Universal Design for Learning and CLIL (1)

  

One of our challenges across the curriculum is to reach students who struggle to understand reading passages in different content areas.  This goal is closely related to UDL Principle 2, which involves offering multiple ways of representation. How can we engage our students into reading if they face texts which are written, by far, at comprehension levels higher than their own? 

There is a considerable number of  tools  which are a must  for students who need them but they are available for all students and can be  beneficial to gain a deeper insight  into a text.    

This post will be the first one of a series on UDL across the curriculum so I intend to write short posts with specific tips to put UDL into practice in effective ways without having to spend long hours preparing your classes. Therefore,  today I will just  list my 3 top tools to facilitate reading in any content area :

 - Rewordify 

This is powerful free software that simplifies difficult English for faster comprehension.  Try the Rewordify Engine , the brain behind this tool.  Students will understand texts much better and build their vocabulary much faster. Teachers will save time and prepare much more engaging lessons. 

 -  Readworks 

 It is driven by cognitive Science and it responds to the practical diversity of your classrooms.  It provides educators with a variety of question sets which range from simple multiple choices to inferential questions that build a deeper understanding of the important elements of a text. Vocabulary is carefully selected and exemplified through  authentic sentence examples.  A feature I like a lot is the inclusion of paired texts, which  arise students' critical thinking skills by  asking them  to draw connections and make comparisons.

Readworks contains many other features, such as audio versions of reading content or lesson plans with guided practice. 

- CommonLit 

CommonLit is a nonprofit education technology organization dedicated to ensuring that all students reach the necessary competences regarding reading, writing, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Would you like to know how to  develop CommonLit's  Google Classroom Integration? The following video will allow you to see how to use it in 8 minutes. 

 

These are my 3 top tools today. I will keep on writing on assisted technology tools  to  make UDL a reality for all students.  In other words, to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

A school for all of us

UNESCO defines inclusive education as the process of identifying and responding to the diversity of needs of all students through greater participation in learning, cultures and communities, reducing exclusion in education. It involves changes and modifications to teaching contents, approaches, structures and strategies, with a common vision that includes all boys and girls.

It is based on the principle that every student has unique learning characteristics, interests, capacities and needs, as well as the fact that educational systems and programmes must be adapted and designed by bearing in mind the extreme diversity of these characteristics and needs. Now it is the school that must adapt itself  to the needs of the students, not vice versa.

Fortunately, educators are not alone in this process. ONCE was created over 80 years ago to obtain social inclusion for people with visual impairments and, later, for people with other types of disabilities. The purpose of this 34th School Contest by ONCE and its Foundation is to raise awareness among students, parents, teachers and society as a whole on the importance of creating a school where there is space for everybody, dynamically and via teamwork, joining forces and ideas to build it together.

How can you participate? Click here and you will find how to take part in the contest as well as teaching materials you can use in your classroom. Scrolling down the page you will find the project your students will have to create and the criteria the jury will take into account.  Deadline to submit projects finishes on February 4th.

Winners will be awarded with interesting prizes although the best prize will be the chance to actively collaborate in offering   quality educational responses for every student. Do you also want a school for all? Then, join in and sign up your class by filling in this form. Small actions like this are the ones that transform a school into a place where boys and girls learn together how to build a more fair and inclusive society.