Learning Coaches

Cymraeg

Inside ‘Coaching for Learning’

Publications Editor Marian Cooper once again joined the group Bridgend, as they moved on to Coaching for Learning

I knew as I walked in for Day 1 that Coaching for Learning was going to be a little out of the ordinary. There were power ballads playing on the stereo (there was a stereo!), lots of things to fiddle with on the tables – pebbles, coloured pens, Post-its, small stuffed toys and photos – and all around the walls laminated sheets offering words of wisdom, which attracted everyone’s attention as they entered the room.

Trainers Steve Farrugia and Richard Waller began by explaining that the day’s focus would be on learning. We would become more aware of how we learnt ourselves and how others may learn differently, and how this could enable us to help young people learn better.

One activity was to recall some things that we had learnt – how had we done so? It became evident that we are learning all the time, and in a great variety of ways. We followed this by exploring how we process information and undertook some tasks to find out our own ‘comfort zones’. Relating this to coachees, Richard and Steve revealed some of the clues, for example eye movements, that can show how young people are processing information, and explained how powerful it can be to step outside your own comfort zone and communicate with them using their preferred learning style.

Later in the day we explored how the best learning takes place only when all the brain’s other priorities are satisfied, tried some memory strategies and did a group activity that put everything we had learnt together. Richard and Steve explained that the scheduling of the day’s activities – information-giving interspersed with group activities – was one of the techniques we were learning; the brain can only retain so much new information in a given time, and it is important to allow it time to process what it takes in.

Returning for Day 2, the relaxed atmosphere was again immediately apparent. As it had been a whole month since the last day’s training, we started with a quick review of how we had put into action things that we learnt on the first day. Several of the group members had tried new ways of working to adapt to the different learning styles, and many had made new observations, or reacted differently to what they had observed, for example the ‘fidgeting’ of kinaesthetic learners.

Part of the morning focused on McCarthy’s 4MAT system and later we explored the use of language. It was fascinating to see how our precise choice of words can have a massive impact on the message received. We were also introduced to how asking a particular question and listening to the way the answer is phrased can give an insight into how a learner is processing information in a particular context, enabling the coach to respond in the style that is most likely to engage them.

Later we were given guidance on how to give good feedback, and tested this out in small groups – it was a chance also to practise the language skills we had learnt. The day finished with some time to reflect individually on how we could put into practice all the new information we had been given.

I really enjoyed the way Coaching for Learning was taught; it practised what it preached. We were given interesting information in a relaxed and lively style and I even had my basic needs satisfied by a good meal – I couldn’t help but learn!

The learning coaches’ views
What did they like best about the Coaching for Learning training days?

‘The whole approach is the one they expect from a learning coach.’ Amanda Rowling, Welsh Language Officer

‘It’s been really good fun. This is an excellent module – it’s really interesting.’ Chris Gauci, Youth Forum Officer

January 2007