Inclusive Dialogue: UDL and Dialogic Teaching for Secondary Classrooms

This professional development course equips secondary educators with a research-based framework for designing inclusive, intellectually rigorous classrooms through the integration of Dialogic Teaching and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Grounded in the work of Robin Alexander, Paulo Freire, and CAST, the course moves beyond superficial differentiation strategies and compliance-driven inclusion models. Participants will examine how classroom discourse, task design, and assessment practices can either reproduce barriers or dismantle them.

Educators will learn how to:

• Design dialogic learning environments that promote collective and reciprocal meaning-making

• Apply the three core principles of UDL to reduce cognitive, linguistic, and executive-function barriers

• Integrate structured talk moves with flexible representation and expression pathways

• Redesign secondary lessons using an evidence-informed inclusion framework

• Evaluate the impact of inclusive dialogic practices on student engagement and academic rigor

Through case studies, classroom discourse analysis, lesson redesign tasks, and implementation tools, participants will develop a transferable model for inclusive secondary instruction that is principled, intentional, and sustainable.

This course is designed for:

• Secondary teachers (Grades 6–12)

• IB, bilingual, and inclusive school educators

• Instructional coaches and curriculum leaders

• Pre-service and in-service teachers seeking advanced professional development

By the end of the course, participants will produce a fully redesigned secondary lesson plan integrating dialogic teaching strategies and UDL principles, accompanied by a professional rationale grounded in current educational research.

📦 What’s Included

• 6 instructional modules

• Downloadable planning templates

• Dialogic Moves Toolkit

• UDL Redesign Checklist

• Final lesson redesign project

• Certificate of completion

Course Highlights

• Evidence-Based Integration Framework
  Learn a structured model that integrates Dialogic Teaching and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into a coherent instructional design approach for secondary classrooms.

• Move Beyond Surface-Level Differentiation
  Examine why traditional differentiation often fails and how structured discourse + inclusive design reduce cognitive and participation barriers. 

• Capstone-Level Final Project 
  Produce a fully redesigned lesson plan integrating dialogic strategies and UDL principles, supported by a research-informed professional rationale.

• Designed for Secondary Educators 
  Specifically tailored for Grades 6–12, IB, bilingual, and inclusive school contexts.

• Implementation Templates & Checklists 
  Download ready-to-use planning tools, observation rubrics, and inclusive discussion protocols.

• Classroom Discourse Analysis 
  Analyze real classroom interaction transcripts to identify participation gaps and redesign for equitable talk.

• UDL Applied to Real Secondary Lessons 
  Redesign authentic secondary-level lessons using multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression.

• Practical Dialogic Moves Toolkit
  Master purposeful questioning strategies, revoicing techniques, and scaffolded academic dialogue structures that increase student engagement and rigor.