Using Universal Design for Learning to Design Standards-Based Lessons

1. Using Universal Design for Learning to Design Standards-Based Lessons

Summary and connections to an ESL lesson that targets the development of the four language domains through the use of varied technological tools.

Academic standards in any field of learning encompass the essential skills students should develop and master as they progress through their different courses of study. In their article Using Universal Design for Learning to Design Standards-Based Lessons, Rao and Meo (2016) discuss various ways educators can successfully integrate UDL guidelines to intentionally design lesson goals, instructional methods, assessments, and materials that support all students in achieving academic success.

This article offers valuable guidance for educators and anyone involved in developing and implementing academic standards. It is crucial to understand that the UDL framework provides a comprehensive set of guidelines that can be applied to create inclusive learning environments. These guidelines help educators provide learners with multiple means to represent content, express their learning, and engage with lessons in ways that are meaningful and accessible to their individual needs and learning styles.

As educators, we must maintain high expectations for all students. That includes designing or adapting standards-based lessons, whether developed independently or provided by our schools or institutions, in rigorous yet strategic ways so that no student is excluded. The article outlines practical suggestions and even offers an example of how to apply UDL principles across the four key components of lesson planning: goals, assessment, methods, and materials. It also emphasizes the importance of “unwrapping” academic standards prior to the planning process, which allows educators to develop an effective instructional plan targeting the specific skills and concepts students need to master.

When educators break down standards, it becomes clearer which UDL guidelines best align with each component of the lesson. We as teachers must use our professional judgment to determine whether to integrate UDL throughout all components or focus on specific areas. While many of us face limited flexibility in our prescribed curriculum, which may hinder full implementation of UDL principles, Rao and Meo (2016) suggest finding ways to incorporate flexibility and scaffolds within lesson components to better support all learners, including those with specific needs and language learners.

In the ESL lesson I designed to encourage students to share about their cultures using various technological tools, I considered multiple UDL guidelines. For example, while developing the lesson goals, I applied UDL checkpoints 7.1 and 7.2 by giving students autonomy, choice, and authenticity in how they engaged with the content. I also incorporated checkpoints 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3 during both the methodology and material selection stages. Additionally, I planned ways to support comprehension and activate background knowledge; for instance, starting the lesson with a visual tool that poses a question likely to connect with students’ personal experiences, such as: “What do you love about your home country?”

Throughout the lesson, I will provide scaffolds and accessible materials, including translation tools, sentence prompts, and graphic organizers. These supports are intended to help students participate confidently across all four language domains while making the content more engaging, inclusive, and personally relevant.

Rao, K., & Meo, G. (2016). Using Universal Design for Learning to design standards-based lessons. SAGE Open, 6(4).

2. CAST Universal Design for Learning strategies to integrate in my ESL lesson plan

In my lesson plan, I have outlined the goals, methodology, materials to be used, assessment, and my own reflection, all while considering various guidelines provided by the CAST Universal Design for Learning. For example, some strategies I plan to meaningfully integrate into the methodology of my lesson include offering students multiple ways to express and communicate their ideas. One such strategy is having them create a brochure using a technological tool of their choice, such as Google Slides or Adobe Express. They can add visual aids, including images and captions, to represent their ideas.

Another strategy I plan to use during the video creation portion of the lesson is modeling how to create a draft of what they will say, using multiple media formats. I will show them my own example to support understanding. Initially, I considered only providing sentence prompts to help students develop their drafts, but I have since reflected and decided to include additional support for visual learners, such as a graphic organizer.

One final strategy I aim to implement in this lesson is encouraging students to develop empathy for their peers and to engage in meaningful self-reflection.

CAST. (2024). The UDL guidelines. CAST UDL GUIDELINES; CAST. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

3. Reflection on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan (NEPT)

The 2024 NEPT addresses the digital use divide that still exists in different regions of the country and the world. More than just comparing students who have access to technology with those who do not, the NEPT highlights the way students are exposed to and use technological tools in the classroom. Many students still play a passive role in their use of technology during their learning process, with educators positioning them only as consumers rather than encouraging creativity, reflection, or active participation.

When we as educators realize and reflect on the importance of turning our students into active users of technology to enhance their learning, our mission becomes easier, and we begin to see better results, not only in their academic growth but also in their development as digital citizens who take accountability for their learning and use technology responsibly.

Integrating UDL guidelines with technological tools to reduce barriers in learning creates a more inclusive environment where all students can thrive and take ownership of their learning. UDL principles help us design more accessible, flexible, and meaningful learning experiences that meet the needs of different learning styles, including students with special needs and language learners. These principles offer powerful guidance for us educators to reflect and build upon so we can offer students multiple ways to express their ideas, rather than limiting them to a single traditional method.

As educators, we can use a variety of technology tools to present content, simulate real-life situations, practice math, or even run interactive science experiments. Technology provides us with unlimited resources to implement UDL guidelines more effectively throughout our lessons. This allows our students not only to access content, express what they know, and engage in classes in different ways but also to reflect on their own growth and, with our support, explore new methods if something does not work as expected.

