EDITORIAL
Universal Design for Learning: A Natural Fit for El Sistema-inspired Programs

 
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EDITORIAL
Universal Design for Learning: A Natural Fit for El Sistema-inspired Programs

Graciela Briceno, teaching artist and Foreign Service Officer, Accra, Ghana

10-02-2024

Imagine that you are walking up a staircase that leads to a school entrance, and you notice a sign that says, “ramp located at the back door.” Okay, so the sign and the ramp make the building technically accessible—but a person who can’t use stairs has to go all the way to the back of the building, locate the ramp, and hope that the door is open.

An inclusive design combining stairs and ramps for equal access to all.

What if, instead of a staircase in front and a separate ramp in back, the architect had created a walkway that incorporates stairs and ramps all in one place?

This is the foundational metaphor of Universal Design for Learning, or UDL. How can we design our learning environments and practices to meet the needs of all learners concurrently?

I learned about UDL in my capacity as a Foreign Service Education Officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and it immediately resonated with my previous experience as Founder/Director of the Sistema-inspired Boston Music Project. The UDL model fits naturally into the ethos of El Sistema and its credo that “every child can!”

UDL is not the same as “differentiated instruction,” which means tailoring instruction to specific needs and then categorizing students into varying groups. In contrast, UDL is about creating a learning space in which all learners can progress, at the same time and, hopefully, together.

Think of it this way: UDL is like preparing a buffet with a variety of options for a group of friends to enjoy together.  Differentiated instruction is more like surveying friends in advance and preparing a specific dish for each food allergy or preference.

The UDL framework for designing learning environments is based on how our brains function with regard to what information we are given, how we make sense of that information, and why that information is important. UDL Guidelines encourage educators to:

  1. Design multiple ways of representing what we’re teaching. Students vary in how they can best perceive or understand new ideas or information, so teachers should create different ways for them to receive new input. For example, when introducing a music scale, you might suggest that students “finger along” as you verbally call out each note—some students will learn the scale most easily if they feel it on their instruments. At the same time, you might write the notes on a blackboard, for students who learn best through visual cues.
  2. Design multiple kinds of action and expression—ways that students can express their knowledge. Some students can best demonstrate their skills through learning a song by ear, although they may struggle to read musical notes. Others can express their musicality best through keeping a steady rhythm to support the ensemble.
  3. Design multiple kinds of engagement. Students vary in what motivates them to learn, so teachers should connect with different learners’ goals and interests and give them choices about how to engage. Those who like to sing can be invited to sing a new song; those who like to move rhythmically can drum or dance; those who are motivated to be leaders can peer-teach.

UDL is often considered a tool for working with learners with special needs in an inclusion setting. However, I’d argue that it provides guidance on designing inclusive learning environments for all learners. Every student comes with a unique set of experiences, preferences, and capabilities. Creating educational environments that are accessible to all isn’t easy, but by learning about UDL and thinking through its three principles, all teachers can shape their classrooms and teaching practices to be more inclusive.

UDL also encourages teachers to deeply consider: What do we want our students to learn? What is the ultimate goal?

For most of us, educational goals for students go beyond “perform well at the holiday concert” or “play ‘Twinkle, Twinkle’ in tune and with accurate rhythm.” Those goals will always be present in day-to-day teaching, but if we meditate more deeply on what we’re doing, we can remind ourselves of the bigger picture: most of all, we want to ensure that our students love music, have a joyful experience, develop new skills that transfer to other areas of life, and have a place to feel emotional and physical safety.

When combining UDL with these greater goals, a music teacher might consider “success” differently. Some students may have more joy, or may feel as if they are part of the team, in roles other than performing—working the sound system, for example, or helping to compose simple songs for their peers to play. After all, isn’t it better to ensure that all of our students feel joy and pride at a concert, in whatever roles they can best express themselves? We’ve scored a win whenever all of our students have felt joy and/or learned a new skill.

Presenting such choices well requires flexibility in thought, planning, and action. It’s accomplished most successfully when teachers have a deep understanding of each of their students, which takes time and effort.

Let’s think back to that staircase leading to the school entrance. Does your teaching practice tend toward using one teaching methodology, with the expectation that all students can successfully “climb the stairs?” Do you incorporate separate “back ramps” for learners who need additional supports or their own goals?

If so, how might you create a combined walkway—an entrance that includes both steps and ramp, so that it works for all students, including those who need to approach learning in alternate ways yet want to be part of the broader group? With the empathy and creativity that teaching artists have in abundance, you can ensure that all students can arrive at that entrance together (albeit in different ways) as a true community of learners.

Accessibility, action and expression, community of learners, differentiated instruction, diverse learners, educational goals, El Sistema, holistic teaching, Inclusion, Inclusive Education, joyful learning, learner motivation, learning environments, Music Education, music teaching, October 2024, special needs, student engagement, student-centered learning, teaching practices, teaching strategies, UDL, Universal Design for Learning

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