The teacher training cycle begins at the induction stage of the process. This is when the candidates will first meet their assessor. Gravells (2011 p7) states that the teacher and learning cycle is so called as it can start at any stage and keep on going. However, all stages must be addressed for teaching to be effective.
During the induction the trainer will outline the course content and gain any information that will gauge the learner’s ability or disability. A skills scan is completed during the induction; this will give the trainer an indication of the learner’s level of literacy and numeracy. This will then be analysed alongside the learning styles questionnaire. Health and safety workplace inductions are completed and added to the learner’s portfolio with the course contract.
Once the induction paperwork has been completed and assessed the trainer will offer feedback to the candidates and prepare them for the second part of the cycle which is the session planning. It is usual practice for trainers to hand out workbooks at this stage plus helpful guidance notes referring to websites and books. The trainer will breakdown the course into units and explains each one. The trainer will explain what the course consists of, what is expected of both the trainer and the learner and when it is expected. The trainer has to remember that they are dealing with adults and there has to be flexibility and understanding when deadlines/guidelines are set. These aims have to be realistic and it is a responsibility of the trainer to create a safe learning environment to enable the aims to be met. It is also the trainer responsibility to treat each adult learner as an individual.
During the third aspect of the teaching cycle, enabling learning, the trainer uses a variety of different approaches to facilitate the learning to take place, these may come in
the guise of workbooks including Employee Rights and Responsibilities and Key skills practice test papers.
Information advice and guidance are key areas with feedback taking place at the end of each session. The trainer’s role is to engage the learner and communicate effectively to help with the learning journey. Reviews need to take place at regular intervals, between 8 to 12 weeks and feedback given at each stage. Trainers are responsible for speaking appropriately regarding the subject matter and remaining professional at all times, even if questions are raised that may be outside of the scope of the course content. Boundaries such as holidays, sickness and absence can sometime arise which may mean that the timescale you have given doesn’t fit.
Assessing the learning within the learners working environment forms the fourth part of the cycle. Trainers make observation, gather witness testimonies and have