EDLD 5364 What I Learned in Week 3

Rose and Meyer (2002) says, “Today’s typical classroom might include students whose first language is not English; students who are not reading on grade level; students with behavioral, attention and motivational problems; students from varied cultural backgrounds and students classified as gifted. In addition there are students with particular needs such as limited vision, motor disabilities, emotional difficulties, speech and language difficulties and learning disabilities.” With the differing levels of abilities both physical and mental, teachers must work harder for each student to succeed in the classroom. This week’s readings were centered on creating lessons with activities that are flexible with presentation, acquiring knowledge and assessment.  Rose and Meyer (2002) recommend creating lessons that have students access the three learning networks in the brain: recognition, strategic and affective.  The recognition network connects patterns in information.  The strategic network is the problem solving part of the brain, and the affective network is the portion of the brain that relates to enthusiasm and interest.  “Giving students choices of content and tools can increase their enthusiasm for learning particular processes.” ( Rose & Meyer 2002)   When a teacher increases the enthusiasm for a subject the students are more likely to be successful because the affective network of the brain is being utilized.

A UDL lesson has multiple strategies, presentations, and assessments.  Technology can help a teacher succeed at creating this type of learning environment.  Teachers need to focus on what information they are trying to convey and use the technology to meet each child’s needs.  Teachers that understand the purpose of a lesson and then add the technology will have more success than one that focuses on the technology and tries to mold the lesson to fit the technology available.

Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the Center for Applied Special Technology Web site. Chapter 6. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/