Adoption and Children Act 2002 Briefing Workshop Programme Trainer Tips.

Adoption and Children Act 2002

Briefing Workshop Programme

Trainer Tips

Page 2

Trainer Tips

Focusing on the Learner

Making an Impression

Making it Memorable

Facilitating Discussions

Facilitating Activities

Handling Challenging Situations

Other Useful Advice

Contents

Learning StylesBrain BridgesSensesThe 4 T’s

PresentingVerbal CommunicationTop tipsStructure

TechniquesFROLL!

StructureGetting the right blend between roles

Set-upMonitoringDebriefing

PreventionCoping Strategies

Feedback frameworksCreating a positive learning environmentUsing musicTips for using Trainer notesUsing visual aids: Flip TipsRole-Play: Do’s / Don’ts / Debriefing

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Activists:TRY first, then analyse later if they have to!

“I hate too much sitting around listening”

Pragmatists:How RELEVANT is this? How can I use this?

“Why can’t trainers debrief activities properly?”

Reflectors:Understand WHY first. How does this all fit together?

“There’s never any time to stop and think”

Theorists:Understand HOW first, then try it out to prove it!

“I hate rushing into stupid activities”

Focusing on the learner: Learning Styles

We all learn in different ways

Everyone has a preferred style of learning. This does not mean we only use that style in every situation. Nevertheless, for any individual, the messages in one particular style are likely to be more effective than those from the other styles.

Find out about your learners. Make sure your training appeals to their preferences

Trainers have preferences too!

WATCH OUT – don’t train just using your own preference!

Best of all – use all 4 styles and link them together – see the 4T’s for more details

Trainer Tips

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Two sides to the story

LEFT BRAIN

Linear and logical

Verbal

Analytical

Mathematical

Detailed

Sequential

Words of a song

RIGHT BRAIN

Creative and intuitive

Non-verbal

Emotional

Musical

Artistic

Creative

Tune of a song

Bridging the two sides is vital!

Focusing on the learner: Brain-Bridges

Learners have brains!

Research has shown that we retain more and can recall more if we get ‘whole brain’ messages.

Think of news stories you remember – you’re probably thinking of both pictures AND words

What happens when ‘that song’ comes on the radio? Suddenly you’re 16 again! And you’re thinking, seeing and feeling things you haven’t thought about for years!

Make strong messages for learners by building bridges between left and right brain. Link logical concepts to things they will remember, such as activities, music, demonstrations

Trainer Tips

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Appeal to all senses

Visual

Hearing

Feeling

Focusing on the learner: Senses

Visual : Hearing : FeelingVHF signals! Very High Frequency!

There is an old saying “I hear and I forget, I see and I understand, I try and I remember”

Every learner is different – find out whether your learners prefer visual things or some other channel? But whichever preference they have, the best approach is to deploy training techniques that cover all 3 main senses.

For example:• A trainer giving a ‘lecture’ is appealing almost exclusively to the hearing channel• If the trainer shows some diagrams and matches what they say to the pictures, they are adding the visual channel• If the trainer then asks learners ‘what would you do in this situation?’ the feeling or experiential channel is added

Trainer Tips

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Things

Theory

Try

Take-off!

Unassembled parts or data

Forming a structure or model

Have a go – see what works

Mastery

Focusing on the learner: The 4 T’s

Learning has 4 parts

Remember learning to ride a bike?• Before you became experienced, you knew that a

bike had pedals, wheels, a chain, and so on. These are raw data: ‘Things’

• It also helped you to understand that the pedals moved the chain round, which then made the wheel go round. This was your model: ‘Theory’

• When you started to ride you also learned about balance and speed: ‘Try’.

• Gradually you noticed more things about the bike, and you refined your model. ‘Take-off’ You could ride in different conditions because you knew how the bike would respond, all because of your combination of

T(hings): Knowing the bikeT(heory): Understanding how it worksT(ry): Experience and feedback

Next time you’re training and your participants do badly in an exercise (TRY), they will probably need to return to either the THEORY or the underlying concepts (THINGS) before they can become expert practitioners (TAKE-OFF)

Trainer Tips

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Content -what you say

First impressions in a presentation will be:

Physical impact - actions and how you speak

Appearance and visual impact

Making an impression: Presenting

Believe in what you say!And show your audience that you

care!

• Think of the times in bars or the office where you know exactly what people are talking about even when you cannot hear them. This is because their body language makes it clear, through

• Gestures• Facial expressions• Movement• Posture

• As trainers, it is VITAL that we believe in what we say and that we show our audience that we care. Otherwise

• Why should learners listen if we don’t seem interested?

