1. Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Incorporated for DAI. Trainer’s Guide: Financial Literacy and Mobile Financial Services.
Development Alternatives, Inc. 2013
Trainer Tips:
To become an effective facilitator of the learning sessions, it is
very important that the trainer recognizes the key principles in adult
learning experience. Adults learn in different ways. Commonly, they
are self directed and would want to learn at their own pace. They
often already have the knowledge of the subject matter and would want
to gain practical skills that would enable them to improve the
activities they engage in. As such, facilitators must remember key
principles in adult learning experience while in the conduct of the
training.
The Principles of Adult Learning Experience:
a. Learners should feel that they are respected and should feel like
equal.
b. Facilitator must provide affirmation to the participants even for
the small attempts of engaging in the learning process.
c. Learners learn best through drawing out their own experiences and
knowledge which make the training more relevant to them. These
include meeting the real life needs of the adult such as jobs and
family.
d. Through engagement, participants are involved in the discussion,
small group and learning from peers. The task of the facilitator
is to ensure that there is engagement in the process.
e. Participants learn better where there is dialogue and they can
discuss information with the facilitator.
f. The learners must feel the immediacy of the topics.
g. The 20/40/80 rule states that learners remember more when visuals
are used to support the verbal presentation and best when they
practice the new skill; we remember 20 percent of what we hear,
40 percent of what we hear and see, and 80 percent of what we
hear, see and do.
h. The learning sessions must always include thinking, feeling and
acting.
i. Facilitators must create a safe environment for sharing of ideas.
Contributions will be valued and not, in anyway, belittled.
j. The facilitators should be accountable to the learners and
meeting their learning needs.
Tips for trainers in delivering training:
- Establish and maintain credibility
- Conduct training in a responsive and collaborative way
- Create a learning environment where participants feel comfortable
and safe
- Provide supportive background
- Use effective communication and presentation skills
- Use effective facilitation skills
- Provide opportunities for practical application of knowledge and
skills
- Monitor the process of training and make adjustments, as needed

2. Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Incorporated for DAI. Trainer’s Guide: Financial Literacy and Mobile Financial Services.
Development Alternatives, Inc. 2013
The following are some of the Do’s and Don’ts of trainers while
facilitating a leaning session:
DO’s for Trainers DON’Ts for Trainers
- Do maintain good eye contact
- Do prepare in advance
- Do use visual aids
- Do speak clearly
- Do speak loud enough
- Do encourage questions
- Do recap at the end of each
session
- Do bridge one topic to the
next
- Do encourage participation
- Do write clearly and boldly
- Do summarize
- Do use logical sequencing of
topics
- Do use good time management
- Do K.I.S (Keep It Simple)
- Do give feedback
- Do position visuals so
everyone can see them
- Do be aware of the
participants’ body language
- Do keep the group focused on
the task
- Do provide clear instructions
- Do check to see if your
instructions are understood
- Do be patient
- Don’t talk to the screen /
flipchart
- Don’t block the visual aids
- Don’t stand in one spot –
move around the room
- Don’t ignore the
participants’ comments and
feedback (verbal and
nonverbal)
- Don’t read from the trainer’s
guide / curriculum
- Don’t shout at participants
How to deal with Difficult Participants?
- Keep calm and don’t become defensive
- Never argue with participants
- Don’t take it personally
- Focus on the issues and not the person
- Use humor (if appropriate) to diffuse a situation
Managing Nervousness and Stage Fright:
- If you are nervous, don’t announce it
- Get enough sleep the night before
- Accept the fact that you are nervous; use it as positive
influence
- Take a brisk walk just before you present; keep your body awake
and alert
- Don’t sit with your legs crossed; it does not present a positive
image and one of your legs may go to sleep

3. Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Incorporated for DAI. Trainer’s Guide: Financial Literacy and Mobile Financial Services.
Development Alternatives, Inc. 2013
- Let your arms dangle at your sides to facilitate draining of
tension
- While your arms are dangling, twirl your fingers loosely to
improve circulation
- Keep your shoulders down; the more you hunch them up, the more
tense you will become
- Move your jaw back and forth to reduce the tension in the muscles
of the side of your face; open your mouth widely when you speak
- Practice slow, deep breathing for about two minutes just before
you are to speak; this ventilates the body and helps ease the
stress
- Use silent, encouraging phrases for yourself