What is the purpose of an advance organizer in a lesson?

An advance organizer serves to prepare students for new learning by activating their prior knowledge and making connections with what they are about to learn. By presenting essential background information in a structured way, advance organizers help students organize their thoughts and integrate new information more effectively. This technique enhances comprehension and retention by bridging the gap between existing knowledge and new concepts.

While assessing previous knowledge can be an important step in the learning process, it does not fully capture the role of an advance organizer, which is more about preparing students for upcoming material rather than just evaluating what they already know. Detailed instructions and lesson summaries are important components of effective teaching but do not align with the specific purpose of an advance organizer, which is to connect prior knowledge with new learning experiences.