Training of Trainers Free

Learning is a process through which individuals change and improve. It is part of human nature. We learn new things all the time, from birth to death.

Think of the word ‘learning’... What is the first thing that comes to your mind?

Did you think of students sitting in a room with a teacher standing in front and explaining something?

However, learning is a key factor in our lives, it happens all the time and not only in the classroom environment. Let’s see some examples!

Learning how to drive.

Learning how to sew a button.

Learning a new cake recipe for your friend's birthday.

Learning about climate change reading the news.

Learning helps us to constantly adapt to our changing environment.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

Let's take an example: Public speaking is something that we learn throughout our lives.

As a learner... Do you remember a training in which your learned a lot? What happened that allowed you to learn?

As a trainer... What can you do to maximize your audience's learning?

1- Adults bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the training and are very often willing to share it.

2- Adults want to know why they should learn something before investing their time, money and energy.

3- Adults enjoy being active during the learning process and interacting with others.

4- Adults are willing to learn those things that they believe help them perform a task or solve a problem.

5- Adults tend to respond better to internal motivations than to external ones.

6- Adults appreciate being engaged and having fun.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

Adults learn in different ways. Some learn by listening, others by observing or by doing something with their hands. That’s what we call** learning styles**.

Visual learners prefer to learn by seeing. To incorporate this learning style, show pictures, charts and diagrams, specially with colors and make short visual presentations.

Aural learners prefer to learn by hearing. To incorporate this learning style, include songs, podcasts and group discussions.

Physical learners prefer to learn by doing. To incorporate this learning style, include experiential activities such as making models and provide opportunities for interactions.

Social learners prefer to learn by communicating and sharing with people. To incorporate this learning style, include card or board games and discussions where they can interact and build knowledge with each other.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

What do you think your role as a trainer is?

Do you think your role changes depending on the context and the audience?

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

A good trainer recognises what role they need to play in any circumstance and is able to perform this role.

What is the training cycle? The training cycle is the process that ensures that your training addresses the needs of your audience, achieves the expected results, and creates lasting change.

This model is not a simple linear process. Instead, you will move back and forth through the steps.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

Results-based learning is an approach that ensures that the training responds to the needs of the learners and the community or organization.

It also guides post-training evaluation to determine whether or not the desired change has been made.

The approach refers to four levels of needs assessment at which different results are expected.

Level 4: Impact This level focuses on the results at the level of the community or organization. Level 4 results refer to the overall impact to be achieved in the community or organisation over the 6–18 months following the training.

Level 3: Behaviour or task This level addresses task performance or behaviour. Level 3 results refer to a change in behaviour or task performance that learners will demonstrate in the months following the training. A change at level 3 contributes to making an impact at level 4.

Level 2: Learning This level addresses the learning needs. Level 2 results refer to the knowledge, skills and attitudes that individuals will acquire during the training. Improvement at level 2 contributes to a change of behaviour or improvement of task performance at level 3.

Level 1: Preferences This level addresses preferences of the target group. Level 1 refer to the learners' reaction to the training.

The trainer must have clarity about the desired impact, behaviour, learning, and preferences before starting to design the training.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

‘Beginning with the end in mind’ To write your learning objectives it is necessary to determine what the learners should be able to do at the end of the training.

Learning objectives define the structure and **approach **of the training.

Learning objectives determine the** content** and the training methods.

Learning objectives determine the time you will spend on each session.

Lastly, learning objectives will designate how you will evaluate the training.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

Learning objectives are written with three components.

What are SMART learning objectives?

A learning method determines how learners interact with the content.

The purpose of a learning method is to allow learners to increase their knowledge or strengthen their skills.

Effective learning methods are engaging and lead to long-term learning.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

Let’s have a closer look to some learning methods:

Which of these images represents a method of role-playing? The correct image is the one with a man and a woman sitting and discussing. The rest of the group is observing the role-play.

Which of these images represents a method of role-playing? The correct image is the one with a man and a woman sitting and discussing. The rest of the group is observing the role-play.

Which of these images represents a method of role-playing? The correct image is the one with a man and a woman sitting and discussing. The rest of the group is observing the role-play.

Which of these images represents a method of role-playing? The correct image is the one with a man and a woman sitting and discussing. The rest of the group is observing the role-play.

Which of these images represents a method of storytelling? The correct image is the one with the man telling a story with a microphone.

Which of these images represents a method of storytelling? The correct image is the one with the man telling a story with a microphone.

Which of these images represents a method of storytelling? The correct image is the one with the man telling a story with a microphone.

Which of these images represents a method of storytelling? The correct image is the one with the man telling a story with a microphone.

A training session is a component of the training that covers a **specific topic **and focuses on one or more learning objectives.

Training sessions are the building blocks of a training event. A session takes approximately 15 to 60 minutes.

