Training Facilitation Skills

Category: Adult Learners

TFS 1.1 Understand adult learning principles and theories. Uses a variety of facilitation strategies designed with adult learning principles and theories in mind.

Category: Establishing Trust

TFS 2.1 Shows genuine concern for the participants’ welfare and future.

Category: Presence

TFS 3.1 Recognizes participants’ individual strengths, learning style, goals, and cultural context.

For example:

• Uses language that is inclusive of all regardless of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy status, veteran status, or ability.

• Avoids jargon and ensures technical terms are presented in a manner that promotes understanding.

• Uses teaching tools that support a variety of learning styles (e.g. metaphor, concrete examples, charts and other visuals, etc.)

• Uses culturally relevant examples, activities, and language.

Category: Perspectives

TFS 4.1 Helps the participants to identify what they want to gain from the training and what they already know about the training topic.

Category: Expectations & Needs

TFS 5.1. Establishes and maintains clear agreements about training environment along with expectations for participant and trainer interactions.

Category: Risk Taking

TFS 6.1 Celebrates participant successes and capabilities.

Category: Active Listening

TFS 7.1 Encourages, explores, and accepts without judgment the individual participants’ verbal and non-verbal expression of feelings, perceptions, concerns, beliefs, suggestions, etc.

Category: Discussions

TFS 8.1 Invites participants to share examples/personal stories, where appropriate.

Category: Powerful Questioning

TFS 9.1 Asks open-ended questions to elicit the participants’ perspectives.

Category: Direct Communication

TFS 10.1 Is clear, articulate, and direct in communicating content, learning objectives, providing feedback, and making recommendations.

Category: Exploring Ideas

TFS 11.1 Engages the participants to explore alternative ideas and solutions, to evaluate options, and to make related decisions.

Category: Group Dynamics

TFS 12.1 Uses appropriate techniques to manage group dynamics and ensure participants are engaged. This may include the use of:

• Small groups

• Pair Shares

• Walk Abouts

• Brainstorming activities

• Ice breakers and team building activities.

Category: Learning Community

TFS 13.1 Supports participants in creating positive relationships with each other.

Category: Adult Learners

TFS 1.2 Familiar with adult learning principles and theories and applies them when facilitating trainings for adult learners.

Category: Establishing Trust

TFS 2.2 Continuously demonstrates personal integrity, honesty and sincerity.

Category: Presence

TFS 3.2 Demonstrates respect for and interest in the participants’ individual strengths, learning styles, goals, and cultural context.

Category: Perspectives

TFS 4.2 Introduces insights and broader perspectives during the training that support participants’ understanding of factors that affect them and their learning.

Category: Expectations & Needs

TFS 5.2 Demonstrates appreciation for the participants’ perspectives, even when it is different from their own.

Category: Risk Taking

TFS 6.2 Creates a supportive environment where participants can try new behaviors and actions.

Category: Active Listening

TFS 7.2 Summarizes, paraphrases, reflects and restates what the participants share during trainings to facilitate clarity and understanding.

Category: Discussions

TFS 8.2 Integrates and expands upon the participants’ comments and perspectives as part of the training and learning experiences.

Category: Powerful Questioning

TFS 9.2 Asks questions that create greater clarity and understanding of what is being communicated and what it might mean.

Category: Direct Communication

TFS 10.2 Uses re-framing to help identify different perspectives on wants or concerns, and to understand what is being said.

Category: Exploring Ideas

TFS 11.2 Assists the participants to focus on and systematically explore specific concerns, and opportunities that are central to meeting the training's learning objectives.

Category: Group Dynamics

TFS 12.2 Uses knowledge of the participants and topic to adapt activities to meet the group needs, honor the expertise that participants bring to the training and effectively meet the learning objectives.

Category: Learning Community

TFS 13.2 Offers participants opportunities to share their experiences and knowledge with others during the training activities and interactions.

Category: Adult Learners

TFS 1.3 Has degree or additional training recognized by the Colorado Early Childhood Professional Development system on working with adult learners.

Category: Establishing Trust

TFS 2.3 Provides ongoing support for and champions new behaviors and actions, including those involving risk taking and fear of failure. Asks permission to explore topics in sensitive areas, new areas and when using participant provided examples. When using other examples, ensures the examples used are effective for use with the participant groups at the training and maintain confidentiality.

Category: Presence

TFS 3.3 Models openness to learning and taking risks. (i.e., using feedback from participants to alter or strengthen a point; able to become a learner as well as a facilitator; shares experiences of lifelong learning to support participants).

Category: Perspectives

TFS 4.3 Identifies the thinking behind participants’ concerns and works together with participants to identify alternate viewpoints to expand perspectives.

Category: Expectations & Needs

TFS 5.3 Meets the needs of participants by being attentive, recognizing perspectives, and adapting training approaches.

Category: Risk Taking

TFS 6.3 Focuses on learning opportunities to meet participants where they are, support taking risks, and trying new things.

Category: Active Listening

TFS 7.3 In addition to attending to individual communications, pays attention to the group dynamics (how individual participants’ verbal and non-

verbal expression of feelings, perceptions, concerns, beliefs, suggestions etc. influence others in the group setting). Uses word choice, tone,

and body language to understand what is happening in the group and check understanding.

Category: Discussions

TFS 8.3 Uses active listening strategies to facilitate discussions when participants’ experiences and prior knowledge conflict with course content and stated learning objectives.

Category: Powerful Questioning

TFS 9.3 Asks questions that facilitate vision and support critical thinking skills.

Category: Direct Communication

TFS 10.3 When misunderstandings occur, is respectful, clear, articulate, and direct when clarifying content and learning objectives.

Category: Exploring Ideas

TFS 11.3 Helps the participants to act strategically to take advantage of activities, partnerships, and/or environmental conditions that contribute to achieving the training's learning objectives.

Category: Group Dynamics

TFS 12.3 Uses facilitation skills when conflict occurs in groups. This may include:

• Mediation of discussions

• Individual conversations with participants

• Effective application and use of group norms and training expectations.

Category: Learning Community

TFS 13.3 Facilitates and/or refers participants to opportunities for learning together outside of the training as part of supporting participants’ ongoing participation in the early childhood professional development system.