By Dr. Sue Snyder
The learning sequence applies to any concept or skill in any discipline. Because sequence implies that one step comes before the other, understanding this process this can help us plan instruction. This sequence is only one model of many that might be used to organize and plan.* It is particularly effective when demonstrating that arts education is more than entertainment of children. As with any scaffold, it is only a tool, and it has been particularly useful to many teachers.
One should take care that intuitive learners often take a different path, or simply leap rather than walk. There are questions about whether it is important to ever learn to label, particularly in the arts, because there are no words to describe the deepest knowing in music, art, dance, or drama. And keep in mind that you need to prioritize the concepts and skills that are the most important for your child to learn … and there is no substitute for meaningful content and quality materials and activities.
Children experience the concept or skill with no mention of the label.
Children do an activity or task through which they creatively explores the concept or skill without any label.
The adult asks a question which invites the children to describe the concept or skill in their own words.
The adult provides the terminology or label(s) for the concept or skill.
Concepts should be practiced 8-2,000 times until they are assimilated into practice. There should be visual, aural, and kinesthetic practice opportunities for different learners. During this stage, activities will be adult-guided at first; then move your children toward independent learning opportunities.
Children choose or are given creative problem-solving tasks through which understanding or skill is demonstrated.
Although assessment is on-going throughout the steps of the learning process, summative formal assessment through which children demonstrate their understanding and skill should occur before moving on to a new concept. The most powerful assessment occurs during completion of the "Create" step, through self, peer, and adult evaluation. Additional assessments may be necessary to determine individual growth. Paper and pencil tests can be constructed to measure knowledge, comprehension, and possibly some analysis and application. Process portfolios and journals are other sources of evidence.
The concept or skill is maintained and built upon in a spiral fashion.
*I learned this sequence first from Betsy Moll, a Kodaly teacher; others have elaborated on it in different ways, so you may find variations of the steps and/or descriptions.