Frequent Sequencing

Sequencing -- the ability to think and talk about a related series of events. 

I've been trying some new activities to give my preschoolers more practice with sequencing.  It's a foundational skill that shows up several times in our Vermont early education assessment standards (Teaching Strategies Gold) and the Common Core.

Some Preschool Standards Related to Sequencing

• Tells about experiences in order…
• Remembers the sequence of personal routines and experiences...
• Tells stories about other times and places that have a logical order... 

Some Common Core Standards Related to Sequencing

• K: Identify characters, setting, and major events in stories...
• 5th: Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically... 

Broadly defined, just about any event or activity lends itself to sequencing.  In our preschool program, we have many visual sequence strips to help children follow routines throughout their days.  We use visuals for the daily schedule, snack, clean up,  hand washing, making play dough, playing games, and getting ready to go outside (to name a few).  We also create sequence strips for special activities -- like making gingerbread houses or "Friendship Snack Mix. These visuals help students follow and internalize the events of the day.


It's only a small adjustment to use these same visuals to give children many opportunities to RETELL the stories of their daily routines. It's these expressive sequencing skills (verbal and written) that become so important in the later school years.



Opportunities for retelling are simple to create by INTENTIONALLY and FREQUENTLY:

• modeling the step by step language of our routines
• asking children to tell the next step in a routine
• asking students to describe familiar routines aloud

Additional practice can be provided during my speech and language sessions.  If I cut up copies of familiar sequence strips, we can use them to play games like

• Which step is missing?
• Which step did I move?
• Tell me how to put it back together.  

These activities give students  practice talking about sequenced experiences.  And the familiar routines and visuals offer a built in level of support that my students with language delays often need.


As an added BONUS sequenced retells simultaneously address other language skills. For example:

• sentence structure and vocabulary (Next, spread the frosting on the sides. )
• hypothesizing (What will happen if you put your coat on first?)
• recall (Remember how we set up the game last time?)
• organizing (Let's make a list of what we will do together today)

Finally, these activities typically take just a few minutes to complete, leaving valuable time for lots of other Speech and Language FUN!