Page 272 - Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills: A Guide for Professionals

5. Correct the person’s position.

Step II: Present the operation

1. Tell, show, and illustrate.
2. Explain one important step at a time.
3. Stress key points.
4. Instruct clearly, completely, and patiently, but no more than the learner can master.
5. Summarize the operation in a second run-through.

Step III: Try out performance

1. Have the learner do the job.
2. Have the learner explain key points while performing the job again.
3. Make sure that the learner understands.
4. Continue until you know that the learner knows the job.

Step IV: Follow-up

1. Put the learner on his or her own.
2. Designate where to obtain help.
3. Encourage questions.
4. Taper off.
5. Continue with normal supervision.

Box 12-1 ■ How to Instruct

Presentation

The second step presents and explains the operation as the employee is expected to perform it. The trainer
shows, tells, and illustrates the operation one step at a time using a prepared task analysis. Key points should
be stressed. The instruction should be carried out clearly, completely, and patiently, with the trainer
remembering the employee’s abilities and attitudes.

Since the ability to absorb new information is limited, the trainer needs to determine how much the learner
can master at a time. It may be 5 to 10 steps with key points, or it may be more. It may be 15 minutes or 1
hour of instruction. Overloading anyone with information is ineffectual, since the information will be
forgotten. After this initial instruction, the operation or task should be summarized and performed a second
time.

Performance

The third step, performance, tests how much the employee has retained, as he or she tries out the operation
using the written task analysis as a reference. The employee does the job while the trainer or coach stands by
to assist. This is a form of behavior modeling. Accuracy, not speed, is stressed initially. As the employee

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