Learning and teaching styles

It is well worth planning any training to be carried out and working out what are the learning outcomes to be achieved and what methods will be used to get there. Honey and Mumford suggest there are 4 dominant learning styles Activist, Pragmatist, Theorist and Reflectivist. It is important to ensure that the teaching methods mean that all the learning styles are catered for and all people are able to learn according to their preferred style.   

I carried out manual handling (of people) train the trainers update training in Wakefield for social services care staff. Using the Honey and Mumford learning styles questionnaire of the 6 people attending the training 4 or them were dominantly 'Reflectors'. This is interesting as the I am an 'Activist' these appear to be opposites and it can be difficult for a trainer to engage people with a different learning style to their own as it is easy to plan the training around the way you personally like to learn. 

Any good train the trainers course will address how to ensure that you engage with all the learners in the room and that they all receive training that appeals to their unique combination of learning styles. When asked about the training they had received on the day they all agreed that the day had appealed to them and engaged them. 

This made the trainer feel confident that the hours of planning lesson plans and looking at what the training intended to achieve and the methods used to deliver the messages were well spent!

example of lesson plan 

Duration 30 mins	Lesson title Relevant Legislation			Lesson no: 1.2
	Learning outcomes (LO) – By the end the candidates should be able to: 1.      Be able to quote what legislation applies to moving and handling 2.      Provide a definition of manual handling 3.      State the employer and employee duties 4.      Describe what s risk assessment is and why they are important in law 5.      Describe what RIDDOR is and how to report through it 6.      State how LOLER and PUWER affect their place of work 7.      Discuss how the Human Rights Act and Disability and Equality act affect MH
Materials required: Power Point, case studies, flip chart and pens, objects for CoG
Topic	LO	Teaching Points	Method	Assessment
Manual Handling Operations Regs 1992 amended 1999	1, 2 and 3	Definition of manual handling and load Duty of employers Duty of employees	Power Point Gesture Flip chart Objects for centre of gravity	Q and A
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974	1 and 3	Purpose of Act and how it applies in workplace Establishment of HSE and HSC Duty of employers	Power Point	Q and A
Management of health and safety at work regulations	4	Risk assessments Special cases for risk assessments	Power Points Hand outs	Q and A
RIDDOR	5	What is RIDDOR What and How to report Timescales	Q and A Power Point	Q and A
LOLER 1998	6	Application of regulations in workplace Recording of inspections Who carries out inspections Frequency of inspections	Q and A Power Point	Q and A

PUWER 1998	6	Application of regulations in workplace What it covers	Power Point Q and A	Q and A
Human Rights Act and Disability 1998 and Equality Act 2010	7	Apparent conflict between HR and DE and MH Rights within the law Protection of vulnerable adults and children What classifies as abuse	Dissuasions Case studies Power Point	Q and A

Evaluation of Lesson

Get candidates to call out all relevant legislation and definition of MH Point out duties of employer / employee Discuss how LOLER and PUWER affect the workplace and discuss Human Right and Disability and Equality discussion to encourage interaction Describe what a risk assessment is and why it is important and what is included