Essential Instructional Skills for
Professional Driver Trainers
UNIT4: Techniques of Instructing
Lesson Objectives
You’ll be able to:
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Demonstrate knowledge of how, when and why to use training
aids by developing aids for practice teaching session.
Use the 4-step teaching learning process in developing practice
teaching demonstration
Incorporate at least two teaching methods described in this section
into practice teaching demonstration
Show ability to use questions effectively in practice teaching
demonstration
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Steps in Effective Use of
Audio-Visual Aids
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Planning by the instructor
Selection of the aid
Preparation of the equipment
Preparation of the student or class members
Summary of the information
Discussion of the information
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Examples of Aids
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LCD Computer Projector
Overhead projector
Flip charts
35mm Slide Projector
Dry-erase board
VCR or DVD player
MP3 audio/iPod
Digital video files (wmf, avi, etc)
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 Exhibits
 Models
 Audio Cassette
 Compact Disc
 Charts/Posters
 Television
 Radio
 Internet
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Why Use Aids
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Focus attention on point being made
Generate interest
Arouse curiosity
Enhance understanding of topic
Increase retention of message
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Why Use Aids (Cont’d)
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May show successive steps in a process
Add believability to the message
Presentation is more fun to give
May be used where the real object cannot be shown
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Questions to Ask Before
Using Aids
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Does it meet the objectives?
Does it support the lesson plan?
Is it current and accurate?
Does it avoid extraneous detail?
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Questions to Ask Before
Using Aids (Cont’d)
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Is it well designed?
Can the teaching point be adequately visualized?
Can the aid be made within the organization?
Is sufficient lead time available to create the aid?
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Basic Selection Guide for
Aids
 Select aids that fit the maturity, interest, and abilities of
the group
 Select aids most appropriate for the particular learning
activity
 Maintain a balance in the kinds of aids selected
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Basic Selection Guide for
Aids (Cont’d)
 Select aids that compliment, rather than duplicate, other
learning resources
 Avoid overuse of aids
 Ask yourself, “Will it advance learning?”
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A Good Visual Aid Should:
 Clarify an abstract idea, show a sequence, explain a
relationship
 Depict hard-to-get parts, unusual parts, and things
generally difficult to observe
 Be large enough and clear enough to be visible
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A Good Visual Aid Should
(Cont’d):
 Be in color for contrast, to emphasize highlights and add
interest
 Include only necessary explanatory written material
 Attractive and professional in appearance
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4-Step Teaching/ Learning
Process
1. Preparation
2. Presentation
3. Application
4. Follow-up
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Preparation
 Preparing the instructor
 Preparing the environment
 Preparing the learner
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Presentation: Key Elements
 Methods: ways of teaching the lesson
 Lesson: material selected for a specific presentation
 Lesson Plan: written document that guides the instructor
through all phases of instruction
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Steps in Planning the
Presentation
 Establish objective
 Research the topic
 Organize material into the three basic parts (introduction,
body, conclusion)
 Select instructional method
 Prepare the lesson plan
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Determine your Purpose
 To inform, instruct, or clarify
 To get people to act, believe or feel; or to persuade
 To make people feel good; to entertain
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Choose Main Ideas
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Two or three ideas are usually enough
Consider the listener’s ability to understand the ideas
Consider the listener’s attitude toward the idea
Be sure you can make the idea clear, or prove it
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Presentation Structure
 Introduction
 Body
 Summary or conclusion
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Support Material
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Illustration
Specific instances
Explanation
Analogy or comparison
Statistics
Testimony
Restatement and repetition
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Presentation Methods
 Teaching methods and materials in which the teacher is
or may be the main participant
 Group discussion
 Group learning (other than purely discussion)
 Individual learning
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Methods Where Teacher is Main
Participant
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Lecture
Demonstration by the teacher
Visual aids
Textbooks
Evaluation
Student-teacher planning
Use of commercial materials
Use of community resources
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Group Discussion Methods
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Informal discussion
Committee work
Debates
Panel
Oral reports
Role-playing
Symposium
Dialogue
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Group Learning Methods
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Class problems
Contests
Demonstrations
Displays/Exhibits
Experiments
Field trips
Surveys
Skits
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Individual Learning Methods
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Learning activity packages
Individual counsel
Supervised study
Interviews
Manuals and workbooks
Observation
Reference reading
Research
Work experience
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Factors Affecting Method
Selection
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Objective - what needs to be taught
Type of student
Size of class
Available facilities
Available time
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How to Hold Interest
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Activity or movement
Reality and concreteness
Nearness
Familiarity
Novelty
Suspense
Conflict
Humor
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How to Communicate
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Directness
Posture
Movement
Gesture
Facial Expression
Your voice
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Application
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Have learner tell/show
Correct errors
Question learner: why, what, how?
