Plain English Meaning

Learning is built up step by step, like stacking blocks. Each new skill sits on top of skills the student has already mastered, so nothing is taught before the groundwork for it is in place.

Full Definition

An instructional approach in which learning is structured as a sequence of progressively more advanced skills and knowledge, where each new element is built on top of previously mastered ones. Simple tasks are taught and confirmed first, then combined and extended into more complex tasks, so that every new step rests on a solid foundation of what the learner already knows.

Context Anchor

Seen in instructor training, lesson planning, habit formation, and any discussion of how simple skills develop into reliable pilot performance.

Derivation

From the everyday image of building with blocks: a stable structure requires lower blocks to be in place before higher ones can be added. Applied to teaching, it means foundational skills must be solid before more advanced skills are stacked on top.