EPSE

437 Preferred Practice 2:

Academic and Social Emotional Support


Camille McRae
July 22nd 2016


Name of Practice: The Three-Block Model of Universal Design for

Learning

a.) Purpose:

The Three-Block Model of UDL was designed to meet the needs of

classroom teachers trying to teach to the diverse learning needs in

every classroom (Katz, 2014). The BC Ministry of Education policy

manual (2016) states that Inclusion describes the principle that all

students are entitled to equitable access to learning, achievement and

the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of their education. The practice

of inclusion is not necessarily synonymous with integration and goes

beyond placement to include meaningful participation and the

promotion of interaction with others. (p.7) however, Dr. Jennifer Katz

(2012), creator of the Three-Block Model of UDL, argues that a student

cannot be included socially and academically if they are not physically

present in the classroom. In order for students to be genuinely included

in all aspects of class, teachers must take a no exceptions approach to

including all students in all class activities (Katz, 2014). The Three-Block

Model is an instructional approach that makes inclusion possible for

any class, any grade, with any class composition (Katz, 2014). Not only

does it allow for meaningful participation for all students, it also

improves literacy, numeracy, students social-emotional outcomes, and

student engagement (Katz, 2013). These outcomes are particularly

meaningful for students with EBD, because low academic achievement,

low self-esteem, and feelings of social exclusion are common issues for

this student population, and left unaddressed, students with EDB are

more likely to experience long-term negative outcomes such as

poverty, gang membership, and incarceration (Biglan, Flay, Embry, &

Sandler, 2012). Research has demonstrated that implementing a UDL

approach to instruction reduces social and academic exclusion and

aggressive behaviour (Katz and Porath 2011), as well as challenging

behaviour (Katz, 2014) (Peters, 2010) (Borders, Bock, & Michalak, 2012)

(Johnson-Harris & Mundschenk, 2014) .

b.) Population:

The Three-Block model of UDL is targeted for all students. It can be

implemented in grades K-12, with any population of students, including

those with severe disabilities, emotional behavioural disorders, learning

disabilities, Autism spectrum disorder, and students with any number

of complex needs (Katz, 2012).

c. Targeted behaviours:

The Three-Block model for UDL targets social inclusion, academic

inclusion, self-worth, and belonging and promotes engagement, self-

regulation, collaborative learning, independence, respecting diversity,

and prosocial behaviours (Katz, 2013). It also improves literacy,

numeracy, critical thinking (Katz & Porath, 2011), and teachers self-

efficacy and collegial relationships (Katz, 2014).

d. Major implementation steps of the practice, in the elementary

setting, paraphrased from the teaching guide Teaching to Diversity

(Katz, 2012):

1. Block 1: Social and Emotional Learning

a. Spirit buddies
i. Students get into groups of three or four with people
they arent friends with. These groups can change
every few weeks, or months, but should remain for
long enough for students to begin to develop
relationships and build community.
ii. Every morning for 5-15 minutes, students meet with
Spirit Buddies to do three things:
1. Greeting/welcome Hi.
2. Check-in How are you doing?
3. Talk about whatever you want to start the day in
community.
iii. This gives our invisible students a feeling of
belonging, and can help develop friendships and
connections in a context that is universal, and with no
pressure.
iv. Teacher does not participate or circulate: Students
should get the feeling that they can speak freely. If
teacher notices some students arent participating,
they can check in at a later time, so as to not single
them out.
b. Democratic Classroom Meetings
1. Students are welcome to call a meeting to raise a
concern or solve a problem within the class:
demonstrates a commitment to democratic
decision-making
2. Requires explicit teaching, organization, and
guidance from teacher
3. First round, students express gratitude I would
like to compliment _____ for helping me when
____
4. Second round students can rise issues using
frame I would like to change ____
Personal comments/ accusations are
not condoned
Focus is on how to solve problem,
what is fair for all, not who is to blame
for it
5. Sentence frames are taught to students
6. Everyone is encouraged to participate
Generates natural learning
opportunities and teach social
problem solving
7. Discussing problems, practicing solutions, and
making decisions together reinforces the sense of
community because all present have an equal
opportunity to contribute, collaborate and
comment.
Class meetings are scheduled and held
weekly
8. Students are welcome to call a meeting at any
time if they feel the need to raise a concern or
solve a problem within the class, which
demonstrates a commitment to democratic
decision-making and that the teacher is
responsive to student needs.
Students practice skills that for
community building.
 1. Working together for a common
goal
2. Expressing themselves in front of
their peers
3. Develop essential social and
communication skills, such as
etiquette and tact
c. Respecting Diversity Program
9 Lesson Program to be delivered in the first two weeks
of September
Promotes self-worth, and embraces the diversity of
strengths and challenges of all students through a
Multiple Intelligences (MI) lens.
Explicit lessons provided in Teaching to Diversity
(Katz, 2012), for example:
o Lesson 3 Community Brain
! Students create a brain made of plasticine
and each student makes a flag to illustrate
which MI strength they will offer as a helper
! Lesson 9, The Brain and Disabilities
o demystifies disabilities while
emphasizing that a disability does not
define a student, nor does it limit their
capacity for intelligence.
! The RD program promotes students sense of self-
worth and belonging by framing the class as a team,
not a competition. This metaphor will make all
students improve in the areas of collaboration and
group work throughout the year, and feel like they
are a part of the class community, which sets up all
students for success.