Office of Educational Technology. (2024). A Call to Action to Close the Technology Access, Design, and Use Divides: National Educational Technology Plan. Department of Education. Retrieved from: https://tech.ed.gov/netp

Magic school as an AI tool to generate meaningful lessons for ESL learners

 1. Magic school as an AI tool to generate meaningful lessons for adult ESL learners

I used Magic School to generate a lesson aligned with the Texas AEL Content Standards 1.1, 1.4, and 2.1, as well as ISTE Standard for Students 6D: “Publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences”(International Society for Technology in Education, 2017, p. 5).

 The generated lesson aligns well with the Texas AEL standards, particularly those related to asing questions and listening to responses to identify health-related information.

The lesson includes a clear objective, rigorous key points, and an assessment that encourages students to use appropriate vocabulary for asking both open- and closed-ended questions and to respond with relevant health information. It also incorporates role-play to simulate real-life scenarios.

I appreciated that the lesson’s structure aligns with how I plan my classes, offering clear guidance for openings, material introductions, practice, closings, and extension activities. However, to better integrate the ISTE standard, I would encourage students to actively use technology, such as choosing a tech tool to record their role-plays or a simulated phone call to present and reflect on their work.

Making a doctor's appointment using the target language learned in ESL class

2. Usefulness of Magic School

I found this tool useful for creating accurate and well-structured lessons. As I mentioned before, it provided a breakdown of the lesson that included the objective, assessment, key points, opening, suggested materials, ideas for guided and independent practice, closing, extension activity, and homework for further practice.

3. Connection of the lesson to class' readings

The lesson reflects what we have discussed in our Intro to Learning Technologies class sessions, as it includes components of Authentic Intellectual Work that students will find meaningful and useful both in and outside of the ESL classroom. It also connects with the Triple E Framework by addressing the use of technology to enhance engagement at the beginning of the lesson through a video clip opening. Nevertheless, the lesson should include more opportunities or suggestions to use technology to further enhance and extend the learning process throughout the class.

Part 2. Tool tested on Magic School

I used the Team Builder/Ice Breaker tool to generate ideas for team-building activities in an in-person ESL adult class. It was useful, as it provided me with three different activities suitable for the first week of class that I can implement to help students get to know each other such as: “Human Bingo,” which encourages interaction and the discovery of commonalities, or “Story Circle,” which fosters teamwork and creativity.

Community builder activity in an ESL class

Part 3. Reflection 💭

Magic School is an AI tool that I would use to further support my lesson planning and the creation of engaging materials in my ESL classes. ESL teachers at my community college have a pool of different activities and apps we share and use, and I would definitely share this tool as well, as I consider it beneficial for us as educators and for our students.
I would not feel discouraged to use Magic School; however, it is important that we, as educators, use our personal judgment and make adjustments to the lessons; especially, if we aim to help our students become digital citizens and integrate technological tools into their learning. I have personally used Elli as another AI tool that helps me with class activities and planning, and it allows my students to use technology responsibly to continue learning. I will add Magic School to my repertoire of AI tools to keep enhancing my teaching practices and create new engaging resources.

Magic School generated lesson plan 📖

References:

International Society for Technology in Education. (2017). ISTE standards for students.

https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-students

Texas Workforce Commission. (2024). Texas adult education and literacy content standards 2.0.

https://www.twc.texas.gov/sites/default/files/wf/policy-letter/ael/texas-ael-content-standards-twc.pdf

Images:

Teaching Channel

Shutterstock.com

Week 3: Motivating ESL learners through creative and inclusive curriculum design

 

Motivation plays a vital role in adult ESL education, shaping how students engage with and retain new language skills. When learners find content meaningful, connected to real-life situations, and delivered through interactive and creative platforms, they are more likely to take ownership of their learning. This infographic highlights key insights from How People Learn II: Chapter 6 – Motivation to Learn, connects them with Gura’s ideas on fostering creative learning environments, and integrates digital tools from Rivero, such as Adobe Express, Buncee, and Writing A-Z. These tools help educators create joyful, relevant, and engaging classrooms while empowering students to take an active role in their learning, as described in ISTE Student Standard 1.

Made with Visme Infographic Maker

Week 2 assignment: Components of Authentic Intellectual Work and connections to content curriculum and technology integration

 Part 1: Authentic Intellectual Work/Authentic Instruction & Assessment.  

1. Authentic intellectual work encompasses teaching students of all levels to meaningfully apply knowledge and skills in everyday life problem-solving situations. Authentic intellectual work (AIW) differs from conventional academic work in terms of its social and personal meaningfulness for students, as it helps them connect what is learned to their everyday life experiences. Instruction that promotes AIW encourages students to construct knowledge, develop deep understanding of concepts, and express their ideas and findings through meaningful communication that extends beyond the classroom (Newmann et al., 2007).

