INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN ANALYSIS 2

Instructional Plan Analysis

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) focuses on research, development, and educational
practice-driven towards understanding diversity and how it affects learning. UDL ensures that
learners’ diverse needs are met through different supports that are embedded in instructional
materials. UDL is founded on three main principles. The first principle entails multiple means of
representation to allow students to access and optimally use the learning materials available to
them. Accessibility and usability of learning materials in key in the dissemination of information
and knowledge to learners. The second principle is on multiple means of representation, where
learners are given alternative means to express themselves and demonstrate what they have
learned or what they know. The third principle is on multiple means of engagement, and this is
based on deep learning achieved through sustained engagement. This paper analyzes a model
lesson and seeks to determine how the three principles of UDL are included in the lesson and the
extent to which they are included.

Lesson Description

Title: The Life Cycle of Butterflies
Subject: Science
Grade Level: Pre-K-2
The lesson is the first one of two lessons. The topic, the life cycle of butterflies, take two
days to cover, and this is the lesson for day one. The lesson focuses on the lifecycle of
butterflies, and this includes aspects of the organism’s life, such as eating habits, habitats, as well
as the growth cycle. In this lesson, the educator takes students through lessons on the growth
cycle of a butterfly. They will interact with materials that contain information on the growth
cycle of a butterfly and how it differs or compares to that of other animals. Further, students will

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be guided as they engage in different learning activities to support their understanding. They will
also have different opportunities to learn throughout the lesson, and they will also share their
knowledge.

Principle 1

Multiple means of representation entail providing students with alternatives to accessing
learning information that goes beyond just using the course textbook (Edyburn, 2013). In the
model lesson, this principle of UDL is included. The teacher makes use of alternative means to
present information. For instance, there is the use of graphics containing images that illustrate the
life cycle stages of a butterfly (CAST, 2010). The teacher also uses the film, Butterfly, which
contains information relating to the lifecycle of butterflies. According to Boothe et al. (2018), the
application of this principle serves to increase and sustain learner engagement during the lesson.
Learners gather information in different ways. When it is represented in various means, then
each learner is given the opportunity to gather information through the means that they find most
appealing. For instance, the teacher in the lesson gives students the option of gathering
information presented via the video, the cards, or even the textbook.
Further, the teacher introduces the lesson through direct instruction. The auditory
representation of information is also an alternative way through which content is delivered
during the lesson. Further, the teacher gives students the opportunity to choose the materials to
use. They can either choose a website such as A Dance with the Butterflies
http://kids-learn.org/butterflies/, Where Do Butterflies Come From?
http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience/butterfly/ and many other options of websites that they can
choose from. They can also use books and articles such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric
Carle (Philomel, 1969) and Crinkleroots Guide to Knowing Butterflies & Moths, Jim Arnosky

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(Simon & Schuster, 1996), which contain both text and pictures. Besides, students can also use
video and audio resources and other resources such as photographs and flashcards (CAST,
2010). This is evidence that the teacher applies the first principle of UDL, which involves
providing students with alternatives through which to access and use the information. The
alternatives provided help enhance the accessibility and usability of the materials. Students who
are visual learners can either use graphics or videos, while the auditory ones can choose either
the video or the audiobooks.

Principle 2

The second UDL principle entails multiple means of expression, which deals with
options given to learners for them to express themselves and demonstrate what they have learned
during the lesson. The students are given the option of using either visuals or language to express
themselves. Within the learning centers, students are engaged in activities that allow them to
express knowledge, either visually or linguistically. Boothe et al. (2018) state that one way
through which an educator can meet the principle of multiple means of engagement is by
offering flexible opportunities to demonstrate content knowledge and skills. The educator in the
model lesson achieves this by offering flexible opportunities. The educator enhances autonomy
by allowing students to choose from given alternatives, the options that they feel work best for
them.
Further, as students engage in independent practice and demonstrate their knowledge
either visually or using language, the teacher provides immediate feedback. The students engage
in both formative and summative assessment. As the lesson is on-going, the teacher asks
questions orally. They also answer questions asked by students. The work done by students is
checked as the teacher moves around the classroom in different learning centers, checking the

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progress being made by individual learners. According to Al-Azawei et al. (2016), most students
do not prefer the exclusive use of exams. As such, the use of formative assessments in the form
of assignments and short quizzes helps students express their knowledge without feeling the
pressure that comes with writing formal exams. Besides, the teacher also has an end of lesson
assessment, which in this case is the summative assessment. Students are also given the option to
either use graphics or words to express themselves. Here the educator checks whether those who
used language used the correct vocabulary words and whether the graphical representations were
accurate. The use of summative assessments meets the action and expression principle (Al-
Azawei et al., 2016). These assessments are also useful to the educator as the results help them
know what areas need to be retaught or reinforced or students who need additional scaffolding.