2. Block 2: Instructional Design
! Step by step instructions are provided in Teaching to
Diversity (Katz, 2012), and highly recommended before
implementing practice.
! School day is chunked into 3 blocks: Numeracy, Literacy,
Theme (science and socials)
! Morning to recess, recess to lunch, afternoons
o Integrated units under themes/guiding questions
matched to essential understanding in the
curriculum.
o Activities are planned to provide multiple
opportunities for students to learn, practice, and
demonstrate conceptual understanding, through an
MI lens. Activities promote higher-order thinking
and inquiry, and are teacher-led, small group, and
individual, based on the activity and needs of the
class.
! For Theme block, students rotate through MI activity
centres in small groups to practice collaboration and learn
through multiple means.
Students see content at least nine times, in nine
different ways (ex: visual-spatial, body-kinesthetic,
verbal-linguistic, existential, etc.)
Students have at least nine opportunities to
demonstrate their understanding
Each student will have a chance to work in a
strength centre, and in centres which are out of
their comfort zones
! Students self-assessed their MI strength and challenge
areas during the RD program.
Students are continually assessed by multiple
means, using a universal rubric that is written based
on the essential understanding of the curriculum,
 and using a Blooms taxonomy framework to assess
depth of thinking.
! Students are assessed during MI centres, by interviews,
tests, writing, visual conceptual representation, etc.
! Students can get on the rubric at any time throughout
the term, thus there is no sense of anxiety at trying
activities that are not within a students comfort zone.
The alternative model often results in a student with a
written output disorder being asked to write a paragraph
as the only means to assess their understanding of a
! Teacher provides regular feedback, and provides
social studies concept.
additional mini-lessons to whole class, small groups,
and/or individuals to ensure comprehension
Literacy and Numeracy blocks also provide
opportunities for students to learn and demonstrate
their understanding using multiple means, and
students are NOT grouped by ability for reading
groups.

3. Block three: Systems and Structures
o For effective implementation of the Three-Block model, there
must be systems and supports in place.
! No exceptions policy to including all students
! Supportive administration within the school
! Collaboration among staff (CT, RT, SLP, etc.), families and
communities
! Professional development and co-planning opportunities
for teachers

e. Ways that the effectiveness of the practice is evaluated:
Student and teacher self-reports, observations, interviews and
surveys, pre-, during-, and post-intervention
 To measure social and academic inclusion/exclusion: the Global
Portrait of Social and Moral Health for Youth (GPSMHY) (Davidson
& Kmelkov, 2006)
To measure students attitudes and behaviors in valuing diversity,
shared vision and goals: Acceptance of Outgroups scale (CDP)
To measure self-concept: two subscales of Marsh Self-Description
Questionnaire (SDQ) (Marsh, 1992)
To measure school and classroom climate and sense of belonging:
CDP classroom supportiveness and safety subscales of the sense
of school as a classroom community instrument
To measure student autonomy: CDP Student Autonomy and
Influence in the Classroom scale

Peer Reviewed Journal Article

Three Block Model of Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

Engaging students in inclusive education
APA Citation:

Katz, J. (2013). The Three Block Model of Universal Design for Learning
(UDL): Engaging students in inclusive education. Canadian Journal
of Education / Revue Canadienne De L'ducation, 36(1), 153-194.

