CCSS and UDL: Common Core State Standards and Universal Design for Learning

As most states embark upon implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), teachers must find ways to teach common standards without resorting to common instruction that is only accessible to certain students. In classrooms where student diversity is the norm, teachers must be able to design instruction that helps all students meet the ambitious goals of the CCSS, regardless of differences in prior knowledge and experiences, language abilities, and learning styles. This can be accomplished by incorporating the following principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into instruction:

• Utilize multiple means of representation to provide learners with various ways of acquiring information and knowledge;
• Offer multiple means of expression to provide learners with multiple options for demonstrating what they know;
• Adopt multiple means of engagement to tap into learners; interests.

In this compact, six-page (tri-fold) laminated guide, author Joseph Casbarro provides practical and accessible guidance on how to use the framework of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to meet the challenge of helping diverse students meet Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. The guide outlines ways in which classroom teachers can utilize UDL to create learning environments that prepare all students, regardless of their individual differences, achieve the CCSS. The easily implemented strategies and best practices described in this guide make it an eminently valuable resource for teachers across grade levels.