Learning Resource

How to conduct training

Training guides and manuals > Guides for trainers: general

This CGAP on-line training material includes a Training of Trainers (TOT) module and an accompanying Toolkit. The material is specifically designed for donor staff who specialize in microfinance and provide training to colleagues in their agencies on good practices in microfinance. It is equally suitable for trainers who are based in financial institutions. The material was developed by Janis Sabetta and is based upon proven adult education and learning techniques. The goal is to help trainers to improve their training and communication skills.

The TOT module consists of eight sessions. For each session there is a PowerPoint Presentation and accompanying handouts which are provided as Word documents. Apart from the introduction and overview, the sessions include:

  • How to Start a Training Session
  • How Do Adults Learn?
  • The Experiential Learning Cycle
  • Communication
  • Managing Groups in Training
  • Designing a Training Session
  • Closure – Winding Things Up

The Training Toolkit is designed to complement the TOT module. The tools give background information on adult education theory, and tips and examples on how to design and run training sessions. The tools are grouped under 5 main topics and include a list of training publications and resources. People using these tools should note that they can and should be modified by the users to reflect specific cultural circumstances, both in terms of the audience that is being trained and the trainer’s own level of comfort.

Topics in the toolkit include:

  • Adult education theory
  • Training Design
  • Beginnings
  • Delivery Tips, e.g.
  • 100 Nuts and Bolts Training Tips
  • Barriers to Communication
  • Listening
  • Questioning
  • Visual Aids
  • Monitoring Training Progress
  • Group Theory
  • Assigning Participants to Small Groups
  • Stages of Group Development
  • Difficult Participants

 

Closings

  • References and resources
  • Each section of the toolkit is downloadable as a zipped file of Word documents.
  • This material will be helpful to anyone wishing to improve their training skills and is highly recommended.