Abstract:

When the Three Block Model of Universal Design for Learning (Katz,
2012a) is implemented, outcomes related to student academic and
social engagement were investigated in this study. 631 students from
Grades 1 to 12 attending ten schools located in two rural and three
urban school divisions in Manitoba took part in the study. Intervention
and control groups were assessed pre and during intervention for
academic and social engagement. Student and teacher demographics,
types of task and grouping structures being assigned were investigated
to determine impacts on engagement. Students completed several
measures of classroom climate, belongingness, student autonomy, and
inclusivity/exclusivity, and a selected sample were observed to obtain
detailed information about their engaged behavior. Data were analyzed
using repeated measures MANCOVAs. The intervention significantly
increased students engaged behavior, particularly active engagement,
and promoted social engagement through increased peer interactions,
student autonomy, and inclusivity.

Big Ideas:
1. True inclusion means all students, with no exceptions, are

included literally and figuratively in the academic and social

community of the class.

2. Instructional approaches ought to promote academic inclusion,

social inclusion, belonging, and self-worth, for all students.

3. The Three-Block Model of UDL is a framework that improves

social and active engagement, which predicts academic

achievement.

4. The study is limited because it did not measure academic

achievment outcomes directly, and the sample of teachers

participating in the study volunteered, and had pre-

interventioninterest in UDL. However, because teachers in the

control group also expressed interest in UDL, and received some

exposure to the program, it makes the gap in results even more

significant.
 5. In the future studies could measure the impact of implementing

both Block One and Block Two of the model, and compare

differences.

 References

Biglan, A., Flay, B. R., Embry, D. D., & Sandler, I. N. (2012). The critical role
of nurturing environments for promoting human well-being.
American Psychologist, 67(4), 257-271.

British Columbia Ministry of Education. (2016). Special Education
Services: A Manual of Policies, Procedures and Guidelines.
Retrieved from the BC Education Government website:
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/special_ed_policy_manual.pdf
, , (2012), Chapter 9 Differentiated
Christy Borders Stacey Jones Bock Nichelle Michalak
Instruction for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders,
in Jeffrey P. Bakken, Festus E. Obiakor, Anthony F. Rotatori
(ed.)Behavioral Disorders: Identification, Assessment, and
Instruction of Students with EBD (Advances in Special Education,
Volume 22) Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp.203 - 219
Johnson-Harris, K. M., & Mundschenk, N. A. (2014). Working effectively
with students with BD in a general education classroom: The case
for universal design for learning. The Clearing House: A Journal of
Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas,87(4), 168-174.
Katz, J. (2014). Implementing the Three-Block Model of Universal
Design for Learning (UDL): Effects on teachers self-efficacy,
stress, and job satisfaction in inclusive classrooms K-12.
International Journal of Inclusive Education, 19(1), 1-20.
Katz, J. (2012). Teaching to diversity: The three-block model of universal
design for learning. Winnipeg, MB, Canada: Portage & Main Press.

Katz, J. (2013). The Three Block Model of Universal Design for Learning
(UDL): Engaging students in inclusive education. Canadian Journal
of Education / Revue Canadienne De L'ducation, 36(1), 153-194.

Katz, J., and M. Porath. 2011. Teaching to Diversity: Creating
Compassionate Learning Communities for Diverse Elementary
 School Communities. International Journal of Special Education
26 (2): 113. Katz, J., and R. Sugden. 2013.

Peters, L. C., M.A. (2010, January 8). Universal Design for Learning helps
reduce challenging behavior. Retrieved July 20, 2016, from
http://www.ttacnews.vcu.edu/2010/01/universal-design-for-
learning-helps-reduce-challenging-behavior/