responsible service of alcohol: a trainer’s guide · responsible service of alcohol: a...
TRANSCRIPT
Responsible Service of Alcohol:A Trainer’s Guide
A Trainer’s Guide
Responsible Serviceof Alcohol
IndexPlanning a Course Page 3
IdentifyingTrainingNeedsQuestionnaire Page4
The5W’s Page5
PlanningCourseTiming Page6
DesigningExercises Page7
SummaryofActivityTypes Page9
Course Content Page 10
Marketing a Course Page 21
Running a Course Page 22
Atmosphere Page22
RoomLayout Page23
UsingtheEquipment Page27
Communication Page28
Feedback Page29
Questions Page29
DealingwithDifficultLearners Page30
After the Course Page 33
ExampleofEndofCourseEvaluation Page34
Further Information Page 35
1 Trainer’s Guide
Trainer’s Guide 2
IntroductionThisguideisforthosewhowishtoprovideacoursetoaccompanytheServer’sGuide.TheServer’sGuideisquitegeneralbecauseithastocoverwhatismostrelevanttothemajorityofpeople.However,thebesttrainingismorespecific,soitisyourjobtodosomeresearchandworkoutwhatismostrelevantforeachofthegroupsthatyouaretotrain.
Itisusuallybesttohavestudentsfromsimilarbackgrounds.Forexample:
• Retail(shops,supermarkets)
• Bar,café,restaurant
• Latenightpremises
Peopleareveryeasilyputoffiftheyfeelwhatisbeingcoveredisn’trelevanttothem!
Ifyoudon’thavepersonalexperienceofworkinginaparticulartypeofoperation,thenyouneedtospendsometimespeakingtopeoplewhodo.Findoutwhatthecommonproblemsareandhowpeopledealwiththem.Youneedtobuildupasetof“stories”oranecdotesabouttypicalsituationsandhowtheycanbehandled.Thesecanbeusedasformallyas“casestudies”duringatrainingsession,orjustdescribedatappropriatetimestohelplearnersunderstandapoint.
Duringtrainingtherewillbeopportunitiestoaddtoyour“bank”ofstories.Itisagoodideatokeepalogofkeyissues,solutions,frequentlyaskedquestionsandpossibleresponses.
Atthesametime,atrainingcourseisnotjustaboutcontent-thewayinformationiscoveredisjustasimportant.Forthemosteffectivelearning,peopleneedtobeactivelyinvolved.Thelearningprocessshouldbestimulatingand,asfaraspossible,enjoyable!Sothismeansyoushouldtrytouseavarietyofactivitiesand,ingeneral,askyourtraineesratherthantellthem!
Itisalsoimportanttorememberthatpeoplearenot“blankcanvases”.Theyalreadyhaveknowledgeandexperiences,and,iftheyhaveworkedinthehospitalityorretailtradesforawhile,muchofthismaybeusefultothecourse.Oneofyourkeyrolesistocreateacomfortable,relaxedatmospherewherelearnersfeelsafetoaskquestions,offerinformationorexperiencesanddiscusswhatmaybedifficultissues.Thisallowspeopletolearnfromeachotheraswellasfromthetrainer.Youmaylearnsomethingtoo!However,youdohavetomanagethetrainingsessiontoensurethateveryoneisencouragedtocontributeandnooneisallowedtodominate.Youalsohavetoworkhardtoensurethatallinformationandactivitiesarecoveredintheagreedtime.
Thisguideaimstotakeyouthroughallthekeystepsinplanning,designing,deliveringandmarketingcoursesforthehospitalityandretailtrades.Itwillasklotsofquestionsandgiveyouoptions.Youhavetodecidewhatismostappropriatefortheparticulargroupsyouaregoingtotrain.
Thisguidewillnotmakeyouatrainingexpert.Ifyouwishtodevelopyourknowledgeandskillsintheseareas,werecommendthatyoucontacttherelevantprofessionalbodiesforadviceandfurthertraining.Moreinformationonallthesetopicsisavailablefromspecialistpublications.Seepage35foralistofusefullinksandbooks.
This guide is for those who wish to provide a course to accompany the Server’s Guide.
A Trainer’s Guide
Responsible Serviceof Alcohol
Acknowledgements: This guide was drafted by a team from Alcohol Focus Scotland’s ServeWise program under contract to the International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP) and the European Forum for Responsible Drinking (EFRD). ServeWise is the largest provider of social responsibility training for the licensed trade in Scotland. It works with a wide variety of stakeholders including licensing board members, solicitors, licensed trade organizations, police, alcohol action teams and training providers, such as local colleges of further education and private training organizations. The drafting team included Linda Bowie (ServeWise Manager), Joanne Worrall (ServeWise Training and Information Officer) and Mary Ellmers (National ServeWise Manager). This guide and the accompanying guide for Servers were peer-reviewed by Jim Peters (Responsible Hospitality Institute, USA) and Rob Eicholtz (Horeca Branche Instituut, Netherlands).
Summary of the Planning Phase
Planning a Course
3 Trainer’s Guide
Beforeanytrainingbegins,itisimportantthatyoumeettheneedsofyourtargetaudience.Youmaywishtogather
yourinformationbyinterviewingtypicalcandidatesorsendingoutaquestionnaire.
Theaimistobuildagenericprogramwhichmeetstheneedsofthetypeofgroupthatyouwishtotrain,rather
thantheneedsoftheparticularindividualsinterviewed(thelatteriscustomizedtraining,whentheknowledgeand
experienceoftheparticulartraineeswouldbetakenintoaccount,andthetrainingdesignedoradaptedaccordingly).
1. Research• UsetheIdentifyingTrainingNeedsQuestionnaire(page4)
• Meetwithpeopleinthelicensedtrade
• Gather“harddata”onthelicensedtrade,suchasnumbersandtypesof
premises(fromyourlocallicensingauthorityoragovernmentstatisticsoffice).
2. Planning• Lookatthe5W’s(page5)
• Decidewhethertherewillbeonecourseforeveryoneorifthereshouldbe
differenttypesofcourses
• Decidethelengthofthecourse(shorterismoreattractivetothetrade).
3. Creating the Course
• Createacourseoutline.Allcoursesshouldhaveanintroductionandpresent
thecontentofthecourseinsections;useavariationofactivities(seepage9)
andendwitharecapandevaluationsection.
Trainer’s Guide 4
Identifying Training Needs Questionnaire
Q1.Whattasksdoesyourjobinclude?(tickallthatapply)
Pouringalcoholicdrinks
Takingcustomerorders
Givingcustomersadviceaboutfoodordrinkchoices
Servingcustomersalcoholicdrinks
Refusingservicetocustomerswhenappropriate
Clearingup
Q2.Whatdoyouthinkyouneedtoknowinordertoservealcoholsafely?
Q3.Whatkeyareasshouldtrainingcovertohelpyoudothis?
Q4.Isthereanytopicorpieceofinformationthatyouthinkshouldbecoveredbutwhichhasn’talreadybeen
mentioned?Ifso,pleasestate:
Q5.Ifyouweretoattendthetrainingsession,whichofthefollowingformatswouldyoupreferittotake?
(tickone)
• Shortunits,deliveredover2ormoresessions
• One-daycourse
• Other(pleasestate)
(tickone)
• Deliveredbyindependenttrainers
• Deliveredbyyourmanagerusingapre-designedpack
• Deliveredbyalocalcollege
Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire.
A Trainer’s Guide
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• Test Youwillneedtodecidewhetherornotthereshouldbeatestattheendofthecourse.Somecoursesstartwith
trainingalone.Then,astheydevelopandbecomemorewellknown,atestisadded.
