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Equality and UDL

Music is often considered a language that is universal.  When a composition is well crafted the composer can portray events, emotions, and feelings that can be understood by everyone who hears it.  In a classroom, the teacher is much like the composer in this analogy.  They need to design a curriculum that can be understood by all who are in their classroom. 

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is how to “compose” a curriculum that incorporates different learning styles, different ability levels, race, or any other differential that may cause difficulty in a single-stream type of curriculum.  Research has shown that there is “unmistakable diversity in our nervous systems; that is, the nervous system ‘wires up’ differently for each person.”  (Harvard) This means that everyone learns and absorbs information differently - as diverse and unique as a fingerprint. Research also shows that there is a correlation between emotion and learning.  (Harvard) When students are having a positive experience, feel safe, and feel that they have someone who cares about them, they perform better in the classroom.  

A music classroom has many opportunities for applying UDL.  Musicians use so many senses and can happen at so many skill levels that the possibilities are nearly endless.  If I were testing students on intervals, I could give them options for responses.  Some students could sing the correct intervals back to me, some students could write them down, others could be asked to perform the interval on an instrument, etc.  The interval could be performed on a piano, sung, notated on the board, etc.  Testing could be done as a group and/or as individuals.  Technology could be used to record students so they could be tested privately to preserve self-esteem.  

My goal is to incorporate UDL whenever possible.  My vision would be for all students in my music classroom to feel successful by learning in a way that is best suited to their needs yet still headed down the curricular path that I want to lead them.  I don't envision this as something that slows the class down or as a time-waster.  Rather, it is a vehicle for deep learning and a way to expand a student's horizons.  My students will benefit from UDL because they will be able to internalize concepts at a deeper level because they will be learning and responding in a way that is most relevant to them.  Recall and retention should operate at a high level.   

Harvard, Importance of Universal Design Learning: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/08/12/importance-universal-design-learning 

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