Communication skills for trainers

Arpita Sharma Ph.D. Research Scholar Dept. of Agricultural Communication G. B. Pant University of Ag.& Tech. Pantnagar, Uttarakhand

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if u can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.

Knowledge

Confidence

Training
Skills Capacities

Basic Communication Skill

Attending skill
Listening skill
Observing skill
Questioning skill

Paraphrasing skill

Attending Skill
Attending
Presenting yourself Physically Building Rapport

Helps you gather information from the learners

Encourage the learners to interact verbally with trainer

Four Attending Behavior

DO
Position your body so u face all the learner Continually scan the group with your eyes Walk towards learners

Dont
Talk to visual aids Turn your back to part of the group

Stare at individuals Avoid eye contact or scan the group too frequency or too rapidly

Distance yourself from the learners Stand in fixed positions

Trainers do not Communicate by words alone

Physical behavior matter Face to face contact Helpful to move around a bit towards participants to express proximity

Observing Skill

Facial expression

What can we observe?

Body position

Eye Movement
Tapping feet Shifting seat or Whispering

Trainer must also be alert to participants reaction to draw inference

3 steps in using observing Skill

Look at the persons face, body position and body movement

Formulate an inference of the persons feelings based on what you have observed

Take appropria te action based on the inferences made

Learners non verbal behaviors and their possible feeling

Contii----------

Frowning Scratching head Pursing head Vacant stare Avoiding eye contact

Confusion

Responding to learners behaviors

Several learners display the behavior Continue and make a mental note that the training is being well received

Enthusiasm/ Understanding
One learner displays behavior

Continue and make a mental note to check again later

Contii-Several learners display the behavior

Try taking a break, speeding up or checking your training method to be sure that the learners training process

Boredom
One learner displays behavior

Continue but make a mental note to reassess later

Contii--Several learners display the behavior

Ask learners about areas of confusion and provide clarification by giving examples or rephrasing information

Confusion
One learner displays behavior
Ask learner about areas of confusion and provide clarification or if time is limited talk with learner at next break

Listening Skill
Obtaining verbal information and verifying that you understand the information.

Enable you to demonstrate your understanding of the learners perspective

Provide u with feedback about how the training is being received

Tips for effective listening

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Dont talk Dont jump to conclusions Overlook a speech problem Keep an open mind Provide feedback

Paraphrasing skill
Restating what the participant has said
Aims- to ascertain from the speaker what has been said Requires trainer to listen carefully what has been said

One is busy with internal thinking process or anxious about the content to be presented

Helps in clarifying the message

No harm in interrupting others to confirm what is being said

Summarizing
Three phases at any communication

What he intends to tell He tells it Concludes in the end Importance of facts, ideas or data Putting together main ideas in sequence and emphasizing them go long way

Speaking skills for trainers : Some tips

Be interesting

Be totally engaged in your speech

Use cue cards

Volume

Eye contact
Gestures and posture

Contii--

Signal your closing Return to the begning

Pay special attention to the following tips

Pitch of voice
Articulation

Volume

Breathing

Tips for trainers

Listen and acknowledge ideas

Praise people as they learn

Spend additional time with trainees

Ask examples from trainees

Contii--Share ur experiences

Admit if u do not know the answer

Tips for trainers

Show that u enjoy instructing people

Expose confidence in the trainee