Ifyoudodecidetohaveatest,youarebesttoworkwithasuitableawardingbodytodevelopthis,ifpossible.In
anycase,mostparticipantswillappreciatereceivingacertificate,evenifitisjustacertificateofattendance.
Thesecantakemanyforms.Seewhatyourtargetmarketwouldlike:forsome,acardmaybemoreattractivethan
apapercertificate.
5 Trainer’s Guide
Thesuccessofatrainingcoursedependsonagreatnumberofvariables.Itisimportantthatyouhavedecidedexactly
whatyouwouldliketoachievewiththetraining.Tohelpwiththis,youshouldanswerfivequestions–the5W’s.
Why?-Askwhyyouaretrainingatall.Whatareyoutryingtoachieve?Whatshouldlearnersthinkordoattheend
ofthecourse?
What?-Askwhatthecoursecontentshouldbe.Whatcanyouputoverintheavailabletime?Atwhatexpertise
levelwillyoupitchyourteaching?Whatequipment,handoutsandmaterialswillyouneed?
Who?-Askatwhomisthecourseaimed.Whatsortofvariableswillyouneedtoconsider,suchaslevel,knowledge
andpriorexperience?Alsoconsiderlearners’expectationsandmindset.
When?-Askwhetherthetimingofthecourseisgoodforyourtargetaudiencesandforyou.Considerthetimeof
year,timeofweekandtimeofday.
Where?-Askaboutandpreparethecourseenvironment.Considertheroom,thelayout,breaks,interruptionsand
temperature.
The 5 W’s
Key Decisions
You’llneedtodecide:
• Target Group Whoyourkeytargetgroupis(e.g.,barstafformanagers,orstafffromaparticulartypeofpremises-suchas
staffofoff-salespremises)
• Type Whetheryouwillhavevariationsofthecoursefordifferenttypesofpremises(e.g.,off-sales,bars,latenight
premises)
• Length Howlongthecourseshouldlastandwhetheritshouldbeinonesessionormore.Mostservertraining
programslastonedayorless.Coursesjustforstafftendtobeshorter(e.g.,4hourscomparedto6hoursfor
amanagers’course).Somepeopleprefertodoacoursein2or3sessions(e.g.,2x3hoursor3x2hours).Itis
possibletohaveacoursethatcanberuneitherasshortsessionsorasonelongsession.
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Hints and Tips: Planning Course Timing
Whenplanningacourse,alwaysallowtimeforthingssuchas:
• Peoplearrivinglateatthestartofthesession
• Breaksover-runningbyacoupleofminutes
• Movingintosmallgroupsandreconveningthewholegroup
• Learnersgoingoverthetimeallowedfortasksorsmall-groupwork
Someofthiscanbeminimized:
• Beclearwhengivinginstructionsabouttiming
• Haveaclockintheroomthateveryonecanseeandusetojudgethelengthoftimeleftforan
exercise/break/etc.
• Givetimechecks,e.g.,“5minutesleft”
• Insistthatlearnersstopthetaskwhentheallottedtimehaspassed
Designing the Exercises to be Used in a Course
What are you trying to achieve with the course?
Is it to give people facts?
Is it to change people’s opinions or behavior?
Is it to give them skills?
Probably,it’sabitofallthree.Youwillneedtogivepeoplefactsaboutthelawsgoverningthesaleofalcoholin
theircountryandaboutalcoholasasubstance.Youwillneedtoensurethateveryonesharesthesameopinion:that
alcoholshouldbeservedresponsibly.Youwantpeopletoimprovetheirpracticeandchangethewaytheydothings
inordertoensurethattheyservealcoholresponsiblyintheirpremises.
Gettingpeopletolearnfacts,influencingtheiropinionsorbehaviorandgivingthemskillsrequiredifferentmethods
oftraining.
Youneedtoplanhowbesttopresentinformationsothatparticipantsunderstand,learnandrememberit.Thereare
somekeypointstoconsider.
1. Retain learners’ interest throughout the course:
Thebraincanonlyfocusononethingforabout10-15minutes.Afterthis,itneedstobestimulatedagain.Asa
Trainer,thismeansthatyoushouldaimtochangesomethingevery10or15minutes.
• Changethetopic(e.g.,moveontoadifferentsubject/takeabreak)
• Changethetypeofexercise(e.g.,quiz/discussion/lecture/video/grouptask/small-groupwork)
• Changepeople’spositionsintheroom(e.g.,makethemmoveseatsorstand/geteveryonetostandup
andstretch/takeabreak)
• Changethewayinwhichinformationispresented(e.g.,PowerPoint/flipchart/video/picture/flowchart/list/
anecdoteorstory)
Trainersshouldalsovarytheirowntoneofvoiceandposition(e.g.,sitting,standing)tofitwiththeexerciseandto
avoidbecomingboringormonotonous.
7 Trainer’s Guide
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When a message is given once, the brain remembers 10% one year later; when it is given six times, recall rises to 90%.
2. Five main factors in how the brain recalls:
• Wearemorelikelytorememberthebeginningofeventsorthefirstinaseriesofevents
• Equally,wearemorelikelytoremembertheendofeventsorthelastinaseriesofevents
• Recallfallsrapidlyafter24hourswithoutreview
• Werememberunusualthingsexceedinglywell
• Recallishighforthingslinkedbyastoryorobviouspattern
Itisthereforeimportantthatweuseactivitiesthattakethisintoconsideration.
3. Review is important:
Weknowthat,intheshortterm,recallfallsrapidlywithoutreview.Thisalsoaffectslong-termmemory.Whena
messageisgivenonce,thebrainremembers10%oneyearlater;whenitisgivensixtimes,recallrisesto90%.
Trainingmustincluderecap,repeatandreview.
4. Use Multimedia:
Eachsideofthebrain-leftandright-respondstoandstoresdifferentsortsofinformation.Theleftbraindealswith
logic,andtherightbrainwithartisticorcreativeactivities.Peoplecanstorevisual,hearingandfeelinginformation.
Trainersshouldaimtouseavarietyofexercisesandactivitiesandsoengagedifferentpartsofthebrain.Becausethe
informationwillbestoredinmorethanonepartofthebrain,theTrainerhasmultipliedthechancesofthelearners
rememberingthemessage.
Visual-Pictures,scenes,images,logos,diagrams,graphs,charts,photos,drawings
Hearing-Words,music,sounds,accents,conversations
Feeling-Emotions,smells,tastes,tactileexperiments,pain/comfort
9 Trainer’s Guide
Summary of Activity Types
Type of activity How it can be used
Good for:
facts influencingopinion
andbehavior
giving skills
Anecdotes (stories)
Throughout history and across all cultures, humans have learned from stories.
These can be funny or unusual stories – the brain finds it easier to remember unusual things and things that we can relate to our own experiences.
Questions Questions can be used to establish current levels of knowledge; to check that new information has been understood; to review learned material.
Questions to which learners have to work out the answer engage their interest and thought processes more, meaning they are more likely to remember the answers.
Short, closed questions can be used to get agreement and establish a logical argument to influence opinion.
Lectures / Presentations
Lectures can be used to give facts. Little participation is required from learners. Learners may be encouraged to make their own notes during the lecture and / or the information can be backed up with handouts. Best accompanied by a visual aid (see page 27).
Written quizzes Written quizzes can be used in the same way as verbal questioning. Written quizzes ensure that all candidates have the opportunity to come up with answers. Quizzes are best done in small groups, where learners will benefit from discussion with their partners, and there is less risk of them feeling anxious if they don’t know the answer.
