Distance Learning for Early Childhood Webinar

Facilitators:

• Sarah Neville Morgan and Stephen Propheter

Partners:

• In partnership with the California UDL Coalition

Presenters:

• Kathy Wahl, Santa Clara County Office of Education
• Kelly Wylie, Santa Clara County Office of Education
• Brittany Holm, Franklin-McKinley School District
• Olivia DeMarais, California Department of Education

Keynotes

What and Why

• UDL definition: a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn
  • Not a "special ed" thing—it's an "everybody" thing
• Three groups of neural networks that drive learning
  • Affective is the why—reason we learn
  • Recognition is the what—process and store the information
  • Strategic is the how—responsible for focusing attention, communicating and creating, and strategic thinking
• Learner Variability—variability is predictable, what we can predict we can plan for
• Curb-Cut Effect—universal support from architecture
  • Assists anyone who has trouble with sharp changes in elevation—don't impede anyone
  • Closed caption is similar universal support

What UDL Is and Is Not

• Lens, not a checklist
  • Way of looking at learning environments and laying out flexible paths to firm goals
• Marathon, not a sprint
  • Setting expectations and making slow and steady progress
• Journey, not a destination
  • Keep making progress toward the vision using guidelines and rubrics
• Standards-based, not standardized
  • Included in state frameworks
  • Not one-size-fits-all and not everybody do what they want
  • Firm goals, flexible means

The UDL Framework and Guidelines

• Set Clear, Rigorous Goals
  • Goals should be flexible and clear.
  • Clarify goals vs. lowering expectations.
• Anticipate Barriers
  • Identify barriers/problems ahead of time.
• Design Options
  • Address barriers by providing multiple options for engagement, representation, and action/expression.
• UDL Guidelines
  • Tool for applying the UDL framework to practice.
  • Goal of UDL is to develop expert learners.
• UDL Guidelines arranged horizontally and vertically
  • Vertical––Engagement, Representation, and Action/Expression
  • Horizontal––Access, Build, and Internalize
  • Suggestion—start small by focusing on "Access"
• UDL Guidelines not a “prescription” but set of suggestions UDL Guidelines

Myth-busting

• Myth: My early learning classroom is already practicing UDL because I set up stations.
  • Reality: Station should have multiple points of access, varied means to interact with methods and materials
    • Example: Children first "build" their farm in the block area and have access to multiple media to capture their farm––dictating a story, drawing/painting a picture, etc.
• Myth: I teach in thematic units.
  • Reality: Thematic units allow for multiple means of exploration within the theme; UDL enables multiple access points, means of representation and action/expression.
  • Questions to consider include:
    • Is the design of the lessons, stations, and environment comfortable for the children to get to, easy for them to understand, and easy to use?
    • Are there both supports and challenges built into the design of the theme?

The Preschool Frameworks, Volume 1, p. 13

• California Preschool Frameworks
• Applies to all young children in California, including children with disabilities or other special needs.
• Frameworks incorporate UDL.

Exploring UDL in Early Learning

• Example of Down on the Farm lesson plans not designed with UDL in mind.
• Ways to build UDL principles into the lesson include:
  • Felt board story pieces
  • Interactive storybooks
  • Audible story or sound effects
  • "I Spy" the animals and letters
  • Exploring animal names/sounds in multiple languages
  • Gamify the letter matching
  • Animal tracks on the ground leading to the classroom
  • Children working together to build tracks
  • Vary the track-making options using 3D figures, cutting out patterns
• Access in early learning focuses on:
  • Recruiting interest
  • Perception
  • Physical action
• Build in early learning focuses on:
  • Sustaining effort and practice
  • Language and symbols
  • Expression and communication
• Internalize in early learning focuses on:
  • Self-regulation
  • Comprehension
  • Executive functions
• Video by Shelly Moore "The End of Average"

Applying UDL in Distance Learning

• Distance Learning = learning outside of the in-person classroom.
  • Digital, paper packets, or a combination of both
• Need to be flexible with materials and assessment. Examples below:
  • Flexible Methods: engaging the five senses, videos and teacher recordings, creating puppets for story retelling, movement activities such as animal farm yoga
  • Flexible Materials: interactive storybooks with found materials/objects, holding up stuffed animals or pictures during songs like Old MacDonald Had a Farm, student sharing about work via digital platforms, nature walks near student homes, charting findings
  • Flexible Assessments: offer multiple ways for students to demonstrate learning via live digital platforms with recordings, conversations with parents/caregivers, pictures, work samples
• Lessons can be synchronous or asynchronous. Asynchronous learning will rely heavily on support from parents or caregivers. Ensure parents are clear on learning goals, tasks, as well as frequent home/school communication.

UDL Benefits School Readiness

• Promotes self-regulation
• Means of action and expression
• Promotes perseverance
• Promotes self-advocacy or agency
• Allows for more in-depth exploration and understanding

Importance of Mastery Feedback

• Needs to be timely and frequent
• Needs to be informative
• Should emphasize effort, improvement

Takeaways

• Methods, materials, and assessments need to be flexible.
• Design to the edges—the average learner is a myth.
• Start small—it's a journey, not the destination.
• It's the environment that needs to change, not the students.

Closing

• Additional resources for UDL are available at Padlet .