• How will learners know what the ‘truth’ is if our words say one thing and our body language says something else?

Trainer Tips

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Making an impression: Verbal communication

Vary the tone

Tell anecdotes and ask questions

Use appropriate volume

Use appropriate language

Emphasise key points

Pause …….. and ask questions

There are some great speakers-just listen to the radio!

How do they do it?

• They involve the listener, and the listener builds pictures, voices, smells until they have a full technicolor image

• They don’t insult the listener by saying the obvious – they give the listener time to think and reach their own conclusions, which are exactly the ones you wanted them to reach

• They tell stories!

Trainer Tips

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Making an impression: Top tips

Show interest

Body Language

Don’t interrupt

Ensure participants can see you

Avoid distractions

Keep eye contact

Actively listen

Pause frequently and breathe

Seeing is believing

When you first stand up, take a moment to really look at your audience – notice who’s smiling, writing, etc. Then pause, collect your thoughts, and make yourself comfortable

Don’t worry about your hands or your feet. The most important thing is to concentrate on your audience’s needs. If you really think about them and not yourself, then your body will look after itself!

Other tips:• If there are pillars in the room

try and arrange things so these won’t block people’s view

• If you are using ‘props’, again make sure everyone can see.

Trainer Tips

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Structuring a presentation

Interest and impact

Need

Timings

Range

Objectives

Beginning c.10%

Middle c.70%

End c.20%

Participants have a right to know…- why they should listen to you- how long it’s going to last- what sorts of things will happen

INTRO example:- Imagine you’re at the client and you overhear the IT

Manager arguing with the Finance Director…..- Sooner or later we all face situations where clients strongly

disagree and we have to get all key stakeholders to accept our recommendations…..

- For the next 45 minutes we will look at ways to understand and manage stakeholders….

- After a brief presentation we’ll do an activity to bring the theory to life and get you to try managing a stakeholder from our case study, then gather your views on how it went….

- By the end of this session you should feel comfortable about how to analyse stakeholders and more confident about ways to manage them

When you finish a session- summarise what was covered- summarise the key learning points- where relevant, link to upcoming sessions

Trainer Tips

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Making it memorable: Techniques

RhymesLinkages

Frameworks and models

Mnemonics, eg

S.M.A.R.T.

Hand-outs and take-aways

Reviews

SummariseExamples

Recognise learning styles

Appeal to all senses

Illustrations

Involve people

Link to music

Use some simple techniques to help participants remember

Use Day 1 learning on Day

2

Link left and right brain• Music and words• Mnemonics• Rhymes

Remember VHF• Add pictures to your words• Use examples• Tell stories

Think of learner styles• Pragmatists: use the learning• Reflectors: links between sessions• Theorists: models and frameworks• Activists: Involve people

Stories and

parables

Recall will fade quickly unless things are reinforced – so do reviews!

People won’t recall everything – be realistic in your aims and provide handouts for further details

Trainer Tips

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Making it memorable: FROLL!

First

Reviewed

Outstanding

Linked

Last

People tend to remember:

• The FIRST things

• The LAST things

• Things that are REVIEWED and repeated and repeated and repeated

• Things that are LINKED, either to other sessions or to the workplace

• Things that are

OUTSTANDING in some way; different from everything else

The Finnish Troll, known as a FROLL, is a good memory aid

Trainer Tips

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Facilitating Discussions: Structure

Next - application of outcomes

Bang - create impact

About - frame the discussion

List - explore the subject under discussion

Listen - to the participants views and opinions

Organise - structure the discussion

Order - prioritise key points

• Start with a BANG – this doesn’t have to be loud, but needs to get people’s attention

• Frame the discussion. Explain what it is ABOUT

• Ask people their views, their experiences – we call this LIST and LISTEN

• When you think it’s time to draw some conclusions, try and get some structure into the discussion. What lessons can be learned? What patterns can we see? We call this ORGANISE and ORDER

• A good discussion should lead to people agreeing what to do NEXT to apply the outcomes

Other tips• Be prepared to go backwards if you have to• Think carefully about the questions you will

ask to open discussion and move it to the next stage

Every discussion should have a flow and a shape

Trainer Tips

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Every

Discussion

has a POINT!

POse questions

ProvideINput

CheckTemperature

Facilitating Discussions: Getting the right blend

between roles

Example: Subject Matter Expert Example: Process Facilitator

Trainer Tips

POse questions • To discover people’s skills, knowledge,

attitude• To ask them to do something, such as an

activity

Provide INput• If the discussion is weak on content and

people need knowledge from a subject matter expert

• At its extreme, when there is almost no use of questions or monitoring, this stops being a discussion and becomes a lecture!