In a classroom where instruction and assessment is based upon promoting AIW, teachers strive for providing learners with the unique opportunities to become their own knowledge constructors deeply analyzing, connecting and finding ways to solve situations that students find relevant and meaningful in their daily interactions. According to Newmann et al., (2007) many teachers have reported that AIW tends to engage students more and feels more meaningful than repetitive practice focused on isolated facts and skills.

2. Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) includes three key components: Constructing knowledge, disciplined inquiry, and value beyond school. 

These elements are interconnected and, when applied across subjects, help students develop critical skills for real-world success.

Constructing knowledge encourages students to solve complex problems and think critically. Disciplined inquiry helps them build on prior knowledge such as facts, vocabulary, and concepts to explore issues more deeply. It also strengthens their ability to express ideas clearly and thoughtfully, beyond just speaking.

Although AIW is developed in the classroom, its goal is to prepare students for real-life contexts. Importantly, this approach benefits all learners, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status.

Newmann et al. (2007), in their study on AIW across U.S. schools (1990–2003), found that authentic instruction can be equally accessible to all students. Their research showed that high-quality, meaningful learning was not determined by students’ backgrounds and in fact, AIW can help close the achievement gap linked to social inequality.

3. Example of Authentic Intellectual Work Instruction

I strive to incorporate meaningful lessons that my ESL learners can use beyond the classroom setting. One example in which I provided authentic intellectual work instruction was a writing project in which students wrote a formal email to their apartment manager or landlord to report a problem in their unit or building. 

This activity began with a class discussion where students brainstormed different problems renters can face in their apartments.

In this task, students constructed knowledge by learning vocabulary related to housing issues (e.g., pest control, infestation, maintenance request) and formal language commonly used in complaints (e.g., “I am writing to report…”).

Through disciplined inquiry, they reviewed sample complaint emails, practiced sentence structures for making polite but firm requests, and revised their writing with peer or teacher feedback.

This kind of task holds value beyond school because it prepares students to confidently express concerns and request action in real-world situations that directly impact their daily living conditions.

Adult ESL learners using technology to practice real-world email writing skills

Part 2: 2024 National Education Technology Plan Update

The 2024 National Education Technology Plan (NETP) highlights the need to close the “digital use divide” by encouraging students to actively use technology to create, explore, and solve problems and not just consume content. The three components of AIW, constructing knowledge, disciplined inquiry, and value beyond school support this goal.

When students use technology for tasks like research, presentations, coding, or digital portfolios, they build knowledge through active engagement. Working with peers in digital spaces and presenting ideas through multimedia reflects disciplined inquiry. Projects with real-world relevance give their work lasting value.

My ESL adult lesson, where students wrote formal emails to landlords, aligns with both AIW and Universal Design for Learning (UDL)highlighted in the 2024 NETP. Students applied real-life vocabulary, prior experiences, and used digital tools for meaningful communication, helping bridge the digital use divide.

To support diverse learners, I paired students by language level and provided tools like translators, especially for those using non-Latin scripts. This approach reflects UDL’s call for multiple ways to engage learners. The task was highly motivating because it felt personally relevant and connected to students’ everyday lives as the 2024 NETP states, “Learners can be engaged or motivated to learn in a variety of ways. Factors influencing these individual variations include neurology, culture, personal relevance, subjectivity, and background knowledge, along with a variety of other factors” (U.S. Department of Education, 2024, p. 21).

Part 3: Triple E Framework 

The Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) framework and Kolb’s Triple E Framework are both connected in their goal of promoting meaningful, real-world learning.

My ESL lesson, where adult learners wrote formal emails to their landlords about a problem in their units, supported Engagement as students were genuinely focused on a task they found personally relevant and connected to real-life situations many had experienced. The clear goal reduced distractions and encouraged meaningful participation using digital tools for authentic communication.

The lesson also deepened students’ understanding through real-world application, peer collaboration, and scaffolds like sentence frames and translation tools. Students actively constructed knowledge and developed formal writing skills using digital platforms, which enhanced the learning experience.

Last but not least, the activity bridged classroom learning with students’ daily lives, helping them build practical communication and digital literacy skills. It also supported soft skills like critical thinking and problem-solving, aligning with Kolb’s Extension focus.

References:

Newmann, F. M., King, M. B., & Carmichael, D. L. (2007).  Authentic instruction and assessment: Common standards for rigor and relevance in teaching academic subjects.  State of Iowa Department of Education. Introduction, Chapters. 1 & 2 (30 pages). Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T9JNAZgLfKvXAX7JoaOJElkkZS5Xf-lp/view?usp=drivesdk

Office of Educational Technology. (2024). A Call to Action to Close the Technology Access, Design, and Use Divides: National Educational Technology Plan. Department of Education. Retrieved from: https://tech.ed.gov/netp

Image:

Image from LearnEnglish- British Council