Modalities. Processing. Principles…
Gosh—what does all that mean? Don’t worry—you’re about to find out just what’s essential in learning.

Learning theory and brain research are more complex than can be discussed here, but there are a few basic basics that can help you radically increase your effectiveness as a coach/facilitator/trainer.

An old Chinese proverb describes adult learning in a nutshell.

I hear and I forget
I see and I remember
I do and I remember.

What’s a Learning Modality?

Learning modalities are preferred ways of taking new information. These preferred styles become extremely strong when an individual feels stress. And when you’re learning something new—consider it a stress situation. So, keep in mind for your own learning and when others are learning—these preferences are more noticeable and when used, can reduce the stress of learning.

Think about your own learning preferences for a moment. What helps you jump up and say, “I get it!”? Do you like to learn by hearing? Do you prefer to learn by seeing? Do you prefer to learn by doing? Do you like a combination of methods? Think of this as “preferred learning modalities.”

People have habits, preferences and styles in just about everything. And learning is no exception. Use the core modalities to help each person experience data from different viewpoints. This helps each indivudal choose the style of learning in which they’re most comfortable.

The three most important learning styles are:

• Auditory
• Visual
• Kinesthetic

In general, adults learn and communicate in all three modes: but individuals differ in their preference for, or strength in, each mode.

You probably know some people who cannot grasp a concept until they can see a visual representation of it. You may know others who must get their hands on a model and try something before they can understand it.

To account for these differences and to maximize learning and absorption in your coaching work, or any communications, it is best to involve all modalities. This is a “catch all” — you’ll reach every type of learner.

How can you reach everyone?

The best “insider secret” is to do the following:

• Tell—people what they must learn, so they can hear it
• Show— people what they must learn, so they can see it
• Do—people need to try out what they must learn, so they can do it

This simple combination: Tell, Show and Do can become a repeating message in your mind as you design a coaching session, plan a training or create an agenda for a meeting. Keep asking yourself if your design and delivery is addressing each of these three ways that people learn.

What’s Information Processing?

People also differ in how they process information. Some people need to work with the data, engage in conversation about it, and discuss it what it means: others need to think about it, and put the pieces together in their mind.

This dimension of processing information is often associated with popular theories of personality that distinguishes between internal (introvert) and external (extrovert) preferred methods of processing.

Individuals differ widely in how they learn and how they process information. To communicate and coach effectively, it’s helpful to learn as much as possible about receiver or coachee as you can.

The real secret is balance!

Balance how you help your coachee, trainee, and employee absorb information. Design exercises and activities to appeal to more internal processing such as reading, writing, and journaling. Organize other activities to appeal more to external processing such as full group discussion, partner debriefs and small group presentations.

However, even if you know little about your participant’s personal preferences, you can assume that there will be a mix of preferences. Based on this, you can design and conduct coaching sessions with a variety of methods, and use alternatives to respond immediately to your coachee, student, or client.

Increase your effectiveness!

Look at all the times in a day—both professionally and personally—that you communicate with adults….think of how much more effective you’ll be when you apply the principles of how adults learn. You’ll notice that your sales may increase. That your writing effectiveness improves. That your trainings get higher evaluations. That your coaching clients get better results.

No matter where you are communicating, and whom you are communicating with—you’ll have a chance to experiment, apply, review and refine your personal applications of adult learning principles.

Keep in mind that this is a process. Adapt it to your unique situation. Be sure to take the time to make it your own.

Make it Real:

Pick a presentation, coaching session, training, meeting or planning session that you have coming up. Go on—pick one that you’re not looking forward to, or maybe don’t feel prepared for. That’s OK. Have this session in mind as you ask yourself:

• Where can you apply the insider secret: Tell, Show, And Do?
• Where can you balance internally focused activities with ones that are more externally focused?

You don’t have to have all the answers right away. Just by asking the question, you’ll get your brain cells firing in a new way. Read on and find out what else you can do to make your next communication session really soar!

{ 0 comments }