Education research has shown that cultivating emotional connections with students in the classroom is crucial for their overall school and learning experiences. This inspired three English Language educators from Innova, Woodgrove and Fern Green Primary Schools to lead a shift in their respective classrooms by designing lessons that are not only dynamic but also inclusive. Harnessing the power of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, the trio designs teaching strategies that can help elevate student engagement across all profiles, making learning both fun and emotionally exciting for them.

From left: Celine, Soh Kim and Leslie Lai

Introduction to UDL

As part of the recent Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference 2024 organized by the Office of Education Research at National Institute of Education (NIE), Mr Leslie Lai (Innova Primary), Mdm Ang Soh Kim (Woodgrove Primary), and Mdm Celine Celestine Goh (Fern Green Primary) spearheaded a Networked Learning Community (NLC) presentation on Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Leslie begins the presentation by introducing UDL, a framework originally developed by a consortium of Harvard professors, brain scientists and administrative leaders 40 years ago, which has now been acknowledged worldwide through the Center for Applied Special Technology. Due to its extensive legacy, Leslie explains that the framework is grounded in robust learning sciences to accommodate diverse learners, including those with special educational needs (SEN) and from disadvantaged backgrounds.

First and foremost, Leslie delineates the three core principles of UDL, each aligned with a distinct brain network: affective, recognition and strategic networks. “The affective network deals with how students are engaged, the recognition network is about how information is presented and perceived, and the strategic network focuses on how students demonstrate what they have learned,” he expounds. These principles ensure instructional flexibility by mitigating learning barriers, providing appropriate accommodations, supports and challenges, and setting high expectations for all students.

Emphasizing the profound impact of emotions on cognition, Leslie notes “If students feel emotionally disconnected, their learning capacities diminish significantly. I can have the best academic lesson planned,” he elaborates, “but without emotional engagement, the learning environment will not be as supportive, inclusive and engaging. He further explains the practical implementation of the affective network through three key guidelines: recruiting student interest, sustaining students’ effort and persistence, and providing opportunities for self-regulation.

Applying UDL in a Reading Comprehension Lesson

Demonstrating how he transforms a dry passage on photography techniques into an engaging learning experience, Leslie stresses on the importance of engagement, “Does the lesson provide options that can help them to fulfil all three UDL networks?” Multimedia stands out as one such option.

In a particular lesson, Leslie enriches his students’ learning by showcasing videos of camera tricks and sharing his own cycling trip photos. He then demonstrates several techniques using his smartphone, showcasing the practical applications of the camera tricks. Encouraging his students to explore and experiment, he invites them to try out these techniques with their own cameras at home, reinforcing the concepts learned in class and fostering a hands-on understanding of the lesson. The culmination of their efforts leads to a photography competition using iPads, where students apply their newfound skills in an exciting manner. Through these interactive hands-on activities, Leslie provides multiple means of action and expression, fostering creativity and engagement among his students.

To cater to diverse learning profiles, Leslie utilizes scaffolding techniques by providing extra resources and incorporating cooperative learning structures. “If we can get students to learn to work in teams, we’re actually enabling them to enter the zone of proximal development, and this will enhance their motivation to learn,” he explains.

Utilising the gradual release of responsibility approach, Leslie then guides students through reflective exercises on Padlet, empowering them to apply their learning independently. This scaffolding process not only reinforces comprehension but also cultivates autonomy and hones critical thinking skills in his students.

Integrating UDL Principles in Writing Lessons Through Blockbuster Movies

In the next segment of the FCL presentation, Celine shares a scenario that resonates with many educators, particularly in a Primary 6 Foundation class where writing skills are still in the developmental stage.

“Whenever I tell my class that we are having English writing lessons, the whole class will say, ‘Oh no, she’s going to teach writing. What is she going to teach? I can’t write,” she recounts. Recognizing the need for a fresh approach, Celine seeks to engage her students by integrating blockbuster movies into her writing curriculum. She discovers that movie clips are engaging and visually stimulating. They can capture students’ attention and evoke various emotions in students. This makes the learning experience more enjoyable and memorable.

She structures her lessons into three phases: pre-writing, during writing and post-writing. In the pre-writing phase, she offers students the flexibility to engage with the blockbuster movies through video, audio and hard copy text formats. “I provide these varied options to actively involve the students in the lesson,” Celine says, elucidating the significance of providing multiple learning avenues to empower student engagement.

Following this, students group together to discuss their favourite movie genres like horror, comedy, adventure and thriller. They then split into interest groups based on their preferences to research and share their findings using various mediums. “Given their keen interest in art and graphics, they present their research visually, which they then share with the class,” explains Celine.

After the presentation of their findings, students move on to the writing phase. Here, Celine navigates them through narrative structure using 5W1H questions to elicit their responses, complemented by visual aids featuring characters and movie items to enrich their storytelling.

Through it all, Celine notes the benefits of employing UDL principles, citing increased preparedness and student engagement. The integration of blockbuster movies not only boosts participation but also elicits strong emotional responses from her students, underscoring the effectiveness of multimedia and promoting student autonomy in enhancing learning outcomes.

Implementing Interactive Learning Stations in the Classroom

Soh Kim’s presentation at the FCL highlights the effective use of learning stations where students transit between different activities within set timeframes.

Each station focuses on a specific lesson area like reading, listening, writing, or speech and drama. These stations are carefully designed to accommodate mixed abilities, ensuring that all students, including those with SEN, can participate and learn effectively. Much like how Celine gauges her students’ movie preferences, Soh Kim underscores the importance of understanding students’ profiles to tailor activities effectively. This approach often nurtures strong teacher-student and student-student relationships, fostering an emotionally supportive learning environment.

When considering the content of the learning stations, Soh Kim shares that, “The core content needs to be taught, but I teach it in a fun way.” Capitalizing on the universal appeal of food, particularly among Primary 1 students, she structured the learning stations around a thematic unit titled “The King’s Cake”.

Soh Kim shares how students are empowered to choose books and then sequence the stories to demonstrate comprehension. “At the listening and writing stations, students encounter tasks and contents personalized to their readiness levels, all revolving around the engaging theme of planning a birthday party – a task inherently enjoyable for children,” she explains.

Both stations are tailored to suit diverse abilities, providing support through scaffolds, such as templates, visual aids, or guided prompts, for students with SEN. Conversely, higher-ability students receive extra tasks or challenges to spark creativity and innovation, thereby expanding their learning horizons. Finally, the speech and drama station provides students with an opportunity to immerse themselves in characters and cultivate genuine, emotional engagement.

Nevertheless, Soh Kim stresses the crucial role of assessment in the learning journey. “It cannot be just fun and joy. There will be an assessment for learning (AFL) segment where I will have to consolidate the learning to find out whether they actually learn anything from the fun and all the activities,” she shares. This segment ensures that while activities are enjoyable, they also lead to meaningful learning outcomes.