At the faculty kick-off meeting at the start of the 2024–25 school year, teachers were introduced to Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an educational framework that aims to make learning accessible and empowering for all students. Since then, faculty have come together for UDL book studies, collaborative lesson planning, and group reflection to implement the inclusive teaching framework in their classrooms. 

What is UDL? 

A Buffet for Learning 

We’ve all had the experience of trying to plan a meal that will meet everyone’s dietary needs. Some can’t have gluten, some are allergic to nuts or shellfish, some are dairy-free—the list could go on and on. 

The reality is that one dish often doesn’t fit everyone’s needs, and trying to make it work can result in frustration and time-consuming substitutions, leaving you and your guests unsatisfied. Wouldn't it be better to plan a potluck or buffet where each person can choose the dish that suits them best? 

This analogy is frequently used in the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) world because it touches on an important component of the UDL framework: offering multiple options to foster the best possible experience for everyone. In the case of a dinner party, the buffet is a way to satisfy all your guests regardless of their dietary needs and preferences. In the case of learning, UDL is a way to engage all students even if they have different interests and needs. 

Key Principles: Engagement, Presentation, and Expression 

Laura Greif, a fifth-grade teacher, dives deeper into this definition by explaining the three key principles of UDL. First, you provide multiple means of engagement, or how you’re bringing them into the content. “That really serves as a motivational tool,” Greif says, because when students get to make choices about their learning—whether they work independently or with a partner, for example—they are more likely to want to participate. 

The next principle is to provide multiple means of presentation. At this stage, you want to start asking yourself things like, “How is information being shared? What pathways am I offering students to experience the content?” 

Finally, Universal Design for Learning provides multiple means of expression, or ways for students to showcase their understanding. 

“Within [this] framework,” Greif says, “you’re essentially building in choice into all of those pieces so that it’s almost like a buffet for learning.” 

UDL in Action 

Collaborative Approach 

Incorporating UDL into the lesson-planning process requires backward design thinking, Greif says. First, you identify an end goal, then you work backward to find the UDL pathways available to meet that goal. 

While it can sometimes be challenging to find a groove, there are plenty of places teachers can turn to for support. The nonprofit organization CAST, for example, produces dozens of UDL guidelines and organizers, and social media contains hundreds of ideas and sample lessons for teachers who need inspiration. 

Falk teachers also have the benefit of working with the Student Services team, which includes three learning support specialists and one academic interventionist. “They’re fantastic,” Greif says, “because they provide options for different pathways to meet a learning goal.” 

It can also be helpful to collaborate with other grade-level teachers to get a sense of what’s working well in similar classroom environments. “Elizabeth King and I are always talking through different things that she's done, and it's just interesting to hear her perspectives on things. Jackie and I, as a fifth-grade team, are always collaborating.” 

Outside of grade-level groups, Greif says it’s been inspiring to see and hear about UDL in other settings around the building. One of Falk’s beliefs about progressive education is that learning “looks different based on the age and grade level of the student, but the core tenets should stay the same” (Progressive Tenets, 2025). This principle is routinely applied at Falk, and teachers have spent several faculty meetings this school year sharing their unique applications of UDL. 

“The [UDL] book club[s] and hearing about other people, I feel like, is so inspiring because it's cool to see it in different spaces,” Greif says. “I see [UDL] in a fifth-grade setting, but hearing about it in kindergarten, hearing about it in music theory—we also looked at it in middle school science—it was just unique to see how there are common characteristics but different teachers kind of take it and make it their own.” 

In Eileen Coughlin’s class, for instance, middle school students work toward very specific scientific milestones but are often given flexible pathways to reach them. For an upcoming chain reaction machine project, Coughlin says, all students have to meet the established requirements and check all the boxes, but they can pick their machine's theme, establish their own process, and choose a presentation style that works best for them. 

