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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that can guide you to create inclusive digital learning experiences to support all learners in your Pacific TVET classroom. If applied proactively, it removes barriers—such as low literacy, language differences, or cultural diversity—common in TVET settings, by offering flexible approaches to suit learners’ varied strengths, preferences, and challenges. Whether you’re teaching carpentry, hospitality, or fisheries, UDL enables you to design lessons to support every student, whatever their starting point.

UDL is built on three key principles:

• Representation means delivering content in multiple formats to suit different needs. For instance, you might use diagrams of carpentry safety procedures to aid low-literacy learners, multilingual audio files (e.g., in English and a local language like Samoan) to bridge language gaps, or video demonstrations to show practical steps—enhance these with visual cues alongside diagrams, provide glossaries for technical terms, or include step-by-step guides to boost understanding.
• Engagement keeps learners motivated by offering choices in activities. You could include hands-on tasks like drawing an automotive safety plan, group discussions to share ideas, or peer reviews to reflect on work—offer flexible roles within groups to encourage participation, monitor progress to maintain interest, and set clear goals like “List two safety rules” to focus their efforts.
• Action/Expression allows learners to show what they’ve learnt in ways that work for them. For example, they might give verbal explanations, create drawings, or compile digital portfolios. You may give the option to learners who find writing tough to share their ideas by recording answers with a mobile phone’s voice recorder or sending voice messages through WhatsApp.

To make UDL work in the Pacific, prioritise accessibility for low-connectivity settings. Use offline-compatible materials like printable diagrams, pre-recorded audio on USB sticks, or text-based handouts to reach learners in remote areas. Boost engagement by weaving in local examples. For instance, when teaching about safety practices in your trade, think culturally relevant safety practices, such as checking the propeller on a fishing boat engine in Kiribati or using a hot stone oven safely in Tonga—to resonate with your students’ experiences. To ensure your lesson reflects UDL, you can refine your approach using UDL checkpoints, available online (e.g., at cast.org). These are simple questions—like “Can all learners access this?” or “Are there options for engagement?”—that help you evaluate and ensure your lesson is truly inclusive.