Robert’s email discussing Scope and Sequence with his district World Languages representative continues:
7. Brain-based research shows that the brain craves and requires two very different experiences. On the one hand, because active memory is limited to +/- 7 items, it is necessary to automate many functions and processes as well as “chunk” them together. That requires repetition – lots of it. Think of the difference between a new driver learning to drive a manual transmission and an experienced driver who has automated the use of the clutch, gas pedal, brake and gear shift. Now attention can be spared for observing traffic, pedestrians, etc. On the other hand, meaningless repetition is soon disregarded by the brain; what sticks out is novelty. Using the analogy of vehicles again, think of how many times we get from one place to another without consciously being aware of what happened, but when something unusual occurs, we remember it.