Discussion Discussion can either be in small groups or involve the class as a whole.
Video / DVD Video clips can be used to present information or to illustrate a type of scenario or skill.
Pictures / Diagrams It is said, “A picture can say a thousand words”. Pictures can help make key points clear and tend to be more easily remembered.
Role-play Role-play should be used to practise situations in a safe environment. Care should be taken to ensure that feedback deals with the character that was being portrayed, and is not personal.
Recap / Summarize It is important to emphasize the key points – repeating is important for memory.
Recapping topics learned earlier gives the Trainer the opportunity to relate it to the current topic under discussion and reinforce earlier topics in the context of the new things you’re talking about.
Case studies Case studies can be used to illustrate various points and processes. The Trainer must be clear about all information and be able to answer questions as required.
Action plans These can help to provide a “bridge” to get the learning back to the workplace.
Games Games must have clear learning objectives. They are often used as an “ice breaker” at the beginning of the course to get people used to working together and for waking people up.
Assignments Learners have to find out information or skills for themselves.
2. Middle
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Anycourseshouldhaveanintroduction,amiddle(whenthecontentisdelivered)andanend.
Course Plan
Course Content
1. Introduction
• Givetraineestheaimsofthecourse
• Givetraineesthetimingsofthecourse(start,finish,breaks,etc.)
• Allowpeopletheopportunitytogettoknoweachotherandyou
• Createthe“rules”underwhichthecoursewillrun(e.g.,arephonestobe
switchedoff?).
3. End • Recapthekeypointsofthecourse
• Givepeoplethechancetogivefeedback(evaluation).
• Coverthecontentofthecourse,e.g.:
•Licensinglaw
•Alcohol
•Creatingtherightatmosphere
•Peopleskills
• Trytouseavarietyofexercises(withnooneexerciselastingtoolong)
• Youmaywishtochangetheorderofthesections(thoughtheorderproposed
hereismuchtestedandgenerallyworkswell).
11 Trainer’s Guide
Suggestions for Activities:
• Useslidesorhandoutstocoveranoutlineofthecourse,includingthebasictimings,thekeyaimsofthe
courseandthebenefitsfortheparticipants
• Useanintroductoryexercisetoallowpeopletogettoknoweachotherandbegintorelax(rememberto
includeyourselfinthis)
• Doagroundrulesexercisewherepeoplecomeupwithandagreeonthetypesofrulestheywouldlikefortheday
(e.g.,everyonetobebackontimeafterbreaks,phonestobeswitchedoff,etc.).
Introduction
Examples of Games:
Theseareparticularlygoodforwarmingpeopleupatthebeginningofthedayorenergizingwhenlevelsdip.
Example1,“TalkingWall”.Traineeswritedownthoughtsonaparticulartopiconapost-it.Thesearethenstuckon
awall,withparticulartopicsgroupedtogether.Thiscanbeagamewhichintroducesadiscussionexercise.
Example2,“WordAssociation”.TheTrainershoutsoutorrecallswordsonanoverheadandtraineessay/write
otherwordsorissuesthatareassociatedwiththeword,ascoveredduringthecourse.
Example3,“Catch”.Thegroupstandsinacirclefacingeachother.Askeachlearnertothinkofaquestionbased
onwhathasbeencoveredduringthecoursesofar.YouastheTrainershouldstartbyaskingaquestionandthen
choosingwhichlearnershouldansweritbythrowingabeanbagorasoftballtothatlearner.Youmaywishtoalso
saytherespondent’snametomakeitclearforwhomthebeanbag/ballisintended.
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Youwillneedtochooseavarietyofdifferenttypesofactivitiestodelivereachpartofthecourse.Thefollowing
givesarangeofsuggestionsforeachsectionoftheServer’sGuide.Asummaryofthekeylearningpointsforeach
sectionisalsoprovided.Youshouldensurethatallofthesetopicsarealwayscoveredduringthecourse.
Section 1: Licensing Law
Suggested Activities to Cover the Content of Server’s Guide
Key Learning Points
1.Thesaleandconsumptionofalcoholisrestrictedbylawinmanycountries.Thiscanincluderestrictions
onthehoursofsaleandtheageatwhichpeoplecanbuyordrinkalcohol.
2.Mostcountriessaythatdrunkcustomersshouldnotbeservedanymorealcohol.Thisisbecausedrunk
customerscausemoreproblemsforthemselves,forthebusinessandforothercustomers.
3.Youshouldhavesystemsinplacetomakesurethatyoudonotbreakalaw.
MuchofSection1isaboutfacts.Thediscussiononbestpracticeaimstoinfluencebehavior.
Suggestions for Activities:
• Setlearnersanassignmenttodobeforethecoursetofindoutwhatthelawsareinyourcountryorlocalarea.
Duringthecourse,gothroughwhattheyfoundout,correctanymistakesandaddinanybitstheymayhavemissed.
• Givealectureonwhatthelawsareinlicensedpremises,possiblybackedupbyhandouts.
• Giveaquiztoseehowmuchlearnersalreadyknow.Gothroughtheanswersandfillinanygaps.
• Useavideoorpictures/diagramsshowingcommoneffectsofalcohol,whichlearnershavetospot.Gothrough
theanswersandfillinanygaps.
• Leadadiscussiononwhatsystemslearnersalreadyhaveintheirworkenvironmenttoensuretheykeepwithinthe
law.
• GetlearnerstowriteaStore/HousePolicyfortheirownpremiseseitherduringthecourseorasapost-course
assignment.Thisshouldcoverwhatsystemstheyhaveorcouldputinplacetomakesurethattheydon’tbreak
thelaw.
• Usestoriestoillustratethelearningpoints.
13 Trainer’s Guide
Example Activities for Licensing Law Section
Example of an Anecdote (or Story):
Thisexamplecanbeusedtoexplainthat,althoughsomethingmaybelegal,itmaynotbesociallyresponsible.
InScotlandunderthecurrentlaw,younormallyhavetobe18tobuyalcohol.Thereisanexceptionallowing
16-and17-year-oldstobuyalcoholwithamealinarestaurantareaofabar.Onlylimitedamountsofalcoholare
allowed,andonlycertainkindsofalcohol.
Thelocal16-and17-year-oldschoolchildrenfoundthisoutandbegantogotoalocalbarforlunch.Somehad
alcoholwiththeirlunch.Theteachersfoundthat,whenthechildrenreturnedtoschoolfortheafternoon,theywere
verysleepyandunabletoconcentrateinclass.
Althoughnoonewasbreakingthelaw,itwasfeltthatthemanagerwasnotbeingsociallyresponsibletoserve
alcoholtotheyoungpeopleatlunchtimeandsohewasaskedtostop.Whentheproblemwasexplainedtothe
manager,hewashappytostopservingalcoholtoyoungpeople.
Example of a Written Quiz:
Thesecantakeseveraldifferentformsfrommultiplechoicetoexplanatoryanswers.Itiseasiertocheckknowledge
and,indeed,quickertomarkandtoprovidefeedbackifthequestionsaresuchthattheyareclearlyrightorwrong.
Example of Multiple Choice Questions:
Goodpracticeforclosingtimecouldinclude:
(a)Shoutatcustomerstogetout–you’refedupwiththemandwanttogohomenow?
(b)Servecustomersdoubleroundsatlastorders?
(c)Remainfriendlyandnicetocustomersandaskthempolitelytodrinkupandleave?
(d)Letcustomerstakeaslongastheywanttodrinkup?
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Section 2: Alcohol
Key Learning Points
1.Alcoholaffectsthewaythebrainfunctions.
