¿Cómo puede crear un ambiente de aprendizaje respetuoso para los alumnos?

I believe that it matters a lot to combine both general tips with specific tips. This is because, even if you were able to categorize your audience early on, you will not always be able to win them all over, which is why you should start with the quick simple tips and tools of the trade, then work your way into details that not everyone will be able to follow.

In my training sessions, I tried to understand who I was talking to and what they needed. I sat individually with each candidate, ensuring they were comfortable with me and felt like I was one of them, not just a trainer who knew everything. I also paid close attention to the backgrounds of the people I was training. When I had candidates from different countries, I tried to be culturally sensitive, acknowledging and respecting their unique perspectives and ways of thinking. This meant customizing my training style to suit the audience, sometimes changing my approach, examples, or language to ensure everyone felt included and understood.

Prior to initiating any training program, invest time in thoroughly researching and understanding the diverse cultural, social, and professional backgrounds of your participants. This in-depth insight is crucial for tailoring your training materials and methods to align more effectively with the trainees' perspectives.

I facilitate virtual exchanges between English learners of Spanish and Spanish learners of English. Through carefully designed activities, participants explore their own cultures and those of others, enhancing their intercultural sensitivity. Our program spans several months, allowing me to introduce more challenging topics as the group's rapport strengthens and the risk of misunderstandings diminishes. My approach aligns with findings from language teachers who've researched virtual exchanges: counterintuitively, the key to genuine intercultural understanding lies in moving beyond consistently "safe" conversations. Once I observe a solid foundation of mutual respect within the group, I introduce more sensitive subjects.

In the learning process, setting clear and realistic goals is fundamental. It gives trainees a concrete direction and a sense of what they can achieve. During my training sessions, I made it a priority to establish goals that were tailored to the abilities and needs of each participant. For example, I once had a group of beginners in a particular subject. Instead of overwhelming them with advanced concepts, we set a goal to understand the basic principles by the end of the week. I broke down the material into manageable parts and guided them step by step. The plans were clear and attainable, matched to their starting point. By the end of the week, they had not only grasped the fundamentals but were also excited and motivated to learn more.

And I would add the need for flexibility that topics may come up that are really important to the group and the trainer/facilitator should be able to allow for this.

I would add how crucial it is to set goals that are not only achievable but also closely aligned with your trainees' specific skills, expertise, and cultural backgrounds. To make sure these goals are actionable, conduct a pre-training assessment to gauge the existing knowledge and skill levels of your participants. This assessment allows you to create goals that challenge yet respect the trainees' current capabilities.

My initial message to our trainees was 'I don't mind if you make a mistake, but don't make the same mistake twice.' You have to give people the opportunity to fail, but with the condition that they go back and assess their performance, and learn from their mistakes. The fastest way to learn is by experience, and if you get something wrong, you always remember it.

This is very important and to provide the context that language is always evolving and I may use this term today for example; equity deserving groups which another term could be equity seeking groups or marginalized groups. As the trainer/facilitator you should be prepared for someone to correct you.

Build Authentic Rapport and Connection to Your Community In my experience the time spent initially to learn the audience will be made up once those real connections are made. Presenting expertise, but recognizing the humanness is essential in creating transformative change in any space, and enhancing overall long-term learning potentials.

Inclusive language doesn't begin with the words you speak. It begins with how you think about your audience before you meet them and how you think about words before you speak them. Becoming informed of how certain terms, words, phrases, expressions are used to dog-whistle, polarize, structure narratives and support development of inaccurate mental models and representation can help us to think/rethink of how our own word choices can be interpreted by any member of our audience. Extra thought can help ensure that the words you speak are aligned with the spirit and intention of your message, gives you an opportunity to make any edits if necessary, and will truly demonstrate that you are sincere about wanting to be inclusive and respectful.

One thing I found helpful when working with trainees from different backgrounds and from multiple places is to prepare a glossary of terms essential to the training, providing clear definitions in simple language. Additionally, I also always encourage the use of 'they/them' pronouns when referring to hypothetical situations or unknown individuals to avoid assumptions about gender.

