Lesson 4: Developing an Instructional Strategy

Gagné's third event is to stimulate recall of prior learning. Two reasons for this step are to:

1. Determine if learners have the prerequisite skills they need for the instruction.
2. Help learners relate the new content with what they already know.

Although you probably won't exclude anyone for not having prerequisite skills, it may make them realize they aren't quite ready for what you will present. Ideally, the course description explains these clearly so students can either prepare in advance or find another resource more suitable for their level of knowledge. If your presentation is adaptable and you find that learners don't have the prerequisite skills, you can add additional information to your instruction to get them up-to-speed.

The second reason is more important than the first. You want to help learners integrate the new content with what they already know. This activates their mental processing and helps them learn more easily. It's like helping put together the pieces of a puzzle in their brain.

Methods for stimulating recall of prior learning include:

• Review prior material
• Explain how what you are about to teach relates to the previous instruction
• Ask questions to elicit recall of prerequisite knowledge
• Ask for input about previous observations and experiences
  

Share your examples for stimulating recall of prior learning.