2.Thereisaprogressiverangeofsignsthatcanbeobservedwhenpeopledrinktoomuch.Serversmustbe
awareofthesesignsandknowwhentostopservingcustomersmorealcohol.
3.Levelsofdrunkennesscanbeaffectedbygender,foodconsumption,toleranceandbodysize.
4.Alcoholmisusecanleadtoawiderangeofhealthandsocialproblems.
5.Thestrengthofalcoholbeveragesvariessignificantly.Tohelpuscompare,weneedtolookatthe
numberofgramsofpurealcohol(ethanol)containedinagivendrink.
SomeofSection2isaboutfacts,butthereisalsoalotofinfluencingopinionandbehavior.
Suggestions for Activities:
• Giveaquiztoseehowmuchlearnersalreadyknow.Gothroughtheanswersandfillinanygaps.
• Givethefactsaboutalcoholinalecture,possiblybackedupbyhandouts.Itmaybepossibletogethandoutsfrom
specialistorganizationsoncertaintopics–e.g.,healthagenciesmaybeabletogivealcoholinformationorthe
policemaybeabletogivedrink-drivinginformation.
• Useavideoorpictures/diagramsshowingcommoneffectsofalcohol.Youmaywishtoshowapersonbecoming
moreandmoredrunkandasklearnerstoselectwhentheywouldstopservingthatpersonmorealcohol.You
maywishtouseapicture/diagramofthebodyandaskcandidatestoshowhowtheythinkthealcoholis
processedorwhatpartsofthebodytheythinkareaffectedbyalcohol.
• Asklearnerstoname/pouracommondrink.Howstrongisit?Whatmeasuresareusedtoserveit? Usingthe
formula,workouthowmanygramsofalcoholareinthedrink.
• Leadadiscussiononwhatsystemslearnersalreadyhaveintheirworkenvironmentformeasuringdrinks.
• Usestoriestoillustratethelearningpoints,ordrawonpeople’sownexperience(e.g.,discusswhatsignsof
drunkennesslearnershaveobservedintheircustomers).
• Givelearnersthestatisticsaboutalcohol-relatedproblems(e.g.,health,accidentsandcrime)eitherinalecture
orasahandout.Youcouldpossiblygetexperts,suchasthelocalpoliceorstafffromtheAccidentandEmergency
departmentofthehospital,togiveatalkontheeffectsofalcohol.
• Leadadiscussion,backedupwithapresentationofthefacts,abouthowmuchalcoholittakestoaffecta
person’sabilitytodrive.
Example of Discussion:
Ifyouchoosetousediscussionasatrainingtool,prepareanopeningquestion,someleadingorfocusing
questionsandaclosingremark.
Forexample:Discussionaboutwhywehavelicensinglaws
Start:Whydowehavelicensinglaws?
(Possibleanswer:“tocontrolalcoholsale”...)
Focusing Question:Isitappropriateforustodrinkallday,everyday?
Leading Question:Whydojurisdictionsregulatealcoholsale?
Variousanswersmaybegiven(youarelookingforsomeonetorecognizealcoholasapsychoactive
substance)
End:Alcoholisapsychoactivesubstancethataffectsthewayyourbrainworksandthewaypeoplebehave;
therefore,anysaleofalcoholneedstoberesponsible.
15 Trainer’s Guide
Examples of Questions:
Questionscanbeeither“open”or“closed”.
Closedquestionsallowtherespondenttoanswereither“yes”or“no”.
Shortclosedquestionscanbeusedtogetagreementandestablishalogicalargumenttoinfluenceopinion.For
example,“Doyouagreethattoomuchalcoholisbadforaperson?”
Openquestionsrequirealongeranswerandwouldbeusedinmostothercircumstances(e.g.,toestablishcurrent
levelsofknowledgeandtocheckunderstanding).Openquestionsoftenbeginwithwhat,how,who,when,etc.
Example of Pictures / Diagrams
Pictures/Diagramscanbeusedtoillustratetheprogressiverangeofsignsthatareobservedwhenapersondrinks
alcohol.
LooseningUp
Relaxed Wobbly Legless ComaMemory Loss
Example Activities for Alcohol Section
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Section 3: Creating the Right Atmosphere
Key Learning Points
1.Environmenthasabiginfluenceonhowcustomersfeelaboutaplaceandthereforeonhowthey
behave.Thisincludesstandardsofcustomerserviceandhousekeeping.
2.AHouseorStorePolicynotonlyprovidesaclearsummaryofthelawsstaffandcustomershavetoabide
by,butitcanalsoincludeguidanceonwhattheycaneachexpectinapremises.
3.Thereisarangeoffactorsthatmakeaggressionandbadbehaviorlesslikelyinlicensedpremises;there
isalsoarangeoffactorsthatmakecustomerbehaviorworse.Premisesshouldhavesystemsinplaceto
minimizetheriskfactorsandpromotegoodpractice.
4.Itisparticularlyimportanttomanageclosingtimeresponsiblytopreventproblemsforthebusiness,the
staff,customersandneighbors.
MostofSection3isaboutinfluencingopinionandbehaviorandgivinglearnerstheskillstodotheirjobswith
confidence.Somefactsarealsoincluded.
Suggestions for Activities:
• Setlearnersanassignmenttodobeforeorafterthecourselookingatatmosphereinlicensedpremises,customer
serviceandinteractionsandthengothroughwhattheyfoundout.Thesecouldbediscussedduringthecourseor
learnerscouldbeaskedtodrawtheirownconclusions.
• Asklearnerstolistwhatannoysthemwhentheyarecustomersanddiscusshowtheseproblemscanbeminimized
orprevented.
• Givethefactsaboutwhatcaninfluencealcohol-relatedbehaviorinlicensedpremises,possiblybacked-upby
handouts.
• GetlearnerstowriteaStore/HousePolicyfortheirownpremises,eitherduringthecourseorasapost-course
assignment.
• Leadadiscussiononwhatsystemslearnersalreadyhaveintheirworkenvironmentforminimizingproblems.This
couldfocusonparticularareas,suchasclosingtime.
• Useacasestudyorasklearnersforstoriesfromtheirownexperienceofdealingwithcustomers.
• Asklearnerstowriteanactionplanforthepointstheywishtoputinpracticeattheirpremises(particularlygood
formanagers).
17 Trainer’s Guide
Example of an Assignment:
Anassignmentwouldusuallybedonebeforeorafteratrainingsession;itcouldbegatheringinformationor
applyingwhathasbeenlearnt.Theassignmentmaybepractical(e.g.,gobacktoyourbarandputinplacea
certainpolicy)oritcouldbewritten(e.g.,writedownthelawssurroundingdrunkennessthatapplyinyourarea).
Example Activities for the Section on Creating the Right Atmosphere
Example of a Case Study:
Casestudiesofreal-lifeexamplesareusefultobringintothetraining.
Girls’ Night Out
It’sWednesdaynight,andit’sJulie’sbirthday.Sheisoutwithagroupoffriendsshehasknownsinceher
collegedays.TheyareinafunbarintownthathasaDJplayingthelatesttunes,andtheyaremakingspirits
andmixers.Thereisaspecialofferoninthebar:ifyoumakeitadoublemeasure,it’sonlyasmallextracost.
Julieandherfriendsquicklyworkoutthatitisjust1/3ofthepriceofawholeseconddrink,sotheychoose
totaketheofferanddoubleup.Asthenightprogresses,theystarttoshowthesignsofdrunkennessand
theyallseemtobehavingagreatlaughtogether.Keri,Julie’sfriend,asksherifshewantsanotherdrink.