Establishing open, inclusive, and collaborative spaces for dialogue within the workplace is vital. While icebreakers can serve as initial tools to facilitate social interaction, they represent only a fraction of the potential avenues for meaningful dialogue. Encouraging all meetings of minds, irrespective of the topic, to be collaborative enables the organization to harness the collective intelligence and diverse perspectives of its workforce. Recognising that even beyond our cultural identities we are all different allows us to hear each other more effectively, leading to enhanced problem-solving, increased creativity, and a deeper sense of belonging within the workplace.

The freedom to ask questions without judgment is paramount in a thriving learning environment. It's essential to create a space where all inquiries are welcomed and valued, no matter how simple or complex they may seem. There are no "dumb" questions in a genuinely supportive setting; every query is an opportunity for growth and understanding. Encouraging participation and interaction fosters a culture of curiosity and collaboration, where learners feel safe to express their thoughts and explore new ideas. This cheerful and inclusive atmosphere leads to more profound insights, more engaged learners, and a community that learns and grows together.

Understanding basics of personality and conflict management styles is beneficial. They can provide insights regarding participation and interaction in both the learner’s and facilitator’s favor. For example, understanding some basics of how Introverted and Extroverted types may operate may help us understand how they may participate. An introvert will likely prefer to deeply thought-process information before outwardly expressing thoughts about it. This style won’t always fit with “on-demand” responses that a facilitator/trainer is requesting or expecting. Of course, “Styles” offer generalities so they shouldn’t be seen as hard and fast rules, but rather as having the potential to engage a participant according to their comfort level.

One actionable strategy is to use breakout groups or pair discussions, enabling participants to share ideas and collaborate on smaller tasks or problem-solving exercises. This approach promotes participation and allows trainees to learn from each other's experiences and perspectives. Make sure to rotate group members periodically to foster diverse interactions and allow everyone to engage with different peers.

As well as to have the ability to give anonymous responses if virtual as well as allow the pause when asking questions. Taking the time at the beginning of the day to discuss creating a safe atmosphere as not everyone has the same version of safety.

Celebrating diversity and commonality in learning and team building means appreciating what makes us different and brings us together. We create a more prosperous and more creative environment by valuing everyone's unique ideas and backgrounds. At the same time, finding things we all have in common helps us work together as a team. It's like combining different ingredients to make a delicious meal; each adds flavor, but they all work together to create something unique. This approach helps us learn from each other and build stronger, more united teams.

I find spending a few minutes on discussing and highlighting the things people do share in common is such a powerful way to kick off a session. It also provides a baseline, if you will, to acknowledge and appreciate differences and diversity, and sets the tone for the rest of the meeting. People who feel seen and accepted will bring their whole creative and resourceful self to the environment and that is beautiful!

Reconocer y apreciar las diferencias en antecedentes culturales y valores enriquece la experiencia de aprendizaje. Del mismo modo, enfatizar metas y desafíos compartidos ayuda a construir relaciones y confianza entre los alumnos. Utilizar estrategias como contar historias, usar recursos visuales y contar con oradores invitados puede crear un ambiente de aprendizaje solidario e inclusivo.

Flexibility is critical. Incorporating flexibility in teaching methods requires understanding your learners and a willingness to experiment with different approaches. By recognizing and valuing the diversity of learning styles, you create an environment that supports comprehensive learning and encourages everyone to reach their full potential.

I would add a note about humor. Laughter is contagious, as the saying goes, and it is also a powerful "glue" to facilitate connection and build trust. It boosts engagement, spurs creativity and collaboration. It also lowers cortisol levels, which sometimes spike as we're trying to learn something new, in training environments. Potentially even more so in group settings, for some of us! As a trainer or facilitator, including humor into your presentation, allowing for pockets of amusement in the natural interactions happening around the room is so beneficial to the learning process! Additionally, keeping in mind that people remember how you made them feel, making learning a fun experience is key!

Whenever I teach or deliver a workshop, I have the group create our guidelines for working together. I start by establishing some guidelines myself such as: - What is said here, stays here - Share only what you feel comfortable sharing - Always react in a way that invites a dialogue - We may have to agree to disagree Then I have them work in small groups and add to these guidelines. Throughout our time together, these guidelines remain visible as a reminder of the rules they helped create.