Brief Summary: This UDLBrief will examine how the "Next Generation ESL Project: Model Curriculum Units" incorporated Universal Design for Learning. This talk will look at the ideas behind the statewide project, the steps to ensure student engagement, and the incorporation of UDL principles into the final units.
About "
Massachusetts Next Generation ESL Project: Model Curriculum Units":
The
OELAAA office at the
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has been leading the development of the project in tandem with a cross-disciplinary, district-based, statewide Planning Committee representing over 65% of ELs in the Commonwealth. Key partners in the project have included
MATSOL, the
Northeast Comprehensive Center/
WestEd, and
WIDA, as well as additional local and national experts from across the disciplines. The project's framework for developing collaborative, language-driven curriculum, along with new policy and guidance, are an important component of a larger Department initiative that has the potential to restructure language education in the state. The expected release date for this is June of 2016.
Session Outcomes: Participants will develop a deeper understanding of the "Next Generation ESL Project: Model Curriculum Units"; gain knowledge of curriculum design and development processes to promote student engagement and the incorporation of UDL principles; and develop ideas for ways to promote engaging, authentic, and relevant learning experiences for English Learners at the unit and lesson level.
