PROBLEM

SITUATIONS
The typology of ‘problem’ participants

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 Four types of problem
participants:
1. The indifferent
2. Sceptics(those speaking much or little)
3. The aggressive
4. Extremely active
 Task
Step1. Talk in pairs about the problem situation and
decide on how to behave for the trainer in this
situation(5 min)

Step2 . Write the results of the discussion on the stand

and introduce them briefly
Problem auditorium. Features
 Are late
 Know too much
 Do not understand
 Are dissatisfied with everything, contadict, are
against doing tasks
 Being late
Reasons
 Behaviour of the trainer
 Disrespect to the other
participants (‘they may
wait’)
 Overestimation of self-
value (‘very busy’)
 Poor time planning
 Poor organisation
What to do?
 Begin and finish the
seminar in time
 Include do not be late into
the rules
 Appoint the monitor of the
time
 Do not moralise those
being late, tell them what
you are discussing
 Know too much
What to do?- preparation
 Analysis of the audience
 Use of experts
 Competence in the subject
 Thorough preparation
 Reference to the sources and
time
What to do? - behaviour
 Self-introduction at the
beginning-indication of
competence
 Self-confidence, mistakes,
recognition
 Humour
 No criticism to others
 Moderate excuses
 No involvement into
argument
 Discussion on the topic –
another time
 Do not understand
Reasons
• Material too complicated
• Looking down to the
audience
• Wrong language
• Participants lack education
or motivation (too lazy to
make effort
What to do?
• Get to know the audience
• Be competent in the subject
• Prepare properly
• Examples ‘from life’
• Do not criticise the
participants
• Make the theory shorter
• Practice first, then theory
 Not interested
Reasons
• Inappropriate mothodology
(theory, no activity)
• Monotonous voice
• Lack of energy
• No motivation
• Problems at work or home
• Too primitive
What to do?
• Spark –provoke attention
• Active methods
• Enthusiasm
• Do not criticise for
inatentiveness
• Humour, but no anecdotes
• Consider the materials
thoroughly
 Dissatisfied with
everything
Reasons
• Careless comment (insult)
• Poor authority
• Personality problems
• Character
• Lack of motivation
• Does not achieve the sought
result
What to do?
• Humour
• Competence
• Non-obtrusive help
• Moderate praise after
fulfilling the task
• Finding the reason of
dissatisfaction
 Problem situations
Swanson, Falkman, 1997

Problems of the teacher

Problems of teaching methodology
Problems of teacher-students relationship
 Teacher’s problems
Problem What to do
Fear(of Prepare thoroughly, use the ‘ice-breaking’
audience, methods, admit fear – do relaxation
failure, exercises
participants)
Persuasiveness Present examples, statistics, rehearse the
voice intonation, the posture
Personal Observe, collect the experiece of others,
experience make recordings of your lectures, analyse
Time planning Plan, fix the reality, re-plan, where are the
mistakes?
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 Problems of teaching
methodology
Problem What to do
Aids, materials, Foresee what will be needed, prepare in
premises advance, arrive earlier

Introduction, Plan how you will begin, in what words,

ending what you will do, how you will
summarise
Inappropriate Prepare the methodology yourself, try it
methods
Dependence on Study the material properly, think about
the notes the logics of the sequence of ideas
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 Problems of teacher-
student relationship
Problem What to do?
Problem students What? What reasons? How much do
they hinder? Ignor or solve. Humour
(not about the participants, about the
situation and yourself)
Conflicts Why do they occur? Do not hide, solve
them
Tension Create a pleasant environment at the
beginning. Humour
Mistrust Keep to the agreements, avoid control,
do not frighten 29
 Summary
• To teach everyone is not the objective

• Create the conditions to each learner

• Pay attention to the problem items, but do

not make them absolute

• Consider the success of all the group