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Language Resource Center Speaker Series - Christopher Hromalik

November 5, 2020

3:30 pm

"Inclusive by Design: Universal Design for Learning and the World Language Classroom"
Christopher Hromalik
Professor of Spanish and Coordinator of Spanish and French, Onondaga Community College

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a research-based framework for designing instruction to be more accessible to all learners. By following the principles and guidelines of the UDL framework, instructors can design a more inclusive learning environment that will provide an improved experience for all students.
This talk will provide both a theoretical introduction to the UDL framework and practical suggestions for applying it to the language classroom. First, a brief introduction to UDL and information on learner variability (i.e., the diversity in how everyone learns) will be provided. Next, results of research that has investigated the effects of an annual UDL training for faculty, staff, and administrators will be briefly shared. Finally, the main focus of the presentation will be on specific strategies that faculty can employ as they seek to universally design their language instruction. Given the current global health crisis and the importance of including all learners when teaching a language at a distance, specific strategies for synchronous and asynchronous online language instruction will be provided.

Bio: Dr. Hromalik is Professor of Spanish and Coordinator of Spanish and French in the World Languages Department at Onondaga Community College. He is also the Chair of the ACTFL Distance Learning Special Interest Group. His main area of research is the role of self-regulated learning in second language acquisition, with a focus on community college students studying a language online. From 2016-2019, he was the Faculty Coordinator of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Academy, which was funded as part of the Onondaga Pathways to Careers (OPC) project through a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy. In this role, he served as the lead instructional designer and principal investigator studying the impact of UDL training on community college faculty, staff, and students. Since 2011, he has given presentations and conducted trainings for faculty, staff, and administrators on how to create accessible digital instructional materials and how to apply the Universal Design for Learning framework. He has also been a presenter for workshops on the design and development of online language instruction since 2015.

Join us live on Zoom.

Additional Information

Program

Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies

Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Southeast Asia Program

South Asia Program