Juliedeclines,sayingshewantstotakeiteasyandfeelsquitedrunkalready.WhenJulievisitsthetoilet,
herfriendstakeherdrinktothebar,wheretheyaskthestafftostickanothervodkainit.Thestaffdoso,
andthishappensseveraltimesthroughouttheevening.Justbeforeclosing,amemberofstaffnoticesJulie
slumpedagainstawall;amanwhoisnotfromheroriginalgroupoffriendsiskissingherandsupportingher.
Julie’sfriendsarenowgettingreadytoleave;oneofthemmakesacommentaboutJulie“gettinglucky”on
herbirthday.
Readthecasestudyaboveandthendiscussthesequestions:
1.Haveanylawsbeenbroken?
2.Whatarethedangersoftheabovesituation?
3.Whatpoliciescouldthebarhaveinplacetopreventthissituationfromarising?
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Description of Action
Specific(Howwillyouachievethis?)
Measurable(Howwillyoujudgehowwellyou
aredoing?)
Achievable?
Realistic?
Time-bound(specifyatimescale)
Write a Store / House Policy for Premises
Iwilllistthekeypointsofthelawandgoodpractice.
Foreachpoint,Iwillwriteguidanceforallstaffto
showwhatwewilldotomakesurewestaywithinthe
requirementsofthelaw.Iwillgiveacopyofthepolicy
toeachmemberofstaffanddiscussitwiththem.
Iwillcheckwithstaffthattheyarefollowingthe
guidancebyaskingthemquestionsandbyobserving
howtheydealwithcustomers.
Yes
Yes
Iwillwritethepolicyandgiveittoeachmember
ofstaffwithin1week.Iwillaskstaffquestionsand
observehowtheydealwithcustomersin3weeks,and
againin6weeks.
Example of an Action Plan:
Askparticipantstowritedownoneortwothingstheycandowhentheygetbacktotheirpremises,whichwill
helptoensurethattheykeepwithinthelaw.Thiswouldworkwellifitisdonefollowingthediscussionaboutwhat
systemstheotherlearnersalreadyhaveinplace–theycansharebestpractice.
Anyactionplanshouldbe“SMART”,thatis,Specific,Measurable,Achievable,RealisticandTime-bound.
Itwouldhelpifyoucouldgivelearnersanexampletofollow.
19 Trainer’s Guide
Section 4: People Skills
Key Learning Points
1.Knowinghowtospottheearlysignsoftroubleallowsserverstointerveneandpreventthesituation
fromescalating.
2.Handlingcustomercomplaintsandrefusalofservicewellisaskillandcanpreventconflictfromarising.
3.Premisesshouldhaveaplanforhandlingcertaintypesofsituationsthathaveahigherriskofconflict.
4.Serversneedtoknowhowtoactinconflictsituationstocalmcustomersdown.
MostofSection4isaboutinfluencingopinionandbehaviorandgivinglearnerstheskillstodotheirjobswith
confidence.Therearesomefactsincluded.
Suggestions for Activities:
• Setlearnersanassignmenttodobeforeorafterthecourselookingatcustomercomplaints,howthesewere
handledandwhattheoutcomewas.Thesecouldbediscussedduringthecourseorlearnerscouldbeaskedto
drawtheirownconclusions.
• Userole-playtopracticehowtodealwithdifferentsituations.Thiscouldfocusonparticularhigh-risksituations,
suchaspartyinginlargegroups.
• Userole-play/dramaorpictures/diagramstodemonstrategoodandbadbodylanguage.
• Useavideoorpictures/diagramstodiscussdifficultorcommonsituations.Lookatwhatthewarningsignsare;
wheninterventionscanbemade;whatgoodpracticecouldbeforagivensituation;whatserversshouldavoid
doing;whatsortofback-uptheservermightneed.
• Leadadiscussiononwhatsystemslearnersalreadyhaveintheirworkenvironmentforminimizingproblems.
• Asklearnersforstoriesfromtheirownexperienceofdealingwithcustomers.
• Discusswhatworkswellwhendealingwithcustomersandwhatdoesnotwork.
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Video / DVD:
Theseareparticularlygoodatshowingreal-lifescenariosorexamplesofgood/badpractice.
Someexamplesoftraininginformationandresourcesaregivenonthefollowingwebsite-www.efrd.org.
Example of a Role-play Exercise:
Role-playcanbecarriedoutasasmall-groupexercise,witheveryonetakingpartinthegroupatthesametime,
ratherthanleavingtwoorthreepeople“acting”infrontofanaudience,whichcanbeveryuncomfortableformany
learners.Iftherole-playisdoneinsmallgroups,itisgoodtoincludeonepersonasanobserverineachgroup.Each
observercanthenreporttothemaingrouponthekeythingstheyobserved(e.g.,bodylanguage,keyphrases,etc).
Youcoulduserole-playasanexercisetohelpwithsection4oftheServer’sGuide.Forexample,onepersoncould
pretendtobeabaremployee,anotheradrunkencustomerandthethirdcanobservehowthebaremployee
handlesthesituation.
Example Activities for the Section on People Skills
Recap Section
Itisimportanttorecapthemainpointsofthecourse.Itisalsogoodtoallowpeopletimetoreflectonwhatthey
havelearnedandtogivethemtheopportunitytoprovidefeedback.
Youmaychoosetodoanevaluationquestionnaireduringthisperiod.Youmayalsowishtodofurtherevaluation,
suchasfollowingupasampleofthelearnersafteraperiodoftimehaspassed(e.g.,2-3months).Thischecks
whetherlearninghasactuallybeenimplementedintheworkplace.
Example of recap: Quick-firequestions,summarypointsusingoverheads.
Seepages33and34fortheexamplesofevaluationafterthecourse.
Afterdesigningacourse,youneedtomarketanddeliverit.
Togettherightpeopleonyourcourse,itisimportanttomarketiteffectively.
Youneedtoensurethatpeopleturnupfortraining,havethecorrectinformationandfindanymaterialsdescribing
thecoursesufficientlyinterestingtoencouragethemtoattend.Thefollowingpointsareusefulinhelpingyoutodo
this:
• Target Market-Understandthetargetmarketandtheirneeds.
• Benefits-Stressthebenefitsofstafftrainingforpremises-howisitrelevant,howcanithelpthem?
Possiblepointstoincludeare:
•helpstoprotectthelicenseandreducesthelikelihoodofalawbeingbroken
•helpstoraisestandardsandincreasesprofessionalism
•reducesstaffturnover.
Evidenceshowsthat,wherethereishighstaffturnover,trainingcanmakepeoplefeelmorevaluedandmore
confident,makingthemlesslikelytoleave.
• Segment and target appropriately-e.g.,bytypeofpremises,geographicalarea,experienceofstaffmember.
Differentmarketsegmentswillhavedifferentneedsandthereforerequireatailoredapproach.
• Competition-Recognizethecompetitiontothecourse,e.g.,otherformsoftraining,time,money,apathy.Tryto
makeyourofferingmoreattractive.
• Ensurethattheproductispriced,distributedandpromotedinthemostappropriatewayforyourchosentarget
market.
• Wherepossible,ensurethatyourmail-outsarepersonalizedandalwaysfollowup;dothisbyphone,ifpossible.
• Continuallymonitorandevaluatethesuccessofyourapproachandmodifyifnecessary.
21 Trainer’s Guide
Marketing a Course
Running a Course
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Inrunningacourse,anumberoftrainerskillsareessential.
Atmosphere
TheTrainerisaimingtocreateanatmosphereintheroomthatfromthestarthelpstoputlearnersatease.You
shouldrecognizethatsomepeoplemaynothavebeeninalearningsituationforalongtime,sotheyarelikelytobe
anxiousandmayneedreassurance.
