Applying Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to Sport Teaching in Physical Education

 

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for designing instruction that engages the teacher to proactively remove barriers to learning when designing units of work and lessons to provide all students with meaningful opportunities to participate and succeed.

In sport teaching in physical education (PE) UDL can help teachers intentionally plan to ensure students of differing abilities, fitness levels, cultural backgrounds, language backgrounds, and learning needs can fully participate in activities. Three pillars of UDL focus that planning

Pillar 1. Multiple Means of Engagement (Addressing "Why" Students Participate)

This pillar directs teachers to students motivation, interest, and participation. Engagement can be enhanced by providing students with choices and opportunities for autonomy. For example:

Basketball

• Allow students to choose between different roles (player, coach, statistician, referee). [A Sport Education Model is ideally suited for this]
• Offer different challenge levels (modified games, smaller teams, varied ball sizes).
• Allow students to set personal performance goals.

Athletics

• Let students choose whether to improve speed, technique, or endurance.
• Use personal-best goals rather than only competitive rankings.

The old Athletics Australia 5-Star Challenge program is a good example of this.

Pillar 2. Multiple Means of Representation (Addressing "What" Students Learn)

This pillar emphasises presenting information in different ways – a more information rich environment. For example:

Teaching a Volleyball Serve

• Demonstrate the skill live (Demonstrate and Explain – then students practice [Style B of the Spectrum of Teaching Styles]
• Show a slow-motion video so students have a mental representation of what to do before going into the activity.

Teaching Tactical Concepts

Help students develop mental representations through -

• Use of tactical diagrams.
• Showing game footage.

Pillar 3. Multiple Means of Action and Expression (Addressing "How" Students Demonstrate Learning)

This pillar directs teachers to permit different ways of student demonstrating understanding and skill development.

 A good resource to help understand UDL in physical education is:

Lieberman, L. J., Grenier, M., Brian, A., & Arndt, K. (2020). Universal Design for Learning in Physical Education. Human Kinetics. Click here 

Applying UDL Through the Play with Purpose Framework in Physical Education

The Play with Purpose framework emphasises using games and play-based activities as meaningful contexts for learning, rather than teaching isolated techniques first. Students learn skills, tactics, social capabilities, and movement concepts through purposeful game experiences. When combined with UDL, Play with Purpose becomes a highly inclusive approach that enables all students to access, engage with, and demonstrate learning in sport learning in physical education.

Example: Creating Space in an Invasion Game

Play with Purpose Activity

• 4v4 modified game where teams earn points for successful passes into space.

UDL Applications

• Students choose team roles (attacker, defender, coach, observer).
• Different-sized playing areas are available.
• Different equipment options (soft balls, larger balls, brightly coloured balls).
• Students set individual goals (e.g., "move into space three times each game").

The game remains meaningful while students experience appropriate challenge and autonomy. This supports motivation and persistence.

Example Lesson: Play with Purpose + UDL

Learning Intention

Students will identify and use space to maintain possession in a modified invasion game.

Play Phase 1: Students play a 3v3 possession game.

UDL Engagement

• Choice of equipment.
• Choice of playing role.
• Various levels of challenge.

2. Reflect and Discover

Teacher asks:

• "Where was space available?"
• "What helped your team keep possession?"

UDL Representation

Students can:

• watch a replay,
• examine a tactics board,
• observe peer demonstrations,
• discuss ideas verbally.

3. Pay Phase 2.

Students re-enter the game and apply newly conceived strategies.

UDL Action & Expression

Students demonstrate understanding by:

• applying tactics in play,
• coaching teammates,
• explaining strategies,
• completing a reflection.

 How UDL Enhances Five Common Features of Play with Purpose

Play with Purpose Feature	UDL Connection
Learning through games	Multiple activities and entry points allow all students to participate.
Tactical understanding	Concepts explained through demonstrations, visuals, discussion, and video.
Student-centred learning	Choice and autonomy are embedded throughout lessons.
Reflection and inquiry	Students reflect and communicate understanding in multiple ways.
Inclusive participation	Equipment, rules, space, and assessment can be modified for learner variability.

 A Practical Planning Question

When planning a Play with Purpose lesson, teachers can use three UDL questions:

1. Engagement: How will all students be motivated to participate?

Examples:

• choice,
• challenge levels,
• meaningful goals,
• cooperative roles.

2. Representation: How will all students understand the game problem?

Examples:

• demonstrations,
• visual supports,
• questioning,
• video.

3. Action & Expression: How can students show what they have learned?

Examples:

• gameplay,
• coaching,
• discussion,
• self-assessment,
• video analysis.

These questions help teachers design sport teaching in physical education that are both purposeful and inclusive.

In the last Learning through Sport blog, I looked at how to use Understanding by Design for sport teaching in physical education. UBD, UDL and PwP used together - 

• Understanding by Design (UbD) provides the curriculum planning framework (What are the desired learning outcomes and evidence of learning?).
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides the inclusion framework (How can all learners access, engage with, and demonstrate learning?).
• Play with Purpose provides the pedagogical approach (How will students learn through meaningful game play and sport experiences?)
• The result is sport teaching that is purposeful, inclusive, inquiry-based, and focused on transferable understanding

The result is sport teaching that is purposeful, inclusive, inquiry-based, and focused on transferable understanding

Understanding by Design	Universal Design for Learning	Play with Purpose
Identifies desired learning outcomes.	Removes barriers to learning.	Provides authentic game-based experiences.
Establishes evidence of understanding.	Provides multiple assessment pathways.	Allows learning to emerge through game problems.
Focuses on deep understanding and transfer.	Focuses on learner variability and inclusion.	Focuses on tactical, cognitive, social, and physical learning through play.
Uses "backward by design".	Uses flexible design.	Uses a spectrum of teaching styles.

Information Sources

CAST UDL Guidelines: https://udlguidelines.cast.org/  

NCHPAD: Universal Design for Learning in Physical Education: https://www.nchpad.org/resources/universal-design-for-learning-in-physical-education/  

SPARK PE: Universal Design for Learning in Physical Education: Access and Opportunity: https://sparkpe.org/universal-design-for-learning-in-physical-education-access-and-opportunity/ 

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