Universal Design for learning and CLIL (4)

 

Learners  are very different  in the ways in which they can be engaged or motivated to learn. Some students  are highly engaged by spontaneity and novelty while others prefer strict routine. Some learners might like to work alone, while others prefer to work with their peers. In reality, there is not one means of engagement that will be optimal for all learners in all contexts; providing multiple options for engagement is essential.

How can we do it? 

Well,  it is a difficult endeavour but we can  start by  asking students to analyze what makes their classes more or less motivating. This is a very good article on how to motivate students.

 

I would also recommend reading the strategies related to this principle in depth and check the different checkpoints here. 

I would like to give a very simple example of  checkpoint 7.1, i.e.,  optimize individual choice and autonomy by providing choices regarding the type of rewards od recognition available. My two practical examples for  this post are the following ones: 

The first one is  a tool for Geography teachers : Geoguessr. This  is a web-based geographic discovery game designed by Anton Wallén, a Swedish IT consultant, released on 9 May 2013. The game uses a semi-randomized Google Street View location for paying members and Mapillary  for non-members. The game requires players to guess their location in the world using only the clues visible. The free version is obviously not so interesting as the paid version. 

The second  suggestion  I would like to present today is a strategy called  Scientific Sensory Station, a play-based learning center in which students use their senses to explore scientific concepts.

You can sign up for a trial and see an example here.

To sum up, as you very well know, there is no magical wand to reach every student but  remember the key to approaching our goal: "if they do not learn the way you teach, teach the way they learn". 

Universal Design for Learning and CLIL (3)

 

UDL Principle II: Multiple Means of Expression

All educators know that there is not only one  means of action and expression that will be suitable for all learners; therefore, we should  do our best  to provide students  with a variety of alternatives for demonstrating what they have learned.

For those of you familiar with the Guidelines within UDL,  first I would like to focus on Guideline 5 and, specifically, checkpoint 5.2, i.e. "use multiple tools for construction and composition". 

In other words, how can we provide students with tools that match their abilities and the demand of the task regarding creation, construction or composition?  Let me give you some examples:

• Language tool offers spell and grammar checking. Very useful for students who need help with their pieces of writing in any content area.

• BookBuilder is the perfect tool to help students to create, share and publish their digital stories.  It also contains models which are ready to use.

• Scratch is available in many different languages, Basque included. Students will be able to create their interactive stories, games and animations. 

      

•  Canva   is the world’s easiest design tool that allows you to design anything and publish anywhere. 

Principle 2  also highlights the need educators have to provide options for executive functions (Guideline 6).  How can we help our students?   Let's consider a couple of tools:

• Worksheets to set goals  : this site offers  worksheets , teaching ideas and lessons for Math, Language, Science, social skills, behavioral, social emotional learning and media literacy.  Besides all this, it contains  a variety of worksheets for setting goals, which will be really useful to set personal goals which are challenging and realistic. 

      

• The learning Toolbox home enables students with several difficulties to be better learners.  Students have a menu that covers organization, note taking, reading, writing, test taking and Maths. 

Willing to know about how to make the most of  principle 3 ? Keep on reading this blog  because my next entry will focus on it. 

Universal Design for Learning and CLIL (2)

My last entry focused on  Principle 1 of  Universal Design for Learning (UDL),  which  allows all students to access information by  providing  flexibility in the ways  this information is presented.

The current post aims at providing  teachers who implement their subject through English with  some specific tools that can help to put this first principle into practice.  As in my previous post, I will list my personal selection of  tools for the following purposes: 

 

 To provide options for perception: 

 

•  Sign language dictionary by categories  

This sign dictionary is available in 40 different languages and teachers will  manage to access students with auditory processing disorders. 

 

•  Natural Readers

This free convertor will allow you to convert any English passage into MP 3   files .  

To provide options for language and symbols:

 

•    Wordsift 

Students can visualize concepts which  they find difficulty with. The word list is a very interesting section for CLIL teachers but take into account that Wordsift does not  work well with compound nouns because it operates at individual word level. 

 

•  Visuwords 

This interactive dictionary represents language visually.  Choose a word, write it in the box at the top and see the way it represents it. For example,  imagine a student wants to visualize  "bacteria".   After writing the word in the box, a mind map in different colours  is presented .  Tell students to touch a node to see the definition of that word group and click and drag individual nodes to move them around to help clarify connections.  Model the process yourself with a couple of words and then let students continue on their own.

 

• Science/Maths/Physics/Chemistry/Biology Glossary

This multisensory dictionary  is a powerful framework for understanding  STEM concepts. It fulfills its goal to assist the student throughout  the learning process.

• Interactive Math Glossary

Students just  click on any glossary word, or enter the term in the search bar and they will find images, videos, key characteristics, visual activities,  examples and non-examples that will clarify the concept they  need to understand. 

 

To provide options for comprehension:

Presenting information through videos can be very useful to activate students' previous knowledge and foster interaction.  You can find my previous  posts on  resources  on the pedagogical use of video viewing  here   but  for the current entry   I will just  highlight 3  powerful platforms: 

 

• Flipgrid 

Easy to use and  for free.  Learners record and share short videos so as to foster debate on any topic you are interested in. 

• Neok12

This platform  offers a huge collection of educational videos, games, quizzes and puzzles on a variety of topics for all grades. 

• Khan Academy 

Who does not know about Khan Academy? Probably you  also know that it is now  available in Spanish too.

 

As I pointed out  in the previous post, by no means  can  a blog post exploit the enormous number of tools that  facilitate learning for all students but I hope the selection I have made will be useful for the readers of this blog. As you always do, please keep on writing  to me if you need any further  guidance or just to  give me some feedback on the usefulness of the tools I have described.