Recognizing the order of events not only helps in reading comprehension with stories
or historical
events, but also provides a foundation for breaking large tasks into managable pieces that must go
together in proper order. This exercise pairs students who will do the preparation work for you.
Sequencing refers to putting events or actions in order. One example is chronological
order, as is
common with historical events. Another is the ordering of steps to carry out, as we find with
procedures such as instructions, recipes, and manuals. Time life cycle also uses the sequential
format.
Of all the text structures, sequencing is the easiest for students to understand.
Students see many
examples of sequencing in their lives and have read many stories in which the order of the story
makes a difference. Being able to perceive the order of events not only helps in reading
comprehension with stories and historical events, but it also aids students in breaking large tasks
into smaller, more manageable tasks.
Teaching Strategies that have been found effective in teaching sequencing as a text
structure
include:
- Teaching students the vocabulary that
signals sequencing, i.e., words such as first,
next, then, initially, before, after, when, finally, preceding, and following
- Teaching students to use and then
create graphic organizers, particularly time lines
- Teaching students how to ask probing
questions to discern the sequencing pattern, for
example:
- What is being described?
- Why is the sequence important?
- What are major steps in this sequence?
- Why did the author use chronological
order?
