Sequencing

The ability to sequence events, stories, and procedures is critical to classroom success.  Children must understand concepts such as beginning, middle, and end as well as first, next, then, and last.   The idea is that it is important to tell stories, events, and procedures in the correct order.  For example, if you give procedural information in the wrong order, your cookies may not come out right.

Talk about what would happen if you left out a step or changed the order of the steps.  This process promotes the use of sequencing as well as other reasoning skills.

When you plan experiential activities for children, be sure to include a discussion about the sequence of events.  If you plan a trip to the zoo, let your child know that he or she will be expected to tell you all about it, in order, as soon as you get home.  After you finish reading a story, have your child tell the story back to you in order.

Emphasize the words that are often used in sequencing such as next, after, and then.  If children have a lot of trouble with sequencing, have them draw pictures of things you did and help them put it in order.  An alternative is to take photographs of each step and let the children arrange the photos in the correct sequence.