Physical Atmosphere
• Roomlayoutispartoftheatmospherebecauseofthewayitinfluenceslearnerinteraction(seepages23-25).
• Temperatureshouldbeneithertoohotnortoocold.
• Regularbreaksshouldbescheduled.
• Disruptionsshouldbeminimized–e.g.,noisefromoutsideorpeoplecominginwithmessagesfortheTraineror
learners.
• Lightingshouldbeadequate–neithertoodullnortoobright.
• Itishelpfultohavesignsdirectingpeopletotherightroomforthecourseandalsoasignintheroom
welcomingpeopletothecourse–thisreassuresthemthattheyareinthecorrectroom.
Emotional Atmosphere
• Provideinformationinadvance–e.g.,timingsfortheday,venue,dresscode,whatwillbeprovided,course
content,assessment.
• Welcomeeachlearnerandpreferablyhaveabriefchatastheycomein.Thisshowsinterestinthelearners,makesthe
Trainerappearmoreapproachableandhelpstobreaktheice.
• Thebeginningofthecourseisespeciallyimportant,astheemotionalatmosphereatthestartinfluencesthebehavior
fortherestofthecourse.
• TheTrainershouldsmile–thiswillmakehimorherseemmoreapproachableandwillhelpparticipantsfeel
welcome.
• Prepareagoodintroduction.TheTrainershouldintroducehim/herself,getlearnerstointroducethemselves;
discussanoutlineofthecourse,whatparticipantscanexpect,timings,rulesandanyadministrativedetails–such
aswherethetoiletsare,whenbreakswillbe.Knowingwhattoexpectwillhelptopreventlearneranxietyand
helpthemrelax.
• Usearangeoftechniquestoencourageeveryonetocontributetothecourse–moredetailsarelistedinthenext
fewpages.
• Bewaryofallowingpeopletoworkwiththeirfriendsorinexclusivegroups,astheyarelikelytopaylessattention
tolearning.
Use a range of techniques to encourage everyone to contribute.
23 Trainer’s Guide
Room Layout
Eye Contact with Trainer
Small Groups
Therearevariousoptionsforlayingouttheroom,eachwithadvantagesanddisadvantages,dependingonwhatyou’re
tryingtoachieve.
Theater Style
Boardroom Style
Horseshoe / “U” Shape
Small Groups Theuseoftables,whileconvenientforanydesk-basedwork,separatesthelearners.Groupswillfindithardertosee
eachotherwhentheywanttoreportbackonactivities.
Room Layout Easy to See Encourages Interaction Open Environment Trainer Moves Easily in Room
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Thereisnoeyecontactbetweenlearners.Thiswould
notencouragediscussion,movementorasenseof
equality.
Theater Style
Large-groupdiscussions.Thisisarigidseatingplan,whichmakessmall-groupworkdifficult.Ifthereisenoughspace
intheroom,itcanbehelpfultohavesmallerbreakoutareasatthebackorinthecornersoftheroomthatcanbeused
forsmall-groupwork.
Boardroom Style
25 Trainer’s Guide
Eye Contact and Where Learners Sit
Asageneralrule,eyecontactisthekeytocommunication.ThemoreeyecontactalearnerhaswiththeTraineror
therestofthegroup,themorethatlearnerwillcontribute.Theoppositeisalsotrue.Wherelearnersdonothavea
lotofeyecontactwiththeTrainer,theywillcontributeless.
TheTrainercanidentifylouder/moreconfidentlearnersandquieter/shylearnersfromwheretheychoosetosit
intheroomwithreferencetotheTrainer.(Obviously,thismightbeinfluencedbythelearnerbeingpartofagroup
andsittingwithhisorherfriends.)Thisiseasiesttoseeifthetablesaresetinahorseshoeor“U”shape.Thelouder
learnerswilltendtositatthetopoftheU–atthebackoftheroomanddirectlyfacingtheTrainerortheywillsitat
theendofeitherarmoftheU,besidetheTrainer.Thequieterpeoplewillsitatthebackcorners,atthetopoftheU,
whereitisdifficultfortheTrainertogeteyecontactwiththem.
TheTrainerhaseyecontactwithalllearnersandcan
moveintothemiddletospeaktoindividuals.
Horseshoe or “U” Shape
Trainer’s Guide 26
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Where Learners Sit and Movement
Learnerswillnormallysitwithpeopletheyknow.Thiscanmean:
• smallexclusivegroups
• ifonepersoncomesonhis/herown,he/shewillhavenoonetotalkto
• onegroupcandominatethelearningenvironment.
Peoplenaturallyreturntothesameseatallofthetime,andpeoplemaythinkoftheseatthattheyoriginally
pickedas“theirs”.Itishelpfultomovepeoplearound:
• toencouragethemtoworkwithothers
• toensurethatnopersoncan“hide”ordominate
• toensurethateveryonecontributesequally.
Movement
Physicalactivityhelpstokeepthebrainactiveandstopslearnersfromfeelingsleepy.Givingregularopportunitiesto
getupandmovearoundwillbebeneficialtolearning.Thiscanbedoneinavarietyofways:
• givingregularbreaks
• havingtea/coffee/juiceinadifferentarea,sothatlearnershavetostandupandmovetogetadrink
• havingexercisesthatincludemovingaroundtheroomorbuildingtofindoutinformation
• gettinglearnerstostandupandmoveseatsfordifferentexercises.
Trainersshouldbeclearaboutwhentheywantlearnerstomove,forhowlongandwhattheyshouldtakewith
them(pen,paper,drink,everything).Itcanbehelpfultohaveaseparateareaforcoatsand/orbags.
27 Trainer’s Guide
General Points
• Ensurethatalllearnerscanseethepresentation.
• Donotstandinfrontofthepresentation.
• Givehandoutsorasklearnerstotakenotes.
• Donotturnaroundandreadfromthescreenorpresentation(means,theTrainerhaslosteyecontactwiththe
learners,andlearnerscan’theartheTrainerproperly).
• Donotreadthepresentation-itgivesnofurtherexplanationandlearnerscanreaditforthemselves.Instead,try
toprovideadditionalinformationthathelpstomakesenseofthepointsinthepresentation.
• Thepresentationshouldbebigenoughforalllearnerstoseeeasily,sothiscandependonthenumberoflearners,
sizeofroom,etc.
• Checkthatpeoplecanseeandhearyoubyaskingthepersonfurthestaway.
Varioustypesofpresentationscanbeused.
Using the Equipment
Giving lectures/Making
presentations
Flipchart
Whiteboard / Blackboard
PowerPoint
Overhead Projector (OHP)
Desktop Publisher
Type of Presentation
Benefits
Recording discussion
For learners’
use
Size increase to suit room
Can be prepared in
advance
Spell check
Reveal separate points
Show previous & current
points
Switched off, hidden from view when not used
Bepreparedfordifficultieswithequipmentbyhavinganalternativeavailable,suchasprintedhandouts.
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It’snotonlywhatyousaybuthowyousayitthatcounts.Researchhasshownthat,whensomeonegivesa
spokenmessage,thelistener’sunderstandingandjudgementofthatmessagecomesfrom:
7% words-listenersputtheirowninterpretationonspeakers’words
38% paralinguistics-thewayinwhichsomethingissaid(i.e.,accent,tone,inflectionareveryimportantto
alistener’sunderstanding)
55% facial expressions-whataspeakerlookslikewhiledeliveringamessageaffectsthelistener’s
understandingthemost.
