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When I was teaching middle school, I began every class with a “Do Now.” Students would enter, read the prompt written on the whiteboard, and get started. It was automatic for me; I’d been trained to start lessons with an activator, and it became part of my daily rhythm.
But here was the problem: many students struggled with it. Some couldn’t see the writing from their seats, others had difficulty decoding the text, and a few froze because they didn’t know how to begin. So I asked myself: how can I redesign just this one routine using UDL?
Why Inclusive Routines Matter
Research backs this up. A 2023 meta-analysis by Patel and colleagues found that when routines are clear, predictable, and explicitly taught, students show higher academic achievement, increased engagement, and greater confidence. Why? Because routines reduce decision fatigue. They free up working memory and help students anticipate what’s coming next.
And honestly, I get it. I’m the same way. If I go to pour my coffee and realize I’m out of creamer, my brain short-circuits. Students feel the same when routines don’t work for them. So where can we start?
Start Small: Strategies to Redesign Classroom Routines
Make Routines Accessible to All Learners
At first, my “Do Now” lived on the whiteboard, often in faded marker that would have been difficult for a hawk to see (supposedly they have great eyesight!). The solution was simple: I transitioned to a daily slide deck with the prompt and a timer. With this one change, students had the option to view it on the projector, access it in our learning management system, use accessibility tools like text-to-speech or font enlargers, or read it with a partner or in small groups. Clearly, this required explicit instruction and exploration up front so students could get what they needed quickly, but once a routine like this is in place, it will make your life SOOO much easier.
Try it! Create one Google/PowerPoint slide with your “Do Now” and project it before class. Introduce this new routine to your students and show them all the options available to them. Ask them, What option will you choose today and why?
Being Predictable is Not a Bad Thing: Embrace Repeated Routines
At first, I was still inventing a new prompt every day, extra work for me, and not the point of the "Do Now". Most of the time, my "do-now" was unrelated to the lesson - think trivia and fun quotes or a prompt for freewriting. I realized that I wanted to shift from keeping them busy to helping them prepare to learn. So I shifted to predictable options students could choose from daily:
- Review notes from the previous day.
- Chat with a partner about the day’s objective, which I posted on the slide.
- Meet with me for a quick three-minute check-in if they’ve been absent or needed support.
Also, instead of rushing in to begin the do-now as soon as they crossed the threshold, students had transition time, which was much more relaxing for the two minutes where some students would arrive early. Once the bell rang, we started together. The routine became simple, sustainable, and inclusive.
Try it! Pick 1 routine you can sustain, (re)introduce them to students, and use them every day for the next two weeks.
Explicitly Teach the Options
This part is critical, and I mentioned it quickly earlier, but it deserves its own step. Students can’t just be given choices; they need guidance and support over time.
When introducing this new universally designed approach to my learners, I explicitly taught (and showed) how to access slides and use accessibility tools, use devices responsibly (without getting lost in other tabs), and collaborate respectfully with partners (including role-playing conversations and using sentence stems). Now granted, this is when the Chromebook carts were something you had to reserve in advance and AI was total science fiction so students had far fewer distractions. That’s just to say that you may need to spend a little more time setting these routines, to ensure they are efficient and accessibile and are not a distraction to learning. I promise it will be time well spent.
Try it! Role-play a selected routine with your class, demonstrating what to do and what not to do.
Beyond the “Do Now”
Even if you do not use “Do Nows” in your classroom, the same can be applied to your daily routines. Try applying these universally designed practices to:
- Note-taking → give the choice of handwritten notes, graphic organizers, or digital tools with text-t-speech (TTS)
- Exit tickets → allow students to write, record a voice note, or draw a sketch
- Transitions → use countdowns with visual reminders and a music cue that isn’t jarring at the end of it. Also, allow students the option to get up and stretch, even if it’s for 20 seconds, before moving to the next activity.
The beauty of UDL is that you don’t have to overhaul your entire classroom at once (in fact, you shouldn’t, it’s not realistic). Start with one routine. Ask yourself, “Where might my learners be hitting barriers?” Then, redesign that single moment with accessibility, predictability, and explicit teaching in mind.
When one routine runs smoothly, add another. Over time, these small shifts create a classroom where every learner feels prepared, supported, and included, without adding more to your already full plate.
Go beyond the do-now and deepen your learning. Learn strategies to design learning experiences and explore tools and resources that help deliver a universally designed experience to all learners.
