Instructional Guide
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| (Davis School District, 2026) |
Instructional pacing guides act as instructional blueprints that connect overarching educational standards to our daily classroom experiences. A scope and sequence (S&S) is a foundational type of instruction guide that aligns with the Planning and Presentation domain because it outlines our long-term instruction using evidence-based and systematic instruction.
The scope
defines what content and skills will be taught (ex. specific learning
standards, vocabulary, concepts). The sequence outlines when those skills will
be taught, putting them into a logical, step-by-step order of progression.
“When
educators follow a solid scope and sequence, no assumptions are made about what
students do or do not know, or what they can or cannot learn. Instead, all
students are taught according to a clear and intentional plan in which skills
are taught systematically and cumulatively (Mechelke, 2023).”
Instructional
pacing guides are a best practice because they provide us, as teachers, with maps
we can follow to ensure we explicitly and systematically teach our students
standards-aligned objectives and skills. S&S guides also help us prevent
learning gaps and unneeded repetition because skills are taught cumulatively,
guaranteeing that all our students are taught with intentionality, according to
research-backed plans.
Davis School District. (2026). Online English Language Arts bookshelf. Retrieved May 19, 2026, from www.davis.k12.ut.us
Mechelke, M. (2023, March 21). Scope and Sequence: What Is It, and How Do Educators Use It to Guide Instruction? | Iowa Reading Research Center - The University of Iowa. Irrc.education.uiowa.edu. https://irrc.education.uiowa.edu/blog/2023/03/scope-and-sequence-what-it-and-how-do-educators-use-it-guide-instruction