Verbal Communication
Do
• Speakclearly.
• Usequestionstocheckthatlearnershaveunderstood.
• Usequestionstocheckthatlearnersarepaying
attention.
• Makesurethatalllearnerscanhear–possiblyuse
questionstocheck.
• Soundinterestedinwhatyouaresaying–thiswill
helpthelearnerstofinditinteresting.
Do not
• Usejargon,regionalmeaningsofphrasesorbigwords
oracronymsthatmightnotbeunderstoodbylearners.
• Mumble.
• Speaktooquickly.
• Useasarcasticorboredtoneofvoice–thiswillmake
itsoundasifyoudonotbelieveoragreewithwhat
youaresayingandthereforethelearnerswillnot
believeiteither.
• Speakinamonotone.
Do
• Useopenbodylanguage.
• Smileappropriately.
• Lookinterestedinwhatyouaresaying.
• Lookinterestedinwhatlearnerssaytoyou.
• Useeyecontacttoencouragecontributions.
• Haveequaleyecontactwithalllearnerstoensurethat
everyonefeelsincluded.
• Observelearners’bodylanguageandfacial
expressionstocheckforunderstandingandinterest.
• Usesmallgesturestoencouragecontributions,such
aslisteningnoises(“hm-hmm”,“yes”),hand
gestures,nodding.
Do not
• Keepabarrier(suchasadesk)betweenyouandthe
learners.
• Lookawayorreadwhensomeoneisgivingananswer
oraskingaquestion.
• Makefacialgesturesthatcouldberudetoanylearner
oranypartofthecourse(e.g.,rollingyoureyes,
tutting).
Non-verbal Communication
Verbal versus Non-verbal Communication
* Reference: Trainer’s Pocketbook 10th Edition (2004) John Townsend
29 Trainer’s Guide
Do
Remember,feedbackisatwo-wayprocess,fromlearnertoyouandyoutolearner.
• Givepositivefeedbacktolearners,suchas“welldone”,“that’sright”,“yes”.
• Ifthewholeanswerisnotcorrect,confirmthepointsthatlearnershavegottencorrect,e.g.,“Youareright thatxxx”.Itmaybehelpfultoalsohighlightthepartsoftheanswerthatarenotcorrect,e.g.,“Youare rightaboutxxx,butperhapsyoucouldreconsideryyy”.
• Acceptfeedbackfromlearners,butkeepitincontext–e.g.,“Thecoursewasboring–Iknoweverything already”isacriticismofthecoursecontentandisnotacriticismofyouoryourtrainingskills.
• Asklearnersforfeedbackonthecoursecontent,thestyleoftheexercises,thetrainingvenue,yourtrainer skillsandanythingelsethatcanbechangedorimproved.
• Doatestercoursewithcolleaguesaskingthemforfeedbackonthecoursecontent,thestyleofthe exercises,thetrainingvenue,yourtrainerskillsandanythingelsethatcanbechangedorimproved.
Do not
• Benegative.
• Becriticaloflearnersiftheygetsomethingwrong,e.g.“You’rewrong”,“Thatwasastupidanswer”.
• Laughatthemwhenthey’retryinghard.
Feedback
Do
• Encouragequestions–itshowsthatlearnersarepayingattentionandshowinganinterestinthetopic.
• Answerthequestionfully.
• Checkthatyouranswersatisfiesthelearner.
• Haveatechniquefordealingwithdifficultquestions,e.g.,onepersonaskingtoomanyquestionsorquestions thataremoredetailedthanyouneedtocover.
Usephrasessuchas:
• “That’sagoodquestionandwe’llcomebacktoitlaterifwehaveenoughtime”
• “Whydon’tyouandIhaveadiscussionaboutthatatthecoffeebreak?”
• “IfIunderstandcorrectly,you’reasking...”
• “Howdotherestofthegroupfeel?”
• “Hasanyoneelsehadasimilarproblem?”
• ”You’veobviouslydonesomethinkingonthis.What’syourview?”
• Passthequestiontoanotherlearnerwithexperienceinthesubject,“Bob,you’reanexpertonthis.”
• Usequestionstocheckwhetherlearnershaveunderstoodwhatyou’vetoldthem.
• Usequestionstore-capinformationcoveredearlier.
• Saythatyouwillfindoutifyoudon’tknowtheanswer.
Do not
• Makeupanswersorguessifyoudonotknow.
• Dismissquestionsasirrelevantorstupid.
• Forgettoanswerthequestion.
Questions
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Learners’backgrounds,currentlevelsofknowledgeandskillsandtheirlearningcapabilitiesarelikelytobe
varied.
Do
• Findouteachperson’sskill/knowledgelevelbeforethecoursebyaskingabasicquestionabout
experiencewhentakingthecourseregistration.Ifthisisnotpossible,thenaskthembeforethecourse
startsorduringtheintroductionsexercise.
• Acknowledgethedifferentlevelsand,ifpossible,encouragethemoreexperiencedlearnerstohelp
theothers.
• Haveanadditionalexerciseprepared,sothatyouradvancedpeoplearen’tgrowingboredorfrustrated
waitingfortheslowerpeopletofinishtheirexercises.
• Allowopportunitieswhenplanningexercisestoprovideone-on-onecoaching,shoulditberequired.
• Rememberthatpeoplelearnindifferentways.Thisrelatestotheleftandrightbrain.Using
avarietyofexercisesandactivitiesthatengagedifferentpartsofthebrainwillensurethatyou
includealllearningstyles.
• Provideadditionalsummaryinformationinavarietyofformats,suchaslists,pictures,flowchartsand
examples.
Do not
• Pickaspecificskill/knowledgelevelandteachtothat.
• Ignoretheneedsofthosewhoareslowerormoreadvanced.
• Assumethat,becauseonepersongaveyouthecorrectanswer,everyoneunderstandstheinformation.
Delivering a Course to a Group with Mixed Levels of Skills and Knowledge
Dealing with Difficult LearnersTherewillalwaysbesomelearnerswhoaremoredifficulttoengagethanothers.Somegeneralguidelinesaregiven
below.
Don’t forget, all learners:
• areadults–youmusttreatthemassuch
• areresponsiblefortheirownlearning–youaretheretofacilitatetheirlearningexperience
• haveexperience–youmustacknowledgethis,givethemcreditforthisandrememberTrainerscanlearnfrom
participantsaswell
• havedifferentpreferencesinthewaytheylearn–don’tassumeeveryoneneedstotakenotesorhastoask
questionstoshowthey’repayingattention.
31 Trainer’s Guide
“I’ve got 10 years’ experience; I don’t need to be here. What are you going to teach me?”
• TellsuchlearnersthattheirexperiencewillbeofusetoyouastheTrainerandtootherpeopleonthecourse.
• Asktheselearners’opinionontopicsthatarebeingdiscussedoraskthemiftheyhaveanexamplefrom
theirexperiencethatwouldillustratethepointyou’retryingtomake.
• Trytogetthemtoacknowledgewhentheyhavelearnedsomethingnew.
• Discussthereasonswhythey’rehere(e.g.,theyneedtohavecompletedtraininginordertobegranteda
license).
• Promotethemutualbenefits.Theymightaswellrelaxandgetwhattheycanoutoftheday;ifyou
allworktogether,thenyou’llbeabletogetthrougheverythingabitquicker.
Dealing with Difficult Learners
Learner who doesn’t agree with what you’re saying
Thiscancomeupinanumberofcontexts.Whenthefactsgivenonthecoursedonotfitwiththelearner’sown
experienceorviewofwhatisrightandwrong,thisiscalled“cognitivedissonance”.Thiswillmakelearnersfeel
uncomfortableandtheywilleitheraltertheircurrentbeliefstomakethenewinformationfitortheywilljustifytheir
currentbeliefsorbehavior.
