To support all students—especially those with diverse language backgrounds or varying levels of familiarity with subject-specific terms—it’s important to clearly explain the vocabulary, symbols, and structure of the language used in your materials.
The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework recommends that educators offer multiple ways for students to access and understand academic language. One powerful way to do this is by using a visual glossary: a multimodal tool that pairs words with visuals, student-friendly definitions, and meaningful examples.
We’ve created an infographic (linked below) that shows you how to bring this research-backed strategy into your classroom in a practical way.
Bonus Tip: Let your students help build the glossary! Collaborative creation promotes ownership, deeper understanding, and peer-supported learning.
Here is a downloadable tool you can use right away in class to guide students as they build their own visual glossaries. Try using this tool as part of your unit vocabulary work, or assign it as a review activity before a quiz. You can even make it part of student-led centers or partner activities. Over time, your class will build a resource that reflects their learning journey—and supports every learner along the way.
Updated: August 2025