TLP-02 Topic Stacking

About this guide

There are many different ways you can plan out your lessons with your students. One possible path is to use a method called 'topic stacking'. When used properly it gives your student a path to follow that makes sense to them and feels relatively easy. It will also help the student see how every skill and topic they learn is interconnected which will help them develop as musicians.

If you're a new guitar teacher this method will make your job easier as you won't need to plan lessons out far in advance. You'll be able to take everything one lesson at a time which takes a lot of guesswork out of lesson planning. By the end of this guide you'll have a strong understanding of topic stacking and will be able to start using it straight away in your lessons.

If you're an experienced guitar teacher you probably already use some form of topic stacking in your lessons. By the end of this guide you'll be able to better control the direction of your lessons and will have some new ideas on how to approach lesson planning.

Why Topic Stacking is Important

Topic stacking allows your student to see how different topics or skills are related to each other and it gives them the opportunity to practice making connections between various topics.

It becomes obvious why topic stacking is so important when it isn't used. When topics or skills are taught in isolation, the student builds up a fragmented picture in their head on guitar and music. This can lead to confusion and frustration as the student won't be able to 'connect the dots'. Topic stacking can help you keep your students motivated and avoid burning out.

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