Throughout the school year, they learn to share their scientific findings through lab reports, research posters, and slideshows, leaning into the UDL principle that multiple means of expression lead to increased engagement and equity. 

Eighth-grade science poster sharing results from a friction lab

Even more strictly defined assignments can be “adjusted to what each kid needs and how they learn,” Coughlin adds, and “I give kiddos certain jobs I know they can be successful at.” For example, a student who enjoys working with their hands might be assigned as the group materials person, while someone who enjoys writing might take the lead on notetaking. At the end of the day, every student develops the scientific skills they need for high school, but the shared goal doesn’t drown out any individual’s unique interests or needs. 

Building In Choice 

To provide multiple means of engagement, it’s important to incorporate choice and autonomy into any UDL lesson. However, it’s also critical to balance these choices with structure. “There's choice built in,” Greif explains, “but it's intentional and purposeful so that they can be successful in it.” 

On class reading days, for example, Greif’s fifth graders can choose between four defined options: reading independently at their desks, listening and following along with the audiobook, reading aloud with a partner, or sitting with Ms. Greif for group-based reading and reflection. 

In some cases, it can also be helpful to start with a small number of choices—two or three, for instance—and introduce more once the scaffolding and expectations are set. This is the pattern Ms. Greif’s class followed for setting analysis. 

The first time they investigated the impact of setting in The City of Ember, students chose between written analysis and sketching. Later in their novel study, they were given two additional options: creating a timeline of events and mapping out connections with hexagonal thinking. 

Giving students agency in how they express knowledge doesn’t only align with UDL principles—it also supports Falk’s Wish #1 for Our Children, to understand that any learning endeavor depends primarily on them. “The learning’s really in their hands,” Greif says, “and it allows me space to work one-on-one, look at student interest, you know, help them build their strengths.” 

Having options also empowers students to be more resilient and self-aware. If a student chooses written analysis one day and finds it too challenging or constricting, they know they can choose a different pathway next time instead of becoming frustrated or giving up. 

Rather than limiting everyone to one kind of thinking, UDL creates space for all learners and helps students thrive by finding and playing on their strengths. As Greif puts it, “It gives them creativity to showcase their knowledge and not just be narrowed into one pathway of understanding." 

Taking Time to Reflect 

Another important aspect of UDL is reflecting on the learning process. With a focus on student agency and inquiry-based learning, reflection is a natural extension of Falk’s mission. “Since they have such a voice in the learning,” Greif says, “I also bring them into the reflection process.” 

“You have to have conversations around the learning environment itself, so: How do we make a good choice? How do we know what choice might be a good fit for me as a learner and my strengths? And reflecting on: What choice did I make last time? Did that fit me? Should I make a different choice?” 

According to fifth graders, learning choices depend on a lot of things, including their strengths and interests and how they're feeling on a particular day. “Depending on my mood, I might want different things,” Greif recalls one student sharing. Others add, "If I'm not feeling like reading the book, I can sit and listen to the book, or if I feel like I want to engage in more discussion, I can sit with you, Ms. Greif." 

"They're developing that metacognition skill to know, like, this was a really good choice for me in this space or, you know, maybe this didn't start out as the right choice, but I recognize that, so now I can make a different choice.” 

Greif says she’s grateful for her students’ partnership in the learning process. If something doesn’t go as planned, “we can reflect and rethink together on how we might make it better.” 

Student-Centered Learning at Its Best 

By designing lessons that meet all students’ needs, UDL creates equity in the classroom and fosters both academic and social-emotional growth. These principles support Falk’s mission to nurture the whole child and provide a progressive education grounded in meaningful experiences. 

When children are given the opportunity to discover and nurture their unique strengths instead of conforming to a one-size-fits-all approach, learning becomes far more engaging and provides a way to celebrate the diverse ways our brains think and learn. 

As Greif puts it, all students are vastly unique learners, and with UDL, “you can design learning experiences that really accommodate and meet them. It’s student-centered learning at its best.”