Universal Design for Learning, Part One
This month we begin a series of articles on Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Originating in the world of architecture, universal design has plenty to tell us when it comes to optimizing learning in our classrooms by including ALL of our learners. While this series is mainly geared toward catechism instruction, UDL has applications in classrooms with adult learners as well. The author of the series is Paul Waldschmidt.
 
Pastor Paul Waldschmidt, a 1999 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, recently accepted a call to teach Education and Old Testament at the seminary. He previously served congregations in Normal, Illinois, and Hartford, Wisconsin. He also serves as the current editor of the Teach the Word newsletter.

They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. — Acts 5:42
Adult Education: Additum
UDL vs. Differentiated Instruction

While UDL and Differentiated Instruction might seem to be very similar, there are some key distinctions. One important difference: UDL is proactive. It happens in the design process before the lesson is taught. UDL sets a variety of strategies before students and allows them to choose the one they prefer. Differentiated Instruction is reactive. It responds to the needs of individuals as those needs arise. Differentiated Instruction sees the teacher developing specific strategies for specific students because of their unique needs. UDL and Differentiated Instruction complement each other in the classroom.

Dr. Katie Novak is a recognized expert in the area of UDL. She explains the difference between UDL and Differentiated Instruction in this excellent video with an accompanying blog post. There is also a useful infographic on the same subject here. We’ll hear from Dr. Novak once again in the Teaching Tip for this month.
Teaching Toolbox
Book Creator

Thinking about ways to give your Bible class handouts a fresh look? Try Book Creator. Intended to be an online digital book creation tool for the classroom, Book Creator is a free and relatively user-friendly way to give your handouts a professionally designed look. Just begin with one of the provided templates on the Book Creator site (see example), add your images, questions, and learning activities and then download as a pdf for printing. Your creations in Book Creator can be shared digitally as well, for people who might miss class. Sharing a link to a digital ebook would mean that your creation would keep any links, videos, or pop-up text boxes you might add to your design. Finally, Book Creator could be used in your catechism class for formative assessment. Have the students create an ebook that summarizes a lesson or a group of lessons and then “share” a link to their finished work with you. Learn more about Book Creator at their website here.
Curriculum Connection

Finding time to stay connected in the Word as a family can be challenging. 5-Minute Bible Studies: For Families is designed with busy families in mind. This second book of the 5-Minute Bible Studies series offers three short messages a week for a full year. Whether everyone has time only in the mornings or you finally see each other at dinner, this book will help your young families face the week’s challenges with reminders of God’s love.




Teaching Tip

When universally designing a [math] lesson, a teacher would ensure there were numerous options and choices to support learners, including access to a calculator, math reference sheets, opportunities to collaborate, a word bank, “done problems” to use as models, and opportunities to work with the teacher in small groups. Additionally, the teacher would ensure there are more challenging problems, opportunities to apply mathematics, and enrichment opportunities. All of these supports, scaffolds, and challenges would be provided as options for all learners. Think of them as a buffet of resources.

Katie Novak
UDL and Blended Learning


For further thought. . .


What kinds of options and choices would be appropriate for “supporting” learners in catechism class? (Maybe some of the same things as math class: access—at least at times—to digital resources like Biblegateway; opportunities to collaborate; opportunities to work with the teacher in small groups; “done” examples of learning activity projects; prominent displays of important terms on the whiteboard; and even a poster on the wall with the Bible books listed could be a support for students as they get to know their Bibles better.)
 Teach the Word is a collaboration of Northwestern Publishing House,
Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, and WELS Discipleship.