Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for curriculum development that provides many different points of access for each student.  In recognition that each learner is as unique as their fingerprint, UDL aligned pedagogy offers multiple ways for students to receive information, express what they know and engage with the content in ways they find interesting and motivating.

In this article, three experienced arts practitioners share some of the UDL aligned strategies and accommodations they employ:  Teaching Artist and Music Therapist Deb Neuman; Accessibility Coordinator, Director and Drama Teaching Artist Fran Sillau; and Middle School Visual Art Teacher Samantha Varian.

As a visual arts teacher, Ms. Varian’s motto for her students is “Voice and Choice.”  For her, developing student agency, self-advocacy and confidence are all essential to the creative space.  She works to individually assess each student’s needs, offer individualized choices and provide the tools for success.  Emphasizing voice and choice reduces unwanted behaviors, enhances creative thinking, and encourages problem solving, vocabulary acquisition and student engagement.

• Cabinets in her classroom are labeled with words, visuals and tactile material examples.  Each cabinet is also labeled with laminated visual step guides for the materials within.
• Rotating trays with art supplies are on each table for students who may find moving around the space challenging.
• Over-the-sink strainers help students with sensory sensitivities or limited reach clean their brushes and other tools.
• Flexible seating arrangements, including rugs, tables, chairs, low stools and high stools let each student self-select the space where they will be the most comfortable and engaged.

One of the most useful tools in Ms. Varian’s classroom is her desktop laminator.  She creates laminated step guides and checklists for class projects.  Students can also create checklists for individualized student projects, or to make a plan for the day.  Step guides may also have practice space or color wheels on the back allowing students to engage with their work in a low-stakes way – when they’re done, they can simply erase.

Ms. Varian uses a number of drawing mediums for students who want or need to feel the marks they are making. Some of these include:

• Styrofoam (artists can draw, then apply acrylics)
• fabric paint
• puffy paint
• wax yarn sticks
• paint applied with empty condiment bottles or glue bottles
• quick dry paper (when an artist makes a mark on quick dry paper with something wet, like a marker, it immediately raises).

She also empowers her students to create their own adaptive tools.  Using a 3D printer, Ms. Varian’s students design and create their own grip manipulatives and stress balls.

As a teaching artist and music therapist, Ms. Neuman also empowers her students by creating individualized supports.  Ms. Neuman’s most essential tool as a teaching artist is “flexibility.  Reading the kids to discover what they need and what they’re interested in and adapting to meet that.”

Ms. Neuman creates a safe and supportive learning environment. She provides visual cue cards for song lyrics and previews key concepts in the songs utilizing puppets, toys or everyday objects.  She selects fun, easy-to-learn sections of the song to teach first.  By doing so, Ms. Neuman ensures every student has an “in” to regularly participate, even if they’re struggling with other parts.

Ms. Neuman also creates pauses by always finding a place for students to freeze their bodies in the song.  They practice freezing, first, to scaffold the skill, so each student can be successful when they incorporate it into the song.  These pauses also make it less likely that the students will get overstimulated and off-task.

She also anticipates potential issues and plans to have competing positives.  For example, students can become loud and easily lose focus if there’s a “roar” in a song.  Ms. Neuman will teach the roar in a preferred way, like a whisper roar or quiet roar, before teaching the song.  By doing so, she ensures the students are already successfully working in the preferred way before they have an opportunity to create their own, potentially loud or out-of-control, alternatives.

Ms. Neuman continually assesses student progress and adjusts to individual needs and interests.  She involves the students in a process of self-reflection by, together, celebrating success or focusing on areas of practice.  For Ms. Neuman, working in this way “makes us a team”.

Mr. Sillau brings scarves, story visuals, crayons and pencils to his drama classes.  Scarves are invaluable because they can become anything.  If you’re working with “The Three Little Pigs” a scarf can transform from hay for building a house, to a blanket on Grandmother’s bed, to a long wolf’s nose.  Visuals from the stories they’re working on help students build their characters.  And with art supplies students can design costumes and create set pieces.

When Mr. Sillau enters a classroom he brings “an open heart and an open mind.”  Like so many teachers and teaching artists he strives to be prepared and ensure his lessons go perfectly – and he also knows to expect the unexpected.  He brings flexibility to his work so that he can implement, assess and re-implement to find the strategies and accommodations that work best for each student.  Always though, at the core of his work, is a commitment to “put forth my most authentic self.”

As per the UDL framework, these simple, actionable strategies and accommodations are designed to be essential for some students, but beneficial for all.  By providing innovative and individualized supports and consistent flexibility these practitioners empower all the learners in their classes to become expert learners.