Comments on: Step-by-Step Instructions Help Learners Succeed

By: Deb Steele

Deb Steele — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 12:44:30 +0000

Thank you for this. I’ll be facilitating my 2nd class next month and this will really help!

By: Gary Butterworth

Gary Butterworth — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 19:05:47 +0000

Excellent idea, Rita! Thank you. One thing that has helped me, particularly if the instructions are fairly complex, is to make sure I reinforce the oral instructions on the PPT screen (with “focused learning” technique–one point at a time), and let participants know they can refer back to the screen if they get lost. Thanks again for your tip!

By: Rita Ormiston

Rita Ormiston — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 23:09:31 +0000

I think you have shared something simple, but I may not have thought of prior to engaging and realizing it probably didn’t work that well. Thank you! It really can sometimes be “the little things”!

By: Amy Daly-Donovan

Amy Daly-Donovan — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 21:42:38 +0000

Agree on all of the above! I would also suggest if they have to move to get themselves into smaller groups, take care of all of that first. Let them get settled, THEN give the instructions (like Reta shares above, but is true for all activities, especially if you are counting off or other more complicated mixing strategies). Great tips are also in the book “Teach Like a Champion” which is designed for K-12 teachers but has lots of transferable tips. One helpful learning I had – when giving instructions in an in-person workshop, make sure you stand in one spot and don’t move around while talking. It commands presence and helps participants focus on you, and they will better retain the tasks you’re outlining.

By: Lynn Williams

Lynn Williams — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 20:58:40 +0000

In reply to melaniegao. Great example. We always watch the clock and tend to not want to take a lot of set up time. Excellent reminder and will apply next week

By: Darrell Harmon

Darrell Harmon — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 19:04:09 +0000

I echo melaniegao’s kudos. I’ve learn this crucial skill myself both by doing it wrong and doing it right.

Otherwise intelligent adults get lost quickly in a barrage of activity instructions. Exercises are deceptively complex, so breaking the process down into single steps clears things up and lets them focus on running the activity and learning from it.

This might seem like a simplistic tip, but I’ve learned by (hard) experience that it’s a vital skill for effective facilitation.

By: melaniegao

melaniegao — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 18:20:27 +0000

This is great advice. Setting up activities is indeed one of the hardest parts of facilitation. So glad you addressed it using your personal experience. That’s so Reta Clyde!

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