A training session that has a logical flow will optimize learning.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

1- Introduction The trainer explains the session and provides learners with essential content.

2- Learning activity Participants interact with the content in way that enhances learning. Examples are a case study or role play.

3- Key questions Directly after the learning activity, the trainer asks key questions that are related to the learning objectives. They allow learners to reflect on what has happened during the learning activity. The key questions are a starting point for further discussion.

4- Discussion ## Learners explore various facets of the topic and learning activity. This is also the moment where they make the link between learning and application.

5- Key messages ## The trainer summarizes three or four key points that the learners need to remember.

What are icebreakers? Icebreakers are activities that help learners to relax, warm up, and be actively involved.

Icebreakers are essential at the beginning of the training as they allow for the breakdown of barriers that prevent a learner from fully participating.

Let’s have a look at some examples of icebreakers:

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

What are energizers? Energizers are short activities, commonly used after a break to stimulate or refocus the group. ## After the energizer, learners are ready for the next session.

Let’s have a look at some examples of energizers:

Birthday line up Ask people to line up according to the month they were born. ## To add more pressure and fun, give them a limited time.

Rock, paper, scissors tournament The well-known game, with a twist. Losing players become fans of the winners and encourage them during their next battle. ## This continues until a final showdown with two large cheering crowds.

Stand-up if ## Prepare a list of questions which can be answered by ‘yes’ or ‘no’. For example: Have you ever tried bungee-jumping? Read out the questions one by one. For each statement the participants stand up if they could answer the statement with yes.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

There are many online resources with energizers that are freely accessible. Also, do not hesitate to ask participants to propose energizers. They may have some really great ideas!

Before we start... What is facilitation? Facilitation is the act of making something easier.

In training, facilitation is the process where the trainer makes learning easier for the participants.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

Tip: Create a document on your desktop where you can write down any lessons learned that comes to you during or after a training session that you facilitated. Before your next session, you can review these lessons learned and improve!

Most trainings are co-facilitated by two or more trainers.

Co-facilitation is about each trainer taking full responsibility for the delivery and outcome of the training as a whole.

Co-facilitators need to agree on how the training will unfold.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

Co-facilitators need to support each other to ensure efficient collaboration.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

Co-facilitators meet after the training to talk about the lessons learned.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

Ground rules are behavioural norms that are created and agreed upon by the learners and the trainer. The purpose is to create a learning environment where everyone can thrive.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

In this scenario, where sensitive issues are being worked on, ground rules can ensure respect for the opinions of others and respect for confidentiality.

In this way, the responsibility for a safe learning environment is shared between learners and trainers.

Why is asking good questions important for learning?

A good question ensures that learners keep their focus on the main points. Example of a good question: What were the key points touched upon during this lecture?

A good question can be used to informally **assess **participants. Example of a good question: Can anyone remember what are the main components of a well-defined learning objective?

A good question can be the starting point for a discussion. Example of a good question: How can the soldier in the documentary improve his performance?

A good question helps learners to think critically. Example of a good question: What would a child protection officer need to do differently to gain the trust of a family with traditional values?

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

Asking questions is a great alternative to presenting information. Asking good questions has multiple purposes. There are different** types of questions**, each with its own objectives. Let’s have a closer look:

Mastering the different types of questions will help you formulate the most effective question for your objective.

Active listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages during communication.

1- Pay attention to the speaker.

2- Demonstrate that you are listening.

3- Make sure that you understand the message correctly.

4- Be patient.

5- Respond appropriately.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect:

**Tip: ** Next time you are having a conversation with a friend or colleague, pay attention to how you are listening to the other person. What are your gestures and postures? Are your thoughts elsewhere? Are you interrupting? How do you respond?

By providing feedback, you offer a great learning opportunity to the learners.

If not provided carefully, feedback may discourage, embarrass, hurt, or even turn learners against you.

Be prepared Write down your feedback, choose what is most useful, and decide how you will say it before you say it.

Be empathetic Ask learners if they are open to receive feedback before you provide it.

Be specific ## Make detailed comments about concrete observations instead of general statements.

Be objective ## Share what you observed and keep it personal: “I saw, I heard or I felt this...” instead of “you did, you said, or you make me feel”.

Be kind ## Make sure that feedback build ownership and confidence of your learners, not break it.

Be timely Give feedback right after the exercise, so that learners remember the details of what has happened.

Be honest Provide feedback with the primary objective to help someone improve, not to make them feel good. For example: ‘When you said…, I really lost the connection with you.’

Be consistent ## Make sure that your non-verbal communication is consistent with your verbal message.

Be patient ## Give time to the learner to reflect on what you just said and the opportunity to react without entering into discussion.

Let’s pause for a minute and reflect: