Why I Don't Teach the CAGED System

Scaffolding is a teaching technique used to build connections for learners before the true concept is taught. An educator will select content that is not too difficult or unfamiliar for students and will use that familiar material to make connections to the new concept.

An example of scaffolding is a teacher discussing the themes of To Kill A Mockingbird before assigning a class to read the book itself. The CAGED system shares this same structure; instead of directly learning how chords are constructed, students learn chord shapes they’re already familiar with, but move the chord shapes to new locations on the neck.