Session 1: Teaching practical skills - the theory

1. Describe effective methods of learning for adults and young people.

2. Select appropriate training techniques to meet different training needs.

For this session, you will need the following resources:

• OHP and OHTs
• One knotting rope for each participant.

Trainer’s notes

This session explains the best methods for teaching practical skills. Before the session ensure that each staff member is able to tie an alpine butterfly knot using the method described below and shown on OHT.

Provide each participant with a short length of knotting rope. Explain that since this is a module about practical skills, they are going to start by learning a new knot. Do not at this stage tell them what knot they are going to tie.

Proceed by reading out the instructions given below and asking them to follow them in order to tie the knot.

Instructions:

1. Make a small loop around the fingers of your left (or right) hand.

2. With the end of the rope furthest away from you, make another loop, running in the same direction.

3. Lay the centre of the second loop in between the two strands already held in your left (or right) hand.

4. Take the loop on the right (or left) side of your hand, pass it over the top of the other strands and through the remaining loops.

5. Gently tease the knot into position.

6. You should have formed a loop at right angles to the main rope.

NB: The instructions in brackets relate to tying the knot left-handedly. The participants may ask for the instructions to be repeated, in which case read them out again. Most (if not all) of the participants will fail to tie the knot.

Explain that since many people are finding the knot difficult to tie, you will assist by showing them a picture. Display OHT. Again, most of the participants will fail to tie the knot.

Finally, ask the course staff (who should have been briefed and if necessary taught how to tie an alpine butterfly before the session) to work with two or three participants each in order to teach them how to tie the knot. Those participants that can tie the knot or learn how to, should be asked to assist those who cannot, until everyone can tie the knot correctly.

Explain to the participants that the knot they are tying is called an alpine butterfly and that climbers use it to insert a loop into a length of rope. It's frequently used in winter climbing where a number of climbers are moving together linked by a single rope.

Once all the participants are able to tie the knot, ask why it was so difficult to tie when just the instructions were read out. It is likely that the participants will say that it was difficult to understand what was meant, that the instructions were read out too quickly and that they were too difficult to follow.

Ask if it became easier once they could see the diagram. It's likely that most will say that it was helpful, but that it was still not easy to work out how to tie the knot.

Ask how most of them learnt how to tie the knot. Most will have learnt only when shown by someone else. Most will only be confident in their ability to tie it after they have practised it a few times. Many will have also found it useful to know what it is called and how it is used.

Explain that we remember only 10% of what we hear, 25% of what we see but 65% of what we actually do.

Explain that the best method of teaching a practical skill is to explain what you are going to do, demonstrate the skill or activity and then get people to have a go themselves.

Use the phrase:

• What I hear, I forget,
• What I see, I remember,
• What I do, I know.