Facilitating Learning PDF

```markdown ## 5 FACILITATING LEARNING In this chapter you will learn about: * induction, icebreakers and ground rules * teaching and learning approaches * communication, behaviour and respect * working with groups and individuals * maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment...

```markdown ## 5 FACILITATING LEARNING In this chapter you will learn about: * induction, icebreakers and ground rules * teaching and learning approaches * communication, behaviour and respect * working with groups and individuals * maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment There are activities and examples to help you reflect on the above which will assist your understanding of how to facilitate the learning process. At the end of each section within the chapter are extension activities to stretch and challenge your learning should you wish to carry them out. A list of useful references, further information and website links can be found at the end in case you would like to research the topics further. At the end of the chapter is a cross-referencing grid showing how the chapter's contents relate towards the units of the Award in Education and Training and the Professional Teaching Standards. ### Induction, icebreakers and ground rules When you begin teaching a new group or an individual, there will be lots of information you must explain regarding your organisation, the facilities available and the programme. This is known as an induction and will usually take place during the first meeting with your learners. An icebreaker is an activity you can carry out with your learners to help them feel comfortable and get to know each other and you. Establishing ground rules once your learners have relaxed a little will help underpin appropriate behaviour and respect throughout their time with you, for example, by switching off mobile devices during sessions. ### Induction Your organisation might have a checklist of general points for you to follow and you may need to add specific points regarding your subject and the learning environment. This is known as an induction. 5 FACILITATING LEARNING * mation about your experience and * ormation, advice and guidance * requirements * of study areas, toilets, catering venues, * lity and diversity, appeals and complaints * nts out certain housekeeping aspects rather > times of breaks, where certain facilities nation regarding fire procedures. >mpleted during the first meeting with : let this take over your learners will ething interesting about the subject. If re you spend time with them to cover thers. ect to a new group of learners. I need to cover. You could think e. the information you received teaching, obtain a copy of your pare it with yours. st, or making it available electronically, so much information is given out dur- >ome important points. You could keep took place. hensive when they commence a new vay of everyone getting to know each ake place. Some learners may already know each other, or have carried out an icebreaker with another teacher or trainer they currently have. Knowing this beforehand will help you decide upon an appropriate and suitable icebreaker to carry out, and saves repetition. You could carry out the icebreaker before covering the induction requirements as this will encourage your learners to relax, and give them confidence to speak or ask questions in front of others. Always introduce yourself first otherwise learners may be wondering what your name is, or whether you are just someone facilitating the first session. First impressions count, therefore you need to portray that you are a professional, knowledgeable person who is competent and approachable. Icebreakers can be quite simple; for example, asking your learners to introduce them- selves in front of the group. However, this can be a bit intimidating if none of the learners have met before. A way round this is to form the group into pairs and ask them to talk to each other for five minutes about their interests, reason for attending and their expecta- tions. They may find they have something in common and create a bond. You can then ask each person to introduce the person they have been talking to. People may not feel comfortable talking about themselves to a group of strangers, so another person intro- ducing them might take any anxiety away. A good idea is to note down your learners' names when they introduce each other, on a rough sketch of a seating plan. This will help you remember their names as it's likely they will return to the same position at the next session. You could also note something about them which you could use in a future conversation. This shows that you are taking an interest in each learner as an individual. Making a note of their expectations will help you match what they expect with what the programme involves. If there are any expectations that will not be covered as part of the programme, make sure you explain why this is. If you don't have time for introductions, you could issue name badges for learners to wear or name cards to place in front of them. This acts as a visual reminder to others, and helps you remember and use their name when speaking to them. More complex icebreakers can involve games or activities, but the outcome should be for your learners to relax, enjoy the activity, communicate and ascertain each other's names. Icebreakers help retain attention, keep motivation high and help the