Linking Barriers to Brain networks

As teachers, whether we are addressing individual differences in our students’ recognition, strategic, or affective networks, we can provide the best support by individualizing pathways to learning. Flexible methods and materials—the heart of the UDL framework and its implementation—make this feasible in the real world. While pursuing a common goal, students can follow their own paths and obtain a level of performance that represents personal progress.

Finding or creating UDL solutions depends upon a thorough understanding of learning goals and the barriers that prevent students from working towards those goals effectively. With a clear vision of what students need to learn, we can develop alternative pathways, maximizing engagement and minimizing barriers. Before selecting tools, media, and techniques for implementing UDL, we need to understand the barriers.
We have noted that, although learning always involves the whole brain, standards and goals tend to center in one kind of learning— learning information (recognition network), learning skills or processes (strategic network), or engaging with learning tasks (affective network). Similarly, barriers often impede one kind of learning more than others. The question is, does the particular barrier impede students’ ability to recognize key patterns or obtain information (recognition network); their ability to execute skillful processes or express their ideas (Strategic network); or to engage with the learning task (Affective netowrk)? Some barriers may involve more than one network.

For example if students have difficulty seeing printed text , hearing a lecture, or understanding the English language, the barriers primarily impede recognition networks. If students have trouble organizing notes and steps or applying writing mechanics conventions in writing a research paper, trouble planning a talk, or motor problems that make it difficult to use laboratory science equipment, the barrers primarily impede strategic networks. And if students are over- or under-challenged, are shy about giving an oral report, or really care about content other than that being used, the barriers impede affective networks.

Knowing where the barriers lie helps focus the search for UDL solutions, because UDL teaching methods differ with different kinds of learning.