Linking UDL Teaching Methods to Brain networks

As our knowledge of the distributed processing in the brain grows, we know that students do not have one kind of intelligence or one way of learning—they have many. To accommodate these many ways of learning, we can use what we know about how each brain network operates to make our teaching methods and curriculum materials flexible in specific ways.

Certain instructional techniques are very effective in supporting students as they learn to recognize patterns; other techniques are better suited to supporting students as they learn strategic skills or as they build engagement with learning. We can accommodate diverse learners by using a repertoire of teaching strategies suited to each of the brain networks.

Here we list four techniques for each network:

To read more, see Chapter 6 of Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning

Designing Instruction to support Recognition learning

1. Provide multiple examples
2. Highlight critical features
3. Provide multiple media and formats
4. Support background knowledge

Designing Instruction to Support Strategic Learning

1. Provide flexible models of skilled performance
2. Provide ongoing opportunities to practice with support
3. Provide ongoing, relevant feedback
4. Provide flexible opportunities for demonstrating skill

Designing Instruction to Support Affective Learning

1. Offer choices of content and tools
2. Provide adjustable levels of challenge
3. Offer choices of rewards
4. Offer choices of learning context