Universal Design for Learning
Discover how the UDL framework works in your school, classroom and teaching and learning opportunities.
12 June 2025: 9am – 12 noon
Universal Design for Learning, UDL, is an educational framework based on research in the learning sciences, including cognitive neuroscience, that guides the development of flexible learning environments that accommodate individual learning differences. The basic premise is that the learning environment should be accessible rather than the individual adapting or fitting into the environment.
We begin by sharing an understanding of UDL, explaining and exemplifying the three core principles of Engagement, Representation and Action and Expression. We will then extend this and look at how we can apply this framework to our schools, classrooms and teaching and learning opportunities.
Session 1: Getting started with UDL!
In this session, we cover:
The three core principles of UDL: Engagement, Representation, Action & Expression
How they combine to form an accessible educational offer for a wide range of learners with diverse needs.
Session 2: Engagement.
In this session, we cover:
Why engagement is vital for all teaching and learning activities
Using a learner’s special interests to customise learning activities
Various easy and adaptable teaching strategies to use in your classroom
Managing your staff in the classroom
Session 3: Sensory Approaches in Learning
In this session, we cover:
Understanding the sensory influences in/on our daily activities
What sensory factors are in your learning space, both environmental and focussed?
How does using a specialised sensory room add to your universal provision?
Using a sensory room with clear outcomes and identified impact
Session 4: Nurture Rooms.
In this session, we cover:
How and why you might use a nurture room
Mainstream interventions to support learners struggling in/with classrooms and curricula
Practical suggestions, based on real examples, to add to your toolbox of strategies and ideas
Session 5: Technology – what can technology add to a UDL offering?
In this session, we cover:
Understanding how personal technology needs can be part of a universal offering without conflict.
Finally, a fast-moving showcase session will cover as many resources and ideas as possible to demonstrate how technology can support UDL in special education, including apps, software, and assistive technologies.
9 am Admission and virtual tea/coffee to start!
9.10 am Warm Up Session!
9.15 am Session 1: Getting started with UDL!
In this session, we cover:
The three core principles of UDL: Engagement, Representation, Action & Expression
How they combine to form an accessible educational offer for a wide range of learners with diverse needs.
9.45 am Session 2: Engagement.
In this session, we cover:
Why engagement is vital for all teaching and learning activities
Using a learner’s special interests to customise learning activities
Various easy and adaptable teaching strategies to use in your classroom
Managing your staff in the classroom
10.15 am Session 3: Sensory Approaches in Learning
In this session, we cover:
Understanding the sensory influences in/on our daily activities
What sensory factors are in your learning space, both environmental and focussed?
How does using a specialised sensory room add to your universal provision?
Using a sensory room with clear outcomes and identified impact
11.00 am Coffee
11.15 am Session 4: Nurture Rooms.
In this session, we cover:
How and why you might use a nurture room
Mainstream interventions to support learners struggling in/with classrooms and curricula
Practical suggestions, based on real examples, to add to your toolbox of strategies and ideas
11.30 am Session 4: Technology. What can technology add to a UDL offering?
In this session, we cover:
Understanding how personal technology needs can be part of a universal offering without conflict.
Finally, a fast-moving showcase session will cover as many resources and ideas as possible to demonstrate how technology can support UDL in special education, including apps, software, and assistive technologies.
12 noon Plenary, thank you and goodbye!
This course will be appropriate for classroom practitioners from special schools and colleges, mainstream settings with specialist SEN provision and early years settings, and working with pupils with severe/complex learning needs and autism, or both.
Richard Hirstwood is passionate about enabling educators/practitioners to maximise the impact of delivering sensory learning opportunities, in a sensory room or other learning environments, with the available resources. His extensive experience is based on practical knowledge, giving him insight into what works and what doesn’t in multi sensory practice. Regular sessions with children and adults with autism and all additional needs in a variety of multi sensory and classroom settings enable him to maintain this excellent practice.
Carol Allen is an education advisor for ICT and Inclusion, currently offering specialised support to Local Authorities, schools, parents and carers and a wide range of educators worldwide. She has taught since 1980 in both mainstream schools – primary and high, and schools for students with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties. As an English specialist, she recognises that communication lies at the heart of all effective teaching. Accordingly, most of her work has centred on technology’s creative and engaging use to support communication in its broadest sense.
The cost is £135 plus VAT per delegate. You can select multiple places on the booking form.
You can pay by credit card for this booking or request an invoice on the booking form.
The recording of this event will be in your account at online.hirstwood.com. You will access this using the email address on the booking form and your password (instructions for creating your password are in the joining information).
Here you will find:
a digital recording of the event
a transcript of the Zoom chat
These will be available for 10 days after the event.
NEW for 2025!
We will suggest practical reflective practice for this event to support you in implementing your key takeaways from this session in the classroom.
We’ll also offer a toolkit of additional resources to help, which may include further documentation, videos or links to valuable resources/websites.
Please join our Facebook Group, Sensory Support Spaghetti, to connect with us and other like-minded professionals – for everything sensory!
UPDATED FOR 2025!