group to bond and work together. All learners should be included and you should manage the activity carefully to ensure everyone can actively take part. You may wish to include yourself in the ice- breaker, or just observe what is happening. If you include yourself, don't get too personal, resist the temptation to be everyone's friend and remain professional throughout. Icebreakers can also be used during an established session, perhaps after a break to help learners refocus. These are called energisers and can be subject-specific such as a quiz or a fun activity or game which gets learners moving about. Always have a contingency plan in case anything you planned to use isn't available, or if some learners finish before others or don't wish to take part. Whichever way you use an icebreaker or an energiser, it should be designed to be a fun and light-hearted activity to: * build confidence * create a suitable learning environment 5 FACILITATING LEARNING * enable learners to talk confidently in front of their peers * encourage communication, motivation, interaction, teamwork and inclusion * establish trust and respect * get the programme off to a good start * help learners relax * introduce learners to each other * minimise barriers * reduce apprehension and nervousness * reduce intimidation #### Activity Imagine you have a new group of 16 learners starting next week who have never met before. What sort of icebreaker would you carry out with them and why? There are lots available via the internet if you have access. Your organisation may have icebreakers for you to use, you could design your own or search the internet for ideas. Keep your icebreaker short and simple and always evaluate how it went to enable you to modify or improve it for the future. ### Ground rules Ground rules are boundaries and rules to help create suitable conditions within which learners (and yourself) can safely work and learn. They should underpin appropriate behaviour and respect for everyone in the group, including yourself, and ensure the session runs smoothly. If they are not set, problems may occur which could disrupt the session and lead to misunderstandings or behaviour problems. It is best to agree the ground rules during the first meeting, perhaps after the icebreaker once everyone is feeling more relaxed. Ground rules should always be discussed and negotiated with your learners rather than forced upon them. Using an activity to do this will help learners feel included, take own- ership of, and hopefully follow them. Some ground rules might be renegotiated or added to throughout the programme; for example, changing the break time. Others might be non-negotiable: for example, health and safety requirements. These might already be listed in a learner handbook, agreement or learner contract and you would need to ensure all learners have a copy, and know that they are in addition to any rules agreed as a group. The types of ground rules you agree with your learners will depend upon their age and maturity. When establishing ground rules, you need to have an idea of what will be non-negotiable, i.e. because of organisational requirements, and what can be negotiable. ### Example **Non-negotiable ground rules:** * no anti-social behaviour * everyone is to respect the views and beliefs of others * the area is to be left tidy **Negotiable ground rules:** * no eating or drinking during sessions * mobile phones and electronic devices to be switched off * breaks will last a maximum of 20 minutes Whatever method you use to collate the ground rules, make sure they are not open to any misinterpretation. Having clear ground rules will help your learners feel comfort- able and able to participate. You might like to change any negative ground rules into positive ones; for example, no eating or drinking during sessions could become eat and drink outside of the session. You should be a role model and set a good example for your learners by not breaking any of the ground rules yourself. If you have too many ground rules, learn- ers might become over cautious of what they can and can't do and this could affect the learning process. If your learners attend sessions taken by others, it is a good idea to discuss with them what your group has agreed, to ensure consistency. You might also take your learners for other subjects and therefore have a core list of ground rules for all sessions, with some specific ones for each particular subject. ### Ways to establish ground rules One way is where both you and your learners work together by a process of discussion and negotiation. This enables your learners to recognise what is and is not acceptable, giving them a sense of ownership and responsibility. It also enables learners to begin working together as a group and encourages aspects such as listening, compromise and respect for others. Alter- natively, your learners could write down the rules individually, then discuss in pairs and join into fours to create a poster or a list on flipchart paper. One or two learners could present this to the full group and agreement can then take place. Another way would be to ask your learners what others have done during previous events they have attended which made learn- ing difficult. They will usually come up with answers like mobile phones ringing and people interrupting others. You can then start creating a list to build upon with the group. Even if you only have one or two learners, you should still agree some ground rules. Depending upon the age of your learners, you could use the term group contract instead of ground rules. Ideally, the ground rules should be on display each time your group meets, and/or a typed version could be given to each learner, or uploaded to a virtual learning environment (VLE) or intranet if applicable. 