Monitor the group’s state (check Temperature)• Observation helps trainers decide when or

whether to ask more questions or provide more input

• A process facilitator would ask questions and monitor but would rarely provide content

The style of facilitation should change to suit each discussion – decide the POINT of your session!

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Purpose

Process

Participants

Product

Facilitating activities: Set-up

Trainer TipsActivities can be great fun, but many learners see them as a waste of time unless they can see the purpose- Why am I doing this?- How will it help me?

Many activities fail to yield learning points because people don’t know how to carry them out. The process needs to be clear- Where do you want me to go?- After I get there, what happens next?

Quite often, teams will have very different experiences. Sometimes this is fine, but sometimes it lessens the learning. Think about participants- Who will work together?- Does the group need to be reorganised before you start?

Check that you explain what you want by the end of the activity – the product- How prescriptive do you need to be?- Do you have an example ready?

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Watch

Availability

Timing

Check

Help?

Facilitating Activities: Monitoring

Trainer TipsThis is NOT the time for trainers to do Lotus Notes!Watch• Depending on the activity, you may need to observe to

capture evidence to use during the debrief. If you don’t watch you won’t have any evidence!

• Beware of getting too close and disrupting the activity

Be available• For clarification or if the unexpected happens

Timing• You may wish to alert people about how much time is

left

Check that the exercise is going OK. If not:• You may wish to intervene to clarify what you require• You may decide that the outcome will still meet the

learning needs

A team is doing ‘badly’. Should you help?• You may not need to intervene. Consider which is

more important - the process or the product. How important is it to get the ‘right’ answer?

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Facilitating Activities: Debriefing

What? What did you do?

What did you learn?

So what? What can you take

away from the activity?

What next? How are you

going to apply the learning?

Trainer TipsAre you going to insult your participants? Trainers often do! Here’s how…Don’t debrief at all• Participants will ask ‘So what was the last

hour all about?’, especially if the activity was a game or some other metaphor

Do a superficial debrief• Reach trivial conclusions which patronise

participants and insult their intelligence• Keep on one learning point for too long

Do a thin debrief• This happens when you have not observed

enough. You have nothing to say and no points to bring out

Alternatively, if you would like to do a great debrief that has your participants saying “A-HA!”, then use ‘What / So What / What Next’, taking care to:• Draw out the learning from the participants so that they ‘own’ it• Have the evidence to open new discussions and bring out the points• Relate the learning back to the workplace and to the purpose of the activity

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Handling challenging situations: Prevention

Stay tuned to learner needs

Ask questionsCheck understanding

Do not single people outListen activelyBe observant

Check group dynamicsBe attentiveBuild rapport

Stay tuned to learner needs

Ask questionsCheck understanding

Do not single people outListen activelyBe observant

Check group dynamicsBe attentiveBuild rapport

Create a contract

and honour itAgree ground rules up

front

Keep to timing

Act as a role model

Leave personal baggage

outside

Create a contract

and honour itAgree ground rules up

front

Keep to timing

Act as a role model

Leave personal baggage

outside

Use basic learning principlesDefine the scope and objectives

Link sessions, topics and the

workplace

Vary styles and media

Focus on the outcome

Use basic learning principlesDefine the scope and objectives

Link sessions, topics and the

workplace

Vary styles and media

Focus on the outcome

Trainer Tips

The best way to avoid challenging situations is to do such a great job that they never arise!

Contracting and recontracting about how to run the event

Watching group dynamics and acting early

Watching energy levels

Seeking regular feedback and responding to it

Informal conversations over lunch and during breaks to get to know your participants

Being learner centred – their agenda not yours

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Handling challenging situations: Coping Strategies

99%

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•The

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a re

ason

Trainer TipsRemember that the challenge is rarely personal

Clarify

Acknowledge and Apply

When a situation arises with an individualDon’t jump to conclusions; find out whyThink about the effect this is having on the rest of the group and on

youBe aware of some coping strategies ClarifyBy asking questions you may get to the real problem, which may be

a much smaller issue which is easier to deal with

Use the groupJust because one person doesn’t like something, it doesn’t

necessarily mean something’s wrong. Try checking how the rest of the group feels

This has risks! If the rest of the group agrees with the challenge you have got to deal with it. If they disagree with their colleague, that person could be humiliated

Acknowledge and ApplyThe challenge may be a good one. Be prepared to agree and

change your approachThe person may have wishes that you can accommodate. For

example, if they have good knowledge why not use them as a subject matter expert. Or if they are bored, see if they will agree to be the group’s energy monitor!

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Feedback is a gift! We don’t get enough!

