Create executive function rubric and share with students
● Embed executive function into success criteria, rubrics and assessment
● Discuss how executive functions relate to and impact current instructional goals
● Have students reflect on their executive functions before, during and after the work is complete

Deep ● Encourage students to find and share templates, checklists, strategies, online planners and other technology tools that support their
Dive executive functions
● Work with students to create or refine executive function rubric
● As students direct their learning, have them include a focus on executive function and their impact on the project or task
● Include executive function tracker within project planning templates
● Encourage collaborative groups to discuss executive functions before, during and after group tasks
● Encourage students to include executive functions in their personal goal setting, with clear next steps for improvement

Ownership of Learning
 Self-Regulation
Wade ● Guide Q&A to help students understand and recognize self-regulation in action - what does self-reg look like and sound like?
In ● Pause throughout the day to increase the frequency of attention to self-regulation
● Recognize, highlight and praise examples of self-regulation throughout the day
● Help students recognize that stress, anxious feelings, etc. are normal, can often be anticipated and there are strategies to help
● Encourage self-acknowledgement and self-reward
● Introduce simple mindfulness, music, and/or yoga into the classroom
● Provide models, examples and videos of self-regulation in action

Shallow ● Collaboratively create questions to guide self-regulation for various classroom tasks, school events and playground activities
Swim ● With students, anticipate and track self-regulation for an activity, lesson, difficult task etc. and create class guidelines to support
● Encourage students to develop personal coping skills and strategies and share with others
● Continue to include focusing or calming activities such as yoga, meditation, breathing routines, short walks, etc. into the school day
● Create support networks within the class - partners, teams
● Embed a variety of prompts and questions into assignments, planning, group work etc. to “stop and think” before proceeding
● Include a variety of prompts - visual, around the class, to “stop and think” before acting
● Introduce students to tools, methods and technology to help them monitor and improve self-regulation overtime
● Have students create their own stress reduction and energy restoration plans

Deep ● Provide students with tools, methods and technology to help them independently monitor and improve self-regulation overtime
Dive ● Include self-regulation tracker or rubric within project planning templates
● Give students the autonomy to make impactful choices (and accept responsibility for their choices) throughout the day/week
● Continue to encourage learners to monitor themselves with a focus on “calm, alert and happy” (regardless of their age)

Ownership of Learning
Wade In: This is new to me. I am
unfamiliar or only vaguely familiar with
the term, concept, or idea and would like
to learn more.

Shallow Swim: I have heard of this and

understand some aspects. I’m ready to
learn more. I still have some questions
and want to continue to improve my
practice in this area.

Deep Dive: I feel confident in my

understanding and want to expand my
knowledge and refine my practice. I
would like to support others in this area.

Return to Slide 4