Continue questioning until you know that they know
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Application and Learning
 The most effective way of learning is by doing
 Repetition is necessary
 It is easier to learn it right the first time than to change a
wrong habit
 Teach using all five senses
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Follow-up
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Compliment
Correct errors and re-teach
Designate to whom to go for further help
Taper off into normal supervision
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Testing
 A way of checking in the beginning, along the way, as
well as finally, whether the learner has achieved the
objectives
 Not only test the learner, but the instructor’s program
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Testing (Cont’d)
 Tests can detect instructional flaws as well as trainee
errors
 Testing should be used to improve the preparation,
presentation and application steps
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Why Questions?
 To provoke or stimulate thought
 To give the students an opportunity to express
themselves
 To aid the teacher in assessing student progress
 To aid the student in assessing personal progress
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Questions Help the
Instructor:
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Motivate the group
Find out what learners already know
Encourage Active Participation by learners
Spot-check the effectiveness of the instruction
presented
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Questions Help the
Instructor (Cont’d):
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Clarify a point that a student has not understood
Stress important points
Keep attention of the group
Review material originally
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Effective Questions:
 Should be worded so the learner cannot answer unless
he or she really knows
 Should be brief and easily understood
 Should be limited to one main thought
 Must have a specific purpose directly related to the
subject being discussed
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When Instructors May Want
to Ask Questions
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At the beginning of a lesson or topic
At the end of a specific point or issue (to touch base)
At the end of a unit or lesson (to touch base)
At any critical point
Whenever receiving negative feedback
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Types of Questions
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Ask-Pause-Call (APC)
Call-Pause-Ask (CPA)
Leading question
Reverse question
Relay/rebound question
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Managing Questions
 Asked by the instructor:
Don’t call on the same few people all the time
You aren’t training prospective lawyers, so avoid the
“Paper Chase” approach
Never allow a wrong question to go uncorrected
Use questions as one tool to correct undesired
student behavior
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Managing Questions
 Asked by the student:
Don’t dodge or face answers if you don’t know
If an individual seems to be monopolizing time by
“asking too many questions,” try to determine the
cause of the problem
When a student asks a question, repeat it or rephrase
it for that student’s benefit, and for your own benefit
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Active Listening Skills
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Encouraging non-verbal signals
Encouraging verbal signals
Restatement
Reflection
Questions
Silence
Summarize
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Characteristics of Effective
Feedback
 It is descriptive rather than evaluative
 It is specific rather than general
 It focuses on behavior and actions rather than on
personalities
 It is directed toward behavior or actions that the receiver
can do something about
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Characteristics of Effective
Feedback (Cont’d)
 It provides only the amount of information that the
receiver can use rather than the amount we would like
to give
 It is well timed
 It is checked to ensure clear communication
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Managing Yourself
“In the Heat of Battle”
 What are your own emotional hotspots?
 Be prepared to deal with feelings - the audience’s as well
as your own
 Be on guard for people who like to play games
 If there is disagreement, try not to back the other person
into a corner
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Managing Yourself
“In the Heat of Battle”
 Try to focus on points of agreement rather than
differences
 Attack problems or issues, not people
 Think before speaking
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Pre-Check Physical
Facilities
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Light
Heat
Room
Seating
Ventilation
Equipment
Materials
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