There are many ways to do it, and personal judgement and intuition are essential.

This page shows some possible frameworks to use after exercises, during training, or at other times.

Above all, good feedback should be specific – something that the receiver can do something with!

Feedback frameworks

Stop / Start / ContinueTraffic lights

Red

Amber

Green

4 / 8

Good / EBI (even better if….)

Informal feedbac

k

Wall charts x

x

x x x

x x x

Pace

Depth

Trainer Tips

Written on a postcard

• Trainers should welcome it• Participants should

welcome it

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Practice

Layout - Of training room

Audience - Know their experience/expectationsContent - Know your stuff

Extras - Create the right expectation through Joining Instructions/pre-course work

Timings - Keep to them and co-ordinate with co-trainersImpact - What can you do to make it memorable?Materials Equipment - Does it work?

Attention levels - Be aware of how participants are feelingNoise/heat/lightDomestics - Meals, drinks etc

Creating a positive learning environment

Trainer TipsThese won’t make a course great……but watch out if they go wrong!

Practice will help you check timings and logistics

Layout – what can you do to improve visibility?

What could you find out about your audience to help you serve them better?

What will you do if some people have not done pre-course work?

Be aware that your noise may annoy non-PwC people

Be aware that you’re warm because you are walking around, but everyone else is cold!

How flexible can you be with meals and breaks?

Are you on time?Have you considered a theme, choice of

music, etc to create impact?Do you know where your handouts are?Do you know how to work the litepro?

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Using Music

Label your selections

Ensure your equipment works

Check the volume

Remember your neighbours

Phase in and out

Lyrics may be distracting

Be careful with film soundtracks

Check licences and copyright

Trainer TipsMusic can really enhance learning It builds bridges in the brain It creates atmosphere

Some advice from experience!Make sure you know where your CD

is, and that you tell your co-trainers if you have set up a certain track

Check that it won’t be loud enough to annoy the people training next door

Baroque music is good at creating good atmospheres for thinking

Activities: As a general rule, if you wish to use music during activities, choose instrumental music. Also, music does not have to be loud – even when it is really soft it will cover an uncomfortable silence and people will feel more confident about speaking

Make sure that the venue has a licence for playing recorded music

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Tips for using trainer notes

Trainer Tips

Fewer is better

Be flexible

Try using flips or slides

Route map the session

Create pictures / mind maps

Focus on the 2 or 3 main learning points

It’s important to plan sessions -Some trainers use notesYou won’t have time to read detailed notesDon’t worry about participants knowing

you’re using them. It shows that you care about doing a good job

Think of the main learning points and your milestones for getting there. If it helps, draw this as a flowchart

Some trainers use pre-prepared flipcharts or slides as their prompts. They plan what they want to do or say with each one

If you are being learner centred the session will probably follow their needs rather than your plan, so be prepared to be flexible. Keep the really important points in your mind, meet participants’ needs and then steer the session towards them!

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Leave

Plenty

of white

space

Listing and bullet points: Bullets identify new points Alternate colours to separate and lift Change bullets sometimes Highlight key words Images help!

Keep text BRIEF

Use pictures and cartoons

Choose images you can draw

quickly

Colours: Don’t use red and green together

Use dark blue/black/brown for text

Use yellow/orange/light blue to highlight

USE HEADINGS

Size matters

Text should be readable

from 10m – this means

roughly 5cm high

Using visual aids: Flip Tips

5

Trainer Tips

Page 25

Role-play: Do’s / Don’ts / Debriefing

DOBe enthusiastic

Try to create an appropriate atmosphere

Stay alert to what is happening

Set and abide by ground rules

Stop the role play if it is losing direction or all learning points have been covered

Think about how you will gather evidence for use in debrief; perhaps use observers?

Focus on what you asked the participants to practice

DON’TStart too difficult

Do it for fun

Forget to make notes for later debrief

Communicate any apprehension

Forget the purpose of the role-play

Allow participants to have full control unless you’re very confident that they will stay ‘on track’

Trainer Tips

THE QUALITY OF THE DEBRIEF MUST REFLECT THE PERSONAL ‘RISK’ AND EFFORT THAT PEOPLE PUT INTO

THE EXERCISE

1. Allow sufficient time

2. Use a method to clearly signal the end of the role-play, such as rearranging the room

3. Ensure all players have opportunity to speak

4. Listen to views and feelings

5. Get all perspectives: Participants, Observers, Trainers

6. Be specific

7. Record any conclusions

8. Link the experiences to real life

REMEMBER: What – So What – What Next?

Adoption and Children Act 2002

www.dfes.gov.uk/adoption