The Trainer Styles Questionnaire
First Published - February 2007
Trainers and developers have learning style preferences too! But, it is one thing to think of your preferences as a learner and another to think of your preferences as a trainer. The Trainer Styles Questionnaire featured in this booklet is a useful way of exploring the issues from a trainer's perspective. Written in the same style as The Learning Styles Questionnaire booklets it contains helpful insights we hope will contribute significantly to your continuing professional development as a trainer.
Buyers Guide
What is the purpose of this booklet?
The overall purpose is to help trainers identify and understand their trainer style(s) and to explore the impact their style preferences have on the learners they seek to help. The Trainer Styles Questionnaire reveals style preferences and the booklet offers numerous suggestions to help trainers broaden their repertoire and become increasingly effective at helping diverse learners. In addition, the booklet seeks to put training into context and offers a number of different perspectives and principles that will be useful to any enquiring trainer.
Is it for me? What is the target population for this booklet?
This booklet is for trainers, developers and facilitators and for students aspiring to become one of these. It is also likely to be relevant and useful for coaches and mentors - in fact for anyone who has a role in helping other people to learn and develop.
Who wrote the booklet?
Dr Peter Honey who, for over 30-years, was management trainer with a primary interest in helping people to learn effectively from both formal and informal opportunities. During this time he designed and delivered numerous courses, seminars and workshops on learning and behaviour. He is is a chartered occupational psychologist, management consultant and author of numerous publications about learning and personal development. For over 30 years his primary interest has been helping people to learn effectively from work-based experiences. He is a Patron of the Campaign for Learning and a trustee of the Lifelong Learning Foundation and the Prisoners’ Education Trust. He is also a Fellow of the RSA, CIPD and ITOL. He was also one of the founder members of the distinguished group that produced A Declaration on Learning.
What difference will it make?
Knowing your own preferred style(s) as a trainer and working through the booklet will help you to:
- understand how your style affects your choice of methods and your behaviour in the trainer role
- know what to do to modify your style to accommodate learners with different preferences
- know how to expand your repertoire of styles and become more adaptable
- increase your overall effectiveness by developing and strengthening under-utilised styles.
The booklet will also help you to clarify your role as a trainer and feel privileged to be in a position to help people learn (arguably the most important thing you can do for another human being).
In how many ways could I use the booklet?
You could:
- Confirm your trainer style preferences by completing the self-assessment questionnaire
- Consult the suggestions for action to see how to strengthen your less preferred styles
- Clarify your role as a trainer and tackle your tasks with renewed enthusiasm
- Increase your knowledge of various learning taxonomies and frameworks
- Improve the way you collect feedback from your learners
- Consult ‘A Declaration on Learning’ and produce your own version
- Help yourself to numerous ideas and incorporate them into a personal development plan
So, why should I buy it?
Quite simply because it will be an invaluable aid in helping you to develop your skills as a trainer and increase your impact and overall effectiveness.
Copyright and Photocopying
All rights reserved. This booklet is the copyright of Peter Honey Publications Ltd. It may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise without prior permission of Peter Honey Publications Ltd.