5 FACILITATING LEARNING Ways to maintain ground rules Keeping the ground rules visible throughout the sessions will act as a reminder of what is not acceptable, and enable them to be amended or added to as necessary. Any learn- ers who have commenced the programme late will be able to see them. It's useful to refer to the rules at the beginning of the session and when a rule is broken. For example, if a learner is late, they must be reminded that it is a requirement that all sessions start promptly, otherwise they might not make the effort to arrive on time for subsequent ses- sions. If other learners see that you don't say or do anything, they will feel the ground rules have no value. You could also refer to the ground rules when they are not broken as positive reinforcement of good behaviour. However, there will be occasions when a learner cannot help being late due to no fault of their own. If a learner breaks a ground rule, you may find their peers reprimand them before you need to. You might like to ask your group to decide upon penalties or consequences for when a ground rule is broken. This could be a token penalty: for example, donating 50 pence to a group fund. Your learners can then decide what to do with the fund at the end of the programme such as giving it to a local charity. It could be more serious; for exam- ple, with younger learners, writing their name on a wall chart and allocating a point every time a rule is broken. Three points could lead to disciplinary action or removal from the session. Ultimately, you will need to find your own strategy for dealing with learners who break the ground rules, depending upon the age and maturity of the group. At the end of your session you could thank your learners for following the ground rules; this will act as a reminder of their existence. If you can lead by example, you will help create a culture of mutual compliance which should enable effective teaching, learning and assessment to take place. #### Extension Activity What methods would you use to establish ground rules with your learners? Give examples of ground rules which would be non-negotiable and ones that you could negotiate depending upon your subject. What would you do if a learner broke a ground rule? ### Teaching and learning approaches Teaching and learning approaches are the methods you will use to facilitate the learning process. Think of these as techniques which can focus on learners being actively engaged during the session and not just passively listening to you. The approaches you use will depend upon the subject you are teaching, the context and environment you are teaching in, the length of each session and any particular learner needs. It's not about what you will teach, but how they will learn. Approaches should always be fit for purpose, i.e. to enable learning to take place, and not just used for the sake of it, or because you like to do things in a certain way. To give you some ideas, see Table 5.2 later in the chapter. It lists teaching and learning approaches and activities along with their strengths and limitations. 5 FACILITATING LEARNING Formal teaching approaches include lectures, demonstrations, instruction and presenta- tions which are usually teacher-centred, known as pedagogy. Informal approaches include discussions, group work, practical activities and role plays and are usually learner-centred, known as andragogy. Wherever possible it's best to use a mixture of the two and vary the approaches you use. This will ensure all learning preferences are met, that all learners are included and can participate, and will enable you to assess that learning is taking place. #### Example Zak teaches History by lecturing to groups of learners. He feels that although he uses a computerised presentation and handouts, his learners are not actively participating in any way. He decides to make his session more practical by introducing group discussions, and role plays of historical events. Several learners approach him after the session to say how much they enjoyed it and how it enabled them to understand the subject more. He has set up the VLE to encourage interaction outside of the sessions, and he uploads videos and audio clips for learners to access. He now finishes each session with a quiz to assess knowledge in a fun way. Zak's sessions are more inclusive and enable him to assess how much learning has taken place. Teaching and learning should not be in isolation from the assessment process. You can assess that learning is taking place each time you are with your learners. This can simply be by observing practice or asking questions. If your learners are taking a qualification, there will be formal methods of assessment such as an assignment, or an observation in the workplace. However, you can devise informal methods to use with your learners to check progress. For more information regarding assessment please see Chapter 6. Knowles et al. (2011) are the theorists who brought the concept of pedagogy and andra- gogy to the fore. The pedagogical approach places the responsibility for making decisions about the