How facilitators handle questions and answers from learners makes a huge impact on the learning environment. Why?
It goes way back to Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs.
Once basic survival is attained, safety is next in order of importance. Responding in a supportive manner to learners’ input creates emotional safety in the session. After safety, Maslow says that humans need to feel belonging. A negative or unsupportive reaction from an instructor or facilitator tells them immediately, “You don’t belong.”
Think about using some of these techniques to honor your learner’s questions or answers:
When a learner asks a question, respond with a positive acknowledgement:
- “Great question.”
- “Very thoughtful.”
- “Thanks for asking that.”
- “Oh, that one makes us think!”
When a learner answers a question, let him/her know that you appreciate the response:
- “Very insightful.”
- “Right!”
- “Absolutely.”
- “Yes!”
What if the learner answers the question incorrectly?
The facilitator has several charges in this situation: Honor the learner’s effort, correct the answer without making them be wrong. (They may not have answered correctly, but they are still in the game.) The best outcome is for the learner to discover how to correct the answer on their own, and be their own hero in the process. Try these responses:
- “Walk us through how you arrived at that answer.”
- “You got __ right, now let’s look at __.”
- “Where did you find that information?” (refer learners back to reference material)
- “Thanks. What will occur if you…” (use their answer to craft this question so that they can correct the answer. An example would be: The learner says that you have until April 16 to submit IRS tax payments. The correct answer is April 15. As a follow up, you ask: “What will occur if you submit your tax payment on April 16?”)
Do you honor learners when you facilitate or instruct? Do they feel safe to risk asking a question or giving an incorrect answer? How do you make them feel that they “belong” enough to fully participate?
Let us know your thoughts!
© Linda M. Farley www.LMFarley.com LMF@onr.com
Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/LindaFarley
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Hey Linda, great connections to Maslow and use of open ended and directing questions! May I use this in my Train the Trainer? Maybe Tina trainer could come to the class!?
What a great reminder of the importance of affirming learners – even when they get it ‘wrong’. Thanks for sharing this important insight, Linda.