Principle 3

The teacher in the model lesson includes multiple means of engagement, which is the
third UDL principle. The students remain engaged by being allowed to select how they want to
proceed with their learning. The educator in the model lesson supports this by developing four
learning centers. Students are then asked to select two among the four learning centers that they
will visit during the activity time. According to Al-Azawei et al. (2016), students are likely to
lose interest in a lesson if the educator uses only a lecture format of content delivery. The authors
suggest that alternative methods such as open discussion, quizzes, and question and answer
sessions can be used to enhance engagement and sustain student motivation throughout the
lesson.
The students are given the option of either working in groups or individually. According
to Rezaei (2018), group work is effective for some students, not all. Thus, educators who use
groups should consider other alternatives to ensure that students who prefer to work on their own

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are given space. The educator in the model lesson understands this hence the reasons for giving
students options to either work individually or in groups. The teacher varies the learning
environment by allowing students choices about grouping. Some of the students in the model
classroom work better alone, and others are more effective in groups because they process
information better when they talk about it with their peers. Thus, the teacher increases the
learner’s engagement by giving them a choice to engage in the learning task either individually or
in groups.

Reflection

I observed that the teacher deliberatively used strategies aimed at motivating learners.
First, I noted that the educator employed autonomy-supportive teaching by creating a learning
environment that supported autonomy. First, the use of multiple means of representation allows
students to choose the learning materials that are most suitable for them. The materials are
presented in different formats. They have textbooks and articles; they also have videos and
audiobooks, films, and photographs. This enhances autonomy, and students are given the
freedom to choose how to consume the information. Further, students choose whether to work
individually or in groups. The use of autonomy-supportive teaching allows students the freedom
to explore their learning environment, and this fosters learning. Students are motivated to learn
because they feel that the learning environment meets their unique learning needs.
Further, I observed that the teacher the lesson models differentiated instruction. The
teachers begin by differentiating the content. The use of graphics, videos, textbooks, and articles
helps present information in varying ways to ensure that learners with different learning needs
are supported adequately. For instance, an audiobook would come in handy for a learner with
reading disabilities. Further, the educator differentiates the process. Other than using direct

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instruction, the teachers create learning centers where students will visit during the lesson and
engage in different learning activities. Students also engage in different activities during the
lesson, such as using graphics to show the stages in the life cycle of a butterfly. The students
demonstrate what they have learned in different ways, both formative and summative. While
some use graphics or visual representation of information, others use language, and this shows
product differentiation.
Admittedly, the analysis of the model lesson has changed my perspective on instructional
planning. I have realized that instructional learning takes time. An educator must understand the
learning needs and cognitive abilities of their student before engaging in any form of planning.
Secondly, instructional panning entails taking into account every detail about the lesson, the
materials to be used, and even how content delivery will take place. When selecting learning
materials, an educator must select various types of materials to ensure that they meet the first
principle of UDL, which entails multiple means of representation.
Lastly, one of the strategies that I would consider applying to my own practice is the
autonomy-supportive teaching strategy. While analyzing the model lesson, one thing that stood
out for me as an educator is the need to enhance student autonomy. This should be well planned
and guided, as is the case in the model lesson. I think that applying this strategy will help me
create an inclusive classroom where all the needs of my students are met. By allowing students
to choose how they want to learn and demonstrate what they have learned, I will be fostering
autonomy and motivating them to take control of the learning process. I will be fostering
intrinsic motivation, which is crucial in the learning process.

Conclusion

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Overall, the essay analyzes a model lesson based on the topic, the life cycle of butterflies.
The lesson is on a science topic and is intended for Pre-K-2 students. In the paper, I have
analyzed the extent to which the model lesson meets the three principles of UDL. The model
lesson satisfactorily applies the three lessons. The teacher who has prepared the model lesson
applies multiple means of representation, multiple means of engagement, as well as multiple
means of expression. The instruction is well-differentiated and intended to meet the learning
needs of a diverse group of students.

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References

Al-Azawei, A., Serenelli, F., & Lundqvist, K. (2016). Universal Design for Learning
(UDL): A content analysis of peer-reviewed journals from 2012 to 2015. Journal
of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 16(3), 39-56.
Edyburn, D. L. (2013). Inclusive technologies: Tools for helping diverse learners achieve
academic success. (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. 
Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/
Boothe, K. A., Lohmann, M. J., Donnell, K. A., & Hall, D. D. (2018). Applying the
principles of universal design for learning (UDL) in the college
classroom. Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship, 7(3), n3.
Rezaei, A. R. (2018). Effective Groupwork Strategies: Faculty and Students’
Perspectives. Journal of Education and Learning, 7(5), 1-10.
CAST. (2010, January 6). UDL at a glance  (Links to an external site.)[Video file].
Retrieved from http://youtu.be/bDvKnY0g6e4