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Inclusive Supports for Literacy

  • Writer: Teagan Ka
    Teagan Ka
  • Mar 21
  • 3 min read

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that helps teachers design lessons that are accessible for all students from the start. UDL focuses on providing multiple ways for students to access information, stay engaged, and show what they know. By using the UDL approach, educators can better support English learners, students with disabilities, and reluctant readers, ensuring that all students have meaningful opportunities to succeed.


The UDL approach has 3 Guidelines for teachers to design multiple means of:

  1. Engagement: how students engage in the lesson/content (using their strengths and interests to inform learning)

  2. Representation: how students access the material (multimodal resources, choice boards, etc)

  3. Action & Expression: how students show what they learned/know (projects, songs, baking a cake)

Many activities in these 3 Guidelines overlap as well.



Close-up view of colorful children's books stacked on a table

Making Science Literacy Accessible Through UDL


In a traditional science classroom, students may be assigned to read a textbook chapter on cells and asked to read and answer comprehension questions. However, this approach can be challenging for some learners. By redesigning this literacy task using UDL, teachers can provide multiple ways for students to access, engage with, and demonstrate understanding of the content. Instead of relying on one text, students can explore the concept of cells through a variety of formats that support their diverse learning needs.



Multiple Means of Engagement (Motivation & Interest)


  • Let students choose how they learn (video, song, article, interactive diagrams)

  • Use familiar formats like TikTok-style videos can increase student motivation and interest

  • Use small group work to build discussion and confidence

  • Connect content to students’ interests in anime by having them compare cell functions to characters or systems in a favorite show (e.g., “Which organelle is the ‘main character’ or leader?”) You can also show a clip of "Cells at Work" anime show or "Magic School Bus"

  • Connect cells to real life (health, sports, body systems)

  • Use gamified activities (competitions, challenges, or interactive quizzes) to increase motivation

  • Incorporate interactive tools (e.g., labeling activities or games)






Multiple Means of Representation (Accessing Content):

  • Provide a video explanation of cells using Amoeba Sisters or CrashCourse

  • Include a cell song or mnemonic to reinforce key vocabulary and memory

  • Offer text-to-speech and audiobooks for the original reading

  • Use labeled diagrams and visuals to support comprehension

  • Use analogies (e.g., a cell as a city, factory, or team) to make abstract concepts more concrete

  • Provide translated, simplified texts, or bilingual for English learners

  • Include glossaries with visuals (picture + definition) for English learners





Multiple Means of Action & Expression (Showing Understanding)


Students can:

  • Create a diagram or 3D model of a cell with labeled parts

  • Record a short video or TikTok-style explanation of how a cell organelle works using TikTok

  • Write a summary, paragraph, or explanation in their own words

  • Create a comic strip or storyboard explaining a process (like how materials move in and out of a cell)

  • Do a mini presentation teaching one part of the cell to the class

  • Complete a matching activity for key vocabulary with differentiation

  • Complete a cell coloring/labeling activity for English learners

  • Design an analogy project (e.g., “A cell is like a school…”) and explain each part



Why This Matters


  • It makes learning interactive and enjoyable.

  • All students—especially English learners, students with disabilities, and reluctant readers—can access the content in ways that work best for them.

  • This approach not only improves comprehension but also builds confidence and engagement in science literacy.




References

CAST. (2018). 5 Examples of Universal Design for Learning in the Classroom. Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/assistive-technology/articles/5-examples-universal-design-learning-classroom?utm


CAST (2024). CAST Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 3.0. Retrieved from https://udlguidelines.cast.org


Sujathamalini, Y. K. J. (2023, January). Effectiveness of Universal Design Learning Strategy in Improving Reading Comprehension Skills of Students with Intellectual Disabilities. National Journal of Education, 11(1), 129-134. https://bhu.ac.in/Images/files/January%2012%281%29.pdf?utm


Understood. (2019). Seeing UDL in Action in the Classroom. Reading Rockets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7qYJY62X2s&t=59s


 
 
 

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