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Teaching Adults

© Nita Adkins

Many companies have different seminars or classes that are required for employment in their company. They are sometimes taught in a classroom but many times they are taught wherever an area can be found. Many of these classes are taught by someone on staff that doesn't have any teaching experience. I would like to give that teacher or instructor some helpful hints that will help them help their students learn and retain what is being discussed in the classroom.

One of the things that have to be looked at is where the training is taking place. Are there going to be lots of distractions or is it going to be a quiet place where everyone can relax and learn. If you are an instructor there is nothing as frustrating as trying to talk over equipment or machinery, especially if you have never taught, or have no experience. As an instructor you need to check out the area where you are going to be teaching (if possible) and plan accordingly.

If you are going to be in a place where you have to compete with noise, you need to make sure that you give everyone a copy of your notes. Make sure that you highlight what you are discussing and all of the important facts. If you are in a place where no one can take note be especially diligent in making your handouts so that they are clear and precise. If you happen to be in a place where everyone can sit at a desk you need to just highlight you lesson and hand it out. Have everyone write out the explanations. They can always put it into language they understand.

Remember you may be training many different types of learners. You might have some people that have been in college and some that barely got through high school. You have to make sure that your lesson includes language and examples that everyone can understand. Also, you need to present the material in as many ways as possible to help everyone retain the information.

In a classroom type of situation you can present information several different ways at the same time to insure understanding. You should always make sure that everyone has a copy of your notes. Make sure that they are clear and in complete sentences, if the training area lets you write down explanations or clarifications to your notes. Have trainees copy the explanations on their copies. Create activities if possible that will demonstrate the training, especially if you are training on how to use a new piece of equipment. Create practice situations that they may have so that they can see what they should do, and have them take notes on what happens.