Key points:

• To improve student engagement, strive to create a positive learning environment
• Offer multiple means of engagement using technology inspired by UDL such as voice/screen capture or different ways to present a project

While schools have largely returned to normal classroom instruction, some ripple effects of the pandemic remain. Educators are searching for a spark to re-engage students in the learning process. According to a recent survey, 38 percent of students reported decreased motivation to excel in school. In comparison, 80 percent of educators feel the pandemic made students less motivated.

In some cases, children traumatized by the pandemic struggle with mental health issues. In most cases, teachers may only need to provide different opportunities and multiple means of engagement to increase participation.

Motivating students starts with building a positive learning environment. The first steps require educators to create a physically and emotionally safe classroom where each student is valued and respected. Fostering student connections, encouraging voice and choice, adding relevance to lessons, and nurturing student ownership results in a supportive community where students feel comfortable as active participants in their learning.

Each student approaches learning uniquely. Prior knowledge, interests, learning styles, language skills, and physical abilities affect a child’s aptitude for learning and achievement. Meeting children where they are and differentiating instruction can mean the difference between a fully engaged learner and a passive learner who tunes out.

When I conduct training for school employees, I like to start my presentations speaking in a “normal” voice. About halfway in, I turn on the instructional audio solution that is set up in the room.

I love the “wow factor” as teachers hear firsthand what a difference instructional audio makes. This reveal proves the technology’s effectiveness as they all understand how a similar setup could help in their classrooms.

Most teachers, principals, and paraprofessionals instinctively know that instructional audio helps amplify their voices, allowing their instruction and directions to reach every student, but instructional audio offers much more than that.

Here are three key reasons why instructional audio is crucial for today’s classroom.

1. It’s Not Just Amplification

Instructional audio provides even distribution of sound, not just amplification. This means that no matter where students are in the room, they can hear their teacher clearly. Often, teachers boast of their “teacher voice,” but speaking louder doesn’t always mean clearer. For certain words, such as ones that include an F or TH sound, speaking louder can have the opposite effect, making these words harder for students to understand.

There is a benefit for teachers, too. Teachers who speak loudly to be heard report being more tired and that can lead to more teacher absenteeism, according to one study. Teacher absences are not only costly for schools, but also disrupt students’ learning.

2. All Students Benefit

Instructional audio is proven to offer benefits not only to students who are hard of hearing. Decades of research, including the federal Mainstream Amplification Resource Room Study, known as the MARRS Project, prove that instructional audio helps those with learning differences, those in the back of the classroom and non-native English speakers.

Related:
How I build relationships with students using instructional audio
Can audiobooks be the great equalizer for students with learning differences?

What are inclusive learning environments, anyway? Putting a definition on this complex concept is deceptively tricky. Environments aren’t just spaces that we exist in; they also encompass the culture in that space. Here’s how I define it:

An inclusive environment is a place where I can see myself, where I’m represented as a human being—and as a learner. It’s a space that feels as if it were designed specifically for me, where I know my voice will be heard and respected.

The pandemic exacerbated inequities in education, but it also put a spotlight on them. Instead of returning to the “normal,” pre-pandemic version of school, I propose that school, district, and classroom leaders take this opportunity to shape a new system—one that’s effective for every student.

To create inclusive learning environments, educators can leverage the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

What is Universal Design for Learning?

UDL is not another program that teachers have to shoehorn into their already-crammed day–rather, it is a process and framework to help educators ensure they are reaching all learners.  Think of UDL as an operating system, of sorts, for your classroom, school, or district. The goal of this system is deceptively simple: make education work for as many students as possible.

Applying UDL in the classroom

To effectively use the UDL framework, educators musttake time to self-reflect, consider what barriers exist, and what changes can be made to remove them.

This can be as simple as letting students choose from a variety of formats for lessons and assignments so that each can learn new content and show what they know in optimal ways. For example, learners could have the option to write an essay or choose to present it orally. Students could decide whether they’d like to read that day’s material from the textbook, or view a video summarizing the content.

The interruption of in-person learning environments due to COVID-19 impacted everyone, but it particularly challenged those with specific learning needs.

In fact, equity became one of the top issues as the pandemic spread across the globe. Educators in every building acknowledged the continuing need to create more equitable education environments.

Students deserve the resources and support they need to fully engage in learning, and when you design for inclusion, everyone benefits.

Do you need to evaluate your district’s classroom accessibility? Check out this eSchool News webinar to learn how to develop and enable a more inclusively and accessibly designed classroom that provides each student the tools and supports they need – from built-in technology tools to making open education resources more accessible.

Every two or three years, state and federal laws regarding accessibility in education change. However, the goal is always the same: making sure that every student, at every level (classroom, building, district), has access to the resources they need to meet their learning goals.

During the edWebinar “Accessibility for All: Creating an Equitable Learning Ecosystem,” the presenters discussed the lessons they’ve learned, especially regarding technology as an instrument for accessibility.

7 key roles tech plays in accessibility

1. While there is no substitute to having an attorney or special education director focused on special education legislation, there are additional services that can keep the flow of information coming. The presenters rely on state associations for updates, but they also use legislative news services to get updates.

Related content: 5 steps to ensure accessibility

2. Apps and software are a boon for special needs students, but teachers shouldn’t download whatever they feel like. In addition to keeping student privacy and school budgets in mind, teachers also need to make sure that the tools work in the school’s technology environment. All software—and hardware—should be vetted by a team of faculty and IT staff.

Applicable to every student in every classroom, the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles of offering multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement help teachers leverage every child’s strengths while supporting a very personalized learning path based on student choice. When your LMS supports UDL, students reap the benefits.

Unlike pedagogies that attempt to teach to a broader group of students with a broad brush, UDL encompasses a wide swath of learning content—lectures, lessons, videos, audio recordings, group projects, individual projects, etc.—to help the modern-day student reach his or her fullest potential.

Related content: 5 ways to leverage UDL for student inclusivity

As we’ve all come to learn, managing digital content along with making it available to the people who need it isn’t easy. Enabling access for students and parents is equally as challenging, as is providing ongoing professional development for teachers who are using UDL every day in their K-12 classrooms.

5 ways our LMS supports UDL

When we kicked off a new initiative focused on student-centered learning, our district started looking for an all-in-one learning management system (LMS) that would serve as a staging area for our UDL and project-based teaching models. Not only would it give teachers and students the freedom to select their preferred tools, but it would also integrate with Google, keep everything in a centralized place, and enable high-quality professional development for teachers.