Designing with TrUDL in Mind

Designing instruction with TrUDL in mind involves creating lessons that are both linguistically inclusive and universally accessible for all students, especially emergent bilinguals. TrUDL combines two powerful educational approaches: Translanguaging theory and the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. Together, they inspire teachers to craft lessons that celebrate linguistic diversity and eliminate barriers so every student can engage, express, and succeed in their own way.

What Is TrUDL?

The term TrUDL stands for Translanguaging + Universal Design for Learning.

• Translanguaging theory recognizes that bilingual and multilingual students naturally draw from their full range of languages to make meaning and communicate. It values students’ home languages as important learning tools instead of treating them as obstacles.
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework that promotes flexibility in teaching and learning. It encourages teachers to provide multiple ways for students to access content (representation), express what they know (action and expression), and stay motivated (engagement).

When these two frameworks are combined, TrUDL helps teachers design instruction that honors both language diversity and learning diversity. It involves planning lessons that include all learners, not by accident, but intentionally.

A TrUDL classroom is one where you might hear multiple languages, see visuals and digital supports, and notice students sharing ideas through writing, speaking, drawing, or technology. The goal is simple: every student learns in the way that works best for them.

Example: TrUDL in Action

Imagine a fifth-grade science lesson on “Ecosystems and Adaptations.”

Instead of teaching entirely in English, the teacher designs the lesson with TrUDL principles in mind:

Multiple Means of Representation (UDL):

1. The teacher uses visuals, short videos, and bilingual glossaries in English and Spanish to explain key vocabulary like “habitat,” “adaptation,” and “ecosystem.”
2. Students receive diagrams labeled in both languages and access a digital science dictionary with pictures.

Multiple Means of Expression (Translanguaging + UDL):

1. Students can share what they learn through a poster, a written paragraph, or a short video.
2. Bilingual students are encouraged to label their work or narrate their videos in both English and their home language.

Multiple Means of Engagement (UDL):

1. The class watches a short video clip about animals adapting to the rainforest and discusses it in mixed-language groups.
2. Students share how animals in their home countries adapt to their environments, connecting science concepts to personal and cultural knowledge.

This activity allows students to learn, think, and communicate using all their languages and preferred learning styles. They don’t have to leave parts of their identity at the classroom door — they bring their whole selves into the learning process.

Why This Lesson Reflects TrUDL

This science lesson reflects TrUDL because it combines language inclusion and learning flexibility.

• It embeds translanguaging, letting students move naturally between languages to deepen comprehension.
• It applies UDL principles, offering visual, linguistic, and interactive options for learning.
• It removes barriers, so students with different language abilities, reading levels, or learning needs can still participate fully.

TrUDL is not just about providing accommodations; it’s about designing lessons from the start to include everyone. By planning multiple ways to engage and express understanding, the teacher ensures that emergent bilinguals can learn alongside their peers with confidence and pride.

Why TrUDL Matters

TrUDL is especially important today because classrooms are more linguistically and culturally diverse than ever. In places like New York City, over 160,000 students are identified as English or multilingual learners (NYC DOE, 2024). These students bring powerful linguistic and cultural assets that can enrich the learning community — if teachers know how to design for them.

Traditional teaching methods that rely on one language or one way of demonstrating learning can unintentionally exclude these students. TrUDL breaks that pattern by creating lessons that are dynamic, multilingual, and flexible.

When teachers design with TrUDL in mind:

• Students feel respected and represented.
• Learning becomes accessible and meaningful.
• Classrooms become spaces of equity, creativity, and collaboration.

As Ofelia García and María Cioè-Peña remind us, translanguaging and UDL together form a path to full inclusion. TrUDL redefines what it means to teach — it is not just about covering content, but about empowering every learner to participate and thrive.

Visual & Creative Ideas

To bring TrUDL to life, teachers can:

• Display a bilingual word wall with student-made visuals.
• Add QR codes that link to short science videos in multiple languages.
• Use digital tools like Flip (for multilingual video responses) or Padlet (for visual brainstorming).
• Encourage family participation, inviting parents to share terms or examples from their languages and cultures.

These strategies make the classroom not just a place to learn facts — but a place where language, culture, and creativity unite.

Conclusion

Designing instruction with TrUDL in mind means teaching for everyone — not by chance, but through intentional planning. It honors linguistic diversity, removes obstacles, and offers students multiple ways to learn and excel. When teachers embrace both translanguaging and Universal Design for Learning, they don’t just support emergent bilinguals — they create a classroom where every student feels they belong, can contribute, and has the opportunity to grow.

 

References

• Cioè-Peña, M., & García, O. (2021). TrUDL: A path to full inclusion—Translanguaging and Universal Design for Learning. Montclair State University.
• New York City Department of Education. (2024). 2024–25 English Language Learner Demographics at a Glance. https://infohub.nyced.org
• (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.org
• García, O., & Wei, L. (2014). Translanguaging: Language, bilingualism and education. Palgrave Macmillan.