learning process upon the teacher, who may decide to teach the same material in the same order, at the same time to all learners. This doesn't allow any flexibility for a learner who may miss a session, or is learning more slowly or quickly than others, i.e. to allow for differentiation to take place. Pedagogy often relates to formal teaching methods. However, it is possible to teach in a formal manner, yet involve the learners throughout a session to help make the learning process more engaging. The andragogical approach places the emphasis on the learner to take responsibility for the learning process; they can then ensure they are learning in a way that suits them. This approach allows you to adapt your teaching approaches and materials to suit each learn- er's progress and development. If your sessions are mainly pedagogical, try to include your learners by asking individual questions to check their understanding, or asking pairs to talk about a topic and then discussing it as a whole group. Your subject should never bore your learners; you need to inspire them to maintain their motivation and interest. Learn- ers will only be bored if the session is delivered in a boring way. To help your confidence, imagine you are an actor playing a role, that role is of the teacher or trainer, not you as a 5 FACILITATING LEARNING person. If you are nervous, breathe deeply and pause for a second or two; it might seem a long time to you; however, it isn't. Focus your thoughts, relax and enjoy what you are doing. A tip if nerves do take over is to place your tongue on the roof of your mouth for a few seconds, no one will notice and you should feel better. The following table shows a few examples of how learning might take place depending upon the teaching approach you choose, and how that learning could be assessed. The more teaching and learning approaches you can use, the more opportunities there are for assessment to take place. **Table 5.1 Examples of teaching, learning and assessment approaches** | Teaching approach | Learning approach | Assessment approach | | :------------------ | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :---------------------------------------- | | facilitating activities with learners | practical involvement, i.e. paired and group work, discussion, looking, listening, asking questions, problem solving, reflecting, writing notes | asking questions observing practice peer and self-assessment | | demonstrating a skill | watching, listening, asking questions and writing notes | asking questions | | discussing a topic | listening, asking questions and voicing opinions, problem solving | written or oral questions | | instruction regarding a practical task | watching, listening, asking questions and attempting the task | asking questions observing practice peer and self-assessment | | lecturing | listening and writing notes | asking questions | | presentation with video | watching, listening and writing notes | asking questions | | facilitating role plays | watching, listening and practical involvement | quiz asking questions observing practice peer and self-assessment | Sometimes, if learners are quite passive, i.e. listening or reading, then not much learn- ing will take place, as they are doing little else, unless that is their particular learning #### Activity Look at the list of teaching and learning approaches and activities in Table 5.1, which would you use and why? How can you use a mixture of different approaches to engage and motivate your learners to ensure learning takes place? 5 FACILITATING LEARNING preference. If you can get learners to demonstrate that they have learnt from their listen- ing and reading then you will know that they have understood. For example, asking open questions, asking them to summarise what they have heard, or to demonstrate a task. ### Dale's (1969) cone of learning and experience Dale (1969) devised the cone of learning and experience to express how people remember what they read, hear, see and do. Using activities from the top of the cone (passive) through to the bottom of the cone (active) will enable your learners to realistically experience your subject. They should then remember more because they have said and done what they have read and heard, i.e. they have put theory into practice. The bands within the cone are not rigid but flexible, and the cone has been adapted and revised over the years. People remember by progressing from passive to active *passive* Reading 10% Hearing words 20% Looking at pictures 30% Watching a movie Looking as exhibition 50% Watching a demonstration Seing it done on location *Receiving and Participating* Participating in a discussion Giving a talk 70% Doing a dramatic presentation Simulating the real experience *Doing* Doing the real thing Verbal 90% #### Figure 5.1 Dale's cone of learning and experience (adapted 1969:108) #### Activity Read the following list of words once, cover it up, and then write down the words you remember. | cat | deck | table | snow | storm | | :---- | :---- | :---- | :---- | :---- | | sky | plant | book | smile | sky | | lulu | lala | sky | plant | music | | tree | bottle| money | cat | plant | Among your words are probably cat, plant, sky, lulu and lala. This is because they occur at the beginning, the end, are unusual or are repeated words. Use this approach with important points when teaching, i.e. by doing something different or unusual, and repeating points. ```