Why should lessons be sequenced?
Lesson Sequencing
| A teacher’s job is not restricted to the activities they perform in the classroom nor is it restricted to school hours. Teachers are obliged to plan; that is, to prepare for what is expected to happen in the class during school hours. Planning in teaching is commonly thought to involve making ‘lesson plans’, only; however, each lesson needs to address a set of broader objectives, and these must be planned, too. Laying out the broader picture is called ‘unit planning’. In order to create a series of lessons that hang together and meet the broader objectives, the teacher needs to prepare several lessons at once; these individual lessons must be presented in an order that optimizes the students’ ability to internalize the learning. The order in which lessons are presented is called ‘lesson sequencing’. In this section of the web site, we will review what lesson sequencing entails, how to do it, and why it is important. |
What is lesson sequencing?
Lesson sequencing is the process of organizing several lesson plans that will be taught consecutively. The purpose of lesson sequencing is to create smooth transitions between lessons in order to meet the objectives of the unit plans and to achieve optimal learning outcomes.
Why should lessons be sequenced?
Well-sequenced lesson plans benefit both the teacher and the students. Well-organized and properly sequenced lesson plans allow for a smother functioning classroom; classroom disruptions are minimized, the stress on the teacher is
reduced and the learning environment is optimized for the students. Some of the other benefits to be gained from effective lesson sequencing include, the following: