Equitable learning environments guide learners in the process of constructing knowledge by valuing and cultivating multiple ways of knowing and making meaning. Diverse cultural perspectives bring unique insights and methods of understanding the world. Indigenous knowledge systems, for instance, emphasize holistic and interconnected ways of knowing, which can complement and enrich Western methodologies. By incorporating and respecting these various approaches, education can become more inclusive and effective. This broad approach helps in creating a more inclusive educational environment that respects and utilizes the diverse backgrounds of every learner. Well-designed learning materials and environments incorporate multiple approaches to building knowledge, including but not limited to problem solving, storytelling, algorithms, and holistic and linear thinking. Incorporating multiple ways for meaning making, along with embedding models, scaffolds, and feedback, can assist learners in knowing how to apply different approaches and use those strategies effectively.

• Incorporate multiple ways of knowing, including storytelling, kinesthetics, problem solving, and relational learning through interpersonal experiences.
• Use explicit prompts for each step in a sequential process to help learners develop a logical flow specific for their understanding and create a structure of complex tasks.
• Use options for organizational methods and approaches (e.g., tables and algorithms for processing mathematical operations), supporting the various cognitive approaches and enhancing comprehension .
• Use interactive models that guide exploration and new understandings.
• Introduce graduated scaffolds that support information processing strategies.
• Provide multiple entry points to a lesson and optional pathways through content (e.g., exploring big ideas through dramatic works, arts and literature, film, and media).
• “Chunk” information into smaller elements, helping to prevent cognitive overload.
• Progressively release information (e.g., sequential highlighting).
• Remove unnecessary distractions unless they are essential to the instructional goal.