UDL Case Study

Once a teacher begins to truly evaluate their teaching methods, they are able to find some of the hidden barriers that create obstacles for students in their classroom.  On the Cast website, teachers will find the Curriculum Barriers Tutorial.  Here, there are opportunities to interact with different student scenarios, situations, obstacles, and barriers that teachers may come across in their teaching and best of all, ways to overcome these barriers.  You identify student qualities, materials and methods, and potential barriers on this tutorial to help your students succeed.

Kenny (name changed for privacy) was a student in my social studies class with ADHD and severe organizational problems (student qualities).  One of the major parts of the curriculum is the 8th grade final thesis paper.  This paper involves note-taking, library sessions, use of laptops, reading, use of the internet, direct instruction, citations, several graphic organizers, drafts, and a a final draft (materials and methods).  It can be an organizational nightmare for a student like Kenny and he may have trouble keeping track of what he has read and lose his materials (potential barriers).  Although I do provide all students with a folder, I realize that this is still not enough for Kenny.

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After completing the tutorial, I have a better understanding and idea for how to overcome the barrier Kenny (and other students) may face during the thesis paper.  Using assistive technology, I will have my students use an on-line program for notes.  I did some research and found a program that organizes students and helps them keep together their work for a thesis paper (they can even use this through high school).  I will instruct students how to use this program, upload my notes to it, and have the students use it.  This program organizes note-cards, keeps track of citations, sends me progress monitoring for all students, and keeps track of all information so that students no longer have to carry around a messy folder and risk losing their notes.  Not only will Kenny, but I think all of my students will benefit from this program and I am excited to use it!



Source: http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/tools/curriculumbarrierstemplate.cfm