Design options for welcoming interests and identities
Engagement guideline
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Why this matters
Why this matters
This guideline helps us design learning opportunities that are engaging and affirm the identity of every learner.
This is a critical step to ensuring learners are able to access and engage with the learning process (CAST, 2024).
Design options for welcoming interests and identities prompts us to consider learner variability at the outset and offer options to:
The guideline also reminds us to consider:
- How will these options support learners in reaching their goals?
- Could any of these options create barriers or unnecessary challenges?
- Will all learners have fair and equal access to high-quality choices?
- How do these options reflect and respond to learner variability?
Optimise choice and autonomy
Optimise choice and autonomy
Learners differ in how much and what kinds of choices they prefer.
Discuss with learners where choices will support engagement.
Optimise relevance, value, and authenticity
Optimise relevance, value, and authenticity
Learners will vary in what they find relevant or valuable.
Consider these ideas:
- Offer flexibility within learning activities so they can be personalised to learners' identities and experiences.
- Design activities so learning outcomes are authentic, communicate to real audiences, and reflect a clear purpose.
- Provide tasks that enable active participation, exploration, and experimentation.
- Include activities that foster the use of imagination to solve novel and relevant problems or make sense of complex ideas in creative ways.
Nurture joy and play
Nurture joy and play
Embed options and flexibility to support exploration and play, and spark joy (CAST, 2024).
- Nurture playfulness through outdoor play, sensory play, imaginative play, storytelling and play through the arts.
- Incorporate opportunities for exploration, experimentation, and discovery across all learning areas.
- Create space for learners to find joy through connections to their identities, sense of self, and communities.
- Create space for learners to take pride in their progress.
Source: Nurture joy and play: UDL Guidelines 3.0 | CAST (2024) (opens in a new tab/window)
Address biases, threats, and distractions
Address biases, threats, and distractions
In collaboration with learners, identify what feels distracting or threatening in a learning environment.
Useful resources
Useful resources
Design options for welcoming interests and identities (UDL Guideline)
This UDL guideline invites educators to consider how to create learning environments that affirm the dignity of every learner and support access to learning for all.
This guideline supports the UDL Engagement principle.
Publisher: CAST (2024)
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Design multiple means of Engagement”:
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Current page Design options for welcoming interests
Return to the guide “Universal Design for Learning”
How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: Autism and learning
Understand:
Strategies for action:
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Identify needs and ways to provide supportShow suggestions for Identify needs and ways to provide support
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Key areas of supportShow suggestions for Key areas of support
- Support communication
- Foster social interaction
- Minimise sensory challenges
- Support positive behaviour
- Support self-management
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Helpful classroom strategies years 1-8Show suggestions for Helpful classroom strategies years 1-8
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Helpful classroom strategies years 9-13Show suggestions for Helpful classroom strategies years 9-13
