Universal Design for Learning: Embracing Learner Variability in Choral Ensembles

The March/April 2024 issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “Universal Design for Learning: Embracing Learner Variability in Choral Ensembles” by Kathryn L. Evans. Following is a portion from the article.
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Our choirs are composed of individuals with diverse experiences and a wide range of abilities, learning preferences, and interests. To best meet the needs of our students, choral educators must find creative ways to connect with students and engage them in learning. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides a research-based framework for creating flexible approaches that increase access and learning for all students, including students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and students who are motivated to learn in different ways. Proactively examining our teaching through the lens of UDL allows teachers to identify and remove barriers to student learning and to create inclusive learning environments that accommodate these individual differences. This article will provide an overview of the UDL framework and explore UDL-inspired strategies that can be used in any choral setting to increase engagement and to support access to curriculum and learning for students with diverse abilities and interests.

Background
The concept of Universal Design originated in the field of architecture and was later applied to other fields, including education. In the 1990s, the nonprofit organization Center for Applied Special Technology (now CAST), began developing the UDL framework in response to the need for more inclusive education practices. UDL is rooted in the principles of Universal Design, which is an approach to design that works to ensure that products and environments are usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, from the beginning and without the need for retroactive adaptation or specialized design. Similar to Universal Design, a primary goal of UDL is to proactively remove barriers and create inclusive learning environments that accommodate the needs of a broad spectrum of individuals.

According to CAST, “UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone—not a single, one-size-fits-all solution, but rather flexible approaches that can be customized or adjusted for individual needs.”1 Advances in cognitive neuroscience research have played a significant role in informing and supporting the principles of UDL. One key insight is that there is significant variability in learners’ brains and in the ways that individuals process information and learn.

UDL acknowledges and embraces this variability, recognizing that each student enters the classroom with a unique collection of strengths, skills, needs, and interests related to learning. Having a broad understanding of the structure of the brain, as well as how it processes information and learns, can help educators design learning environments and instructional approaches that align with the way that the brain naturally functions.

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Read the full article in the March/April 2024 issue of Choral Journal. acda.org/choraljournal