<div> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Michael-- this is beautiful-- I have forwarded it to a group of committed ESOL teachers who are striving to make their instruction more universal-- I say this in many ways, but you say it more eloquently! It is so important for teachers to understand that these adjustments are to the advantage of those who need them, not giving an advantage to those who don't really need them. After all we, really want our students to demonstrate what they KNOW and are learning, not race against a time limit or struggle to line up figures in an addition problem. Thanks so much for these wise words. Robin Lovrien Schwarz </font><br>
</div>
<div> <br>
</div>
<div> <br>
</div>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Michael Tate <mtate@sbctc.edu><br>
To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List <professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov><br>
Sent: Mon, 3 Dec 2007 1:45 pm<br>
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1772] Re: Universal design, evidence-based teaching practices<br>
<br>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Hi
David, and others,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Universal design would also include 1) making a class syllabus
available prior to the start of the class, so slow readers and those who know
they will have other claims on their reading time during the quarter can start
early, 2) designing tests without time limits, so that those who have slow
processing speed or who find the best answers by reflecting on the question and
the answer over a longer time frame are not disadvantaged, 3) designing
tests that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge orally, in short
answers, or through projects, 4) designing calculators into math classes and
tests, so that those who have short term memory deficits or who understand the
principles but get tangled up in the calculations can demonstrate their knowledge.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">For evidence based instruction, 1) build strategy
instruction into lessons so that teachers teach how to use a reading
strategy so students can practice it on the coming essay assignment, 6)
build your class around graphic organizers, so that students can understand how
the classes connect to their goals, and how today’s lesson connects to the
class goals. Strategy instruction and graphic organizers are essential
for students with LD, and are very beneficial to the rest of the students in
class. Another evidence-based practice, feedback, again is crucial for
students with LD, but again is beneficial to all students. Have teachers
build activities and classes that have frequent feedback points, so students
can gauge how well they are mastering a learning point. Ideally, the
feedback would be multimodal as the instruction has been. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">As a field we underuse haptic and kinesthetic approaches, so
building hands-on activities into classes will be beneficial for all learners
while being critical for students with disabilities that interfere with
listening or reading. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Michael Tate</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div>
<div>
<div style="border-style: solid none none; border-color: rgb(181, 196, 223) -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color; border-width: 1pt medium medium; padding: 3pt 0in 0in;">
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">From:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">
<a href="mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces@nifl.gov">professionaldevelopment-bounces@nifl.gov</a>
[<a href="mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces@nifl.gov?">mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces@nifl.gov</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>David J.
Rosen<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Sunday, December 02, 2007 6:59 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [ProfessionalDevelopment 1767] Universal design,evidence-based
teaching practices</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Hello Kate, and others, </div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">On Nov 30, 2007, at 10:57 AM, <a href="mailto:Kate.Brandt@mail.cuny.edu">Kate.Brandt@mail.cuny.edu</a> wrote:</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<blockquote style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal">I also have some questions about the standards.
What is "universal design?" And
exactly which evidence-based teaching practices will we, as staff
developers, be expected to pass on to teachers? </div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">In the proposed AALPD Professional Development Standards
there is a reference, in two of the indicators under standard 2, to
"universal design":</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">-----------</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Standard 2. <i>Prepares practitioners to appreciate and
respond to the needs of all students, create supportive environments, and hold
high expectations for all learners. </i></div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Indicator (a) <i>PD planning takes into account the
principles of universal design</i></div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Indicator (b) <i>PD providers are trained in the
principles of universal design</i></div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">-----------</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Universal Design</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">This is evironmental design that helps everyone, not just
people with disabilities. A curb cut in a sidewalk, for example, makes
crossing a street easier for those pushing strollers and those on roller
skates, bicycles and skateboards, (the great majority of the people who use
curb cuts) as well as those in wheelchairs. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">In a classroom or computer lab universal design refers to
the idea that it is not sufficient to have separate, sometimes stigmatizing
assists for learners with disabilities; instead, the entire learning
environment -- including technology -- should accommodate the widest range of
learners, including those with physical and learning disabilities. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Universal Design and Technology</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">An example of universal design in technology is a software feature,
found now in nearly all personal computers, that allows users to increase
the size of the text. This helps people who have difficulty seeing small
text, including those who are more severely sight-impaired. Another technology
example is the text-to-speech software found in many computers, and that could
easily be installed in all computers, that enables people who are legally blind
to have text, including web pages, read out loud. This software may also be
useful to those who have specific reading disabilities. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">For more information on universal design you might look at:</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><a target="_blank" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_design">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_design</a></div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">For a definition of universal design in a learning
environment, you could look at:</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html">http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html</a></div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">or</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><a target="_blank" href="http://telr.osu.edu/dpg/fastfact/undesign.html">http://telr.osu.edu/dpg/fastfact/undesign.html</a></div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">or</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.nectac.org/topics/atech/udl.asp">http://www.nectac.org/topics/atech/udl.asp</a></div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">As for which evidence-based practices should be "passed
on", the AALPD standards are not intended to be prescriptive in this area,
but they do embrace both research (not necessarily "gold standard")
and professional wisdom (which in my opinion has not yet been adequately
defined in our field). Standard 5 focuses on practitioners' abilities to
evaluate and apply research (including professional wisdom) and theory. I believe
that the idea of Standard 5 is not to push any particular evidence-based
practice but rather to help practitioners become skilled in evaluating and
applying (and then judging the results of using) evidence-based practices.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">David J. Rosen</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:djrosen@comcast.net">djrosen@comcast.net</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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