UDL in 15 Minutes

In this episode, Gordon shares his journey from being intimidated by curriculum to becoming an expert, and reveals how he reimagined UDL guidelines as learning principles applicable to assessment policy, student leadership, and school-wide practices. Learn how to find flexibility in standards and make UDL work in your context.

Discover how Wisconsin transformed UDL implementation statewide through a powerful mentor-driven approach. Join Loui Lord Nelson as she speaks with CAST 2025 UDL Innovative Practice Award winners Jo Miller and Michelle Ring-Hanson about their groundbreaking Implementation Trials Mentor Toolkit. Learn how this systematic, teacher-led process supported over 17,000 classroom observations, dramatically increased student engagement, and built collective efficacy across districts. Access their comprehensive toolkit and revolutionize UDL implementation in your school.

Looking for a fresh perspective on Universal Design for Learning? Join principal Juan Gallardo as he reveals the connections he discovered between UDL and the ancient Greek concepts of logos, pathos, and ethos. Hear how the hero's journey mirrors student learning and why UDL isn't something we design—it's something we discover within ourselves as humans.

Join Maddy Gentry, Learning Support Teacher at Dresden International School, as she shares how UDL transforms co-teaching through critical lesson planning. Discover her breakthrough moment when vocabulary barriers disrupted a math lesson, leading to powerful insights about proactive barrier identification. Learn practical strategies for implementing UDL one step at a time in diverse classrooms.

Elementary librarian Lauren Boop shares how Universal Design for Learning principles transformed her approach to designing a new library space for early childhood through second grade students. From accessible book displays to student-centered learning stations, discover how UDL creates intentional, barrier-free environments that enhance learner agency and outcomes.

Laura Maly-Schmidt, MYP Coordinator and Deputy Principal at the International School of Dusseldorf, shares her beginner's journey with Universal Design for Learning. Discover how she models UDL principles in leadership meetings, uses AI tools like LUDIA to create accessible materials, and takes practical first steps to support all learners while building an inclusive school culture.

Karen Winston-Carpenter, a 24-year veteran teacher and teacher on special assignment in East Cleveland Schools, discusses how she introduces UDL to new educators. She emphasizes creating safe spaces for teachers to try new approaches, "chunking" UDL concepts to make them manageable, modeling empathy, and encouraging reflection through video self-assessment and peer collaboration. Her coaching evolved from focusing on standards to honoring teacher voice and choice.

Jane Somanje, a quality assurance officer and National Reading Programme trainer, shares how teachers are embracing UDL to create more inclusive classrooms. Jane shares success stories, discusses challenges like large class sizes, and explains how UDL is improving learning outcomes. Tune in to hear how UDL is making education more equitable and effective!

In this episode of UDL in 15 Minutes, host Loui Lord Nelson speaks with Elke Greite, a middle years IB teacher at Dresden International School, about shifting students' focus from product to process using Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Elke shares how personalized goal-setting, inquiry-driven learning, and the integration of IB’s Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills have transformed her visual arts unit on identity. Discover practical strategies for fostering student agency and deeper engagement.

Katy McBain, head of secondary school learning support at Dresden International School, shares how she and her colleagues empower students by fostering self-advocacy and ownership of learning. She discusses co-creating IEP goals, cognitive coaching, and personalized learning strategies, emphasizing a strengths-based approach to support neurodiverse learners.