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Additional Tips to Help Create a Safe Psychological Environment Su20

Confidentiality

In order to ensure a safe space for learners, all learners should be reminded about confidentiality of what happens in training.  Any examples that involve other teachers, families or children, all names and other identifying information should be changed to protect their identity.

Body Language

Be sure to watch both your speech and your body language- Using body language to control the dynamics in the room can be a great tool. Standing behind a podium may help you keep track in your notes, but it places a barrier in between you and the participants.  By walking around you can engage people in their own learning.

Incorporate adults’ prior learning and experience.

It is important to realize that there is a variety of rich prior experiences that adult learners have when they enter the training.  By gathering information about what learners already know, you can help to correct misinformation.

Respect participants as individuals.

In addition to modeling respect, you can model open communication. Consider the time that a participant spends in your training as very valuable and use their time effectively.

  • Take time to check in with the trainees to make sure you are addressing the skills and topics they are expecting. 
  • Conduct frequent check-ins, asking for feedback about training content/process.
  • Make sure you are create optimal conditions for adult learning by using inclusive teaching strategies that support the diversity of adult learners present in your training group.
  • Poll participants at key points about experience and level of knowledge. Polling can be done by a show of hands, electronically through an app like Poll Everywhere, hearing from selected participants, or using flip-chart paper or Post-it notes.
  • At this point in their lives, adult learners have established values, beliefs, and opinions. Based on those values, beliefs, and opinions, the trainees will bring different viewpoints to discussions. The trainer should respect those differences, but emphasize that not everyone shares the same beliefs.1

Delivering Training: Adult Learning Principles retrieved from: http://strengtheningnonprofits.org/resources/e-learning/online/deliveringtraining/default.aspx?chp=3

Training on Demand: Engaging the Adult Learner retrieved from: https://www.jjkellertraining.com/TrainingResources/1809/OSHA