Wemuststartfromtheirpointofview.Helplearnerstojustifychangingtheirbehavior,knowledgeorattitudesby
providingarealneedtodoso.
Forexample,duringacourseontheresponsibleserviceofalcohol,youmayhavesomelearnerswhodonotthink
thatthereisaproblemwithallowingcustomerstobecomedrunk.
• Askthemtoexplaintheirpointofview.
• Giveanyrelevantfactsaboutthesubject.
• Trytofindwayswheretheyalreadymeetthestandardsbeingdiscussedonthecourseandthebenefitsofdoingso.
• Explainotherbenefitsofmeetingthestandardsandgivethemarangeofalternativesthatwouldhelpthemto
meetthestandards.
Dealing with Difficult Learners
Trainer’s Guide 32
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Shy / Nervous learners
Trytofindoutwhatismakingthemnervous.
If they are nervous because they’re not sure what to expect:
• Tellthemasmuchaboutthecourseaspossible–content,approximatetimings,typesofexercises,
whatwillbeexpectedoflearners,anyassessments,breaksallowed,etc.
If they are nervous because there is a test or exam:
• Tellthemthedetailsabouttheassessment,howmuchinformationthey’llbeexpectedtoknow,
whetherthecoursewillincludeamockassessmentoranopportunitytopracticethestyleofquestions,
howmuchdetailtheywillbeexpectedtogiveintheiranswers(e.g.,multiplechoice,bulletpoint/
onewordanswers,shortwrittenanswers,essayanswers),howmarkswillbeawarded,passmark,how
quicklythey’lllearntheirresults,re-sitopportunities.
If they are nervous because they think it will be like school:
• Tellthemwhatwillbeexpectedoflearnersandhowthecoursewillrun–e.g.,askquestionswhenyou
want,uselotsofdiscussionratherthantheTrainertellinglearnerswhattodo,everyone’sexperienceisvalid.
In general:
• Askthemquestionsthatyouknowtheycananswerinordertobuildtheirconfidence.
• Praise/thankthemforcontributionsinordertobuildconfidence.
• Useeyecontactandnamestoencouragecontributions.
• Insmall-groupexercises,pairthemwithamoreconfidentperson.Thismeansthatthemoreconfident
personcangiveanyanswersorfeedbackandtheshypersonwillnothavetospeakinfrontofthe
wholegroup.
Dealing with Difficult Learners
Loud / Dominating learners
• Avoideyecontacttodiscouragecontributions.
• Askotherpeople,directquestionsbyname.
• Usephraseslike“Thankyouforthatcontribution,let’sseewhateveryoneelsethinks”,andaskforfurther
contributions,or“You’veansweredthelastcoupleofquestions,let’shearfromsomeoneelsethistime”.
• Haveachatwiththemawayfromthegroup.Itmaybethattheircontributionsarenotappropriate,e.g.,too
manyjokesandwastingtime.Itmaybethatyouhavetoaskthemtobequietandletotherscontribute.
• Ifthelearnerisparticularlydisruptive,youcanaskhimorhertoleave.Remember,othersaretheretolearn!
Dealing with Difficult Learners
33 Trainer’s Guide
After the Course
1. Evaluation at the end of the course
allowslearnerstocommentwhileit’sstillfreshintheirminds
ensuresyougetfeedbackfromeverylearner
couldgivevaluablefeedbackonhowtoimprovethecourse
thecourseisfinished;learnerswanttogohomeandmaytrytocompletetheevaluationasquicklyaspossible
ratherthanastruthfullyaspossible
thelearnersmayhaveenjoyedthemselvesandtheirevaluationreflectsthisratherthantheamounttheyhave
learnedorthecontentofthecourse(“happysheets”)
learnersmayliketheTrainerandwishtopleasehim/her(“happysheets”)
learnersmaybeintimidatedbytheTrainerandnotwishtoaddtoanimosity/conflict.
2. Follow-up evaluation after a period of time
getmoreaccuratereflectionofwhatwaslearnedinrelationtotheroletheycurrentlydo
opportunitytoansweranyqueriesthatmayhavecomeupsincethecourse
ifevaluationisdonebyaneutralperson,thenlearnerswillnotfeelanyconstraintsaboutexpressingtheirtrue
opinions
maybedifficulttogetholdoflearnersortogetthemtoparticipateintheevaluation
learnersmayhaveforgottenthedetailofthecourse(whichactuallyreflectstherelevancyofthecontent)
learners’opinionsmayhavebeeninfluencedbypost-coursediscussionswiththeirpeers.
3. Research into effectiveness of the course
resultswouldbeofinteresttoalargeinternationalaudience
couldgivevaluablefeedbackonhowtoimprovethecourse
wouldneedtobeastudydevisedbytrainedresearcher,withcarefulplanningoverthekeyareasthecourseis
attemptingtoimprove.
+++
+++
++
Importance of EvaluationIt’snotenoughtothinkyou’vewrittenagoodcourse,youneedtoseekfeedbackandevaluatethecourseproperly.
Inmostcases,toencouragethecandidatestobehonestintheirresponses,itisbestfortheevaluationsheetstobe
anonymous(thatiswithoutthecandidate’sname).
Thereareanumberofwaysthatyoucanevaluate,eachwithadvantagesanddisadvantages.Asummaryisgiven
below.
Trainer’s Guide 34
Example of End of Course Evaluation
Please take the time to complete all questions below. Your views are important to us.
Thank you for completing this evaluation. We hope you found your course both informative and effective. Please hand your completed Evaluation Form to your Trainer.
About the Course (Please circle your response)
1. What do you think of the course overall?
2. Do you think the course was
3. In summary, did you learn anything new about
LicensingLaw?
Alcohol?
CreatingtheRightAtmosphere?
PeopleSkills?
4. Would you recommend this course to others?
5. Thinking of the course sections below, how useful to your job was the information you learned?
LicensingLaw
Alcohol
CreatingtheRightAtmosphere
PeopleSkills
About the Trainer (Please circle your response)
6. How would you rate the presentation and delivery in each section of the course?
LicensingLaw
Alcohol
CreatingtheRightAtmosphere
PeopleSkills
About the Venue (Please circle your response)
7. How would you rate the training venue overall?
Details?
Any other comments?
Good Fair Poor
Therightlengthoftime? Toolong? Tooshort?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Veryuseful Didn’tdothisUseful Notpersonallyuseful
Veryuseful Didn’tdothisUseful Notpersonallyuseful
Veryuseful Didn’tdothisUseful Notpersonallyuseful
Veryuseful Didn’tdothisUseful Notpersonallyuseful
Good Fair Poor
Good Fair Poor
Good Fair Poor
Good Fair Poor
Good Fair Poor
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35 Trainer’s Guide
ThesamefurtherinformationthatislistedatthebackoftheServer’sGuideisrelevantforTrainers.However,the
followinglinksandpublicationsarealsousefulfromatrainingperspective:
www.aerc.org.uk
www.ntis.gov.au
www.cipd.co.uk
www.ihra.net
Designing&DeliveringTraining,DavidSimmons,CIPD(2003)
PromotingLearning,KateMalone(2003)
Trainer’sPocketbook10thEd.,JohnTownsend(2004)
Further Information
Suggested citation: International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP) & European Forum for Responsible Drinking (EFRD). (2008). Responsible service of alcohol: A trainer’s guide. Washington, DC: International Center for Alcohol Policies.