Lisa's Systematic Instruction Training

What is Systematic Instruction Training?

Training in Systematic Instruction (TSI) is a way to teach people who find traditional learning difficult, including people with learning disabilities and autism. The TSI course teaches staff the skills needed to help people learn in ways that work best for them.

Lisa, who works in our Learning Disability Day Services, went on a training course that teaches support staff the skills they need to support people with learning disabilities and autism in a way that is right for them. She's tells us what she's learnt and how the training will help her in her role.

What were you expecting from the training before it started?

I was expecting to gain a clearer and more structured approach to supporting people to learn new skills. I hoped it would give me practical tools, not just theory, and help me understand how to break tasks down so that people we support can be more independent.

What did you hope it would help you achieve in your job?

To help me be more effective when teaching new skills. Supporting people with different learning styles can be challenging, I wanted techniques that would make learning more meaningful, person-centred and achievable. I'm excited to put this training into practice with people we support who will be using our new printing enterprise, Persona Prints.

What do you find difficult about your job that you hoped this training would support you with?

I sometimes find it difficult to:

• know how much support to give without taking over
• break tasks down in a way that works for each person
• stay consistent and patient when someone is struggling or losing interest
• make sure everyone teaches tasks in the same way

I hoped the training would give me clear guidance and structure to handle these challenges better.

Do you think the training will help you to do what you expected?

Yes, definitely. The training gave clear step by step approaches I can use straight away. 

I now feel more confident in:

• breaking tasks down properly
• planning teaching sessions
• knowing when to step back instead of jumping in
• adjusting support based on how the person responds

What have you learnt?

I've learnt how to:

• break tasks down into small, manageable steps
• understand where someone is starting from and to match support to their needs
• reduce prompts over time so people become more independent
• observe well and use mistakes as learning opportunities
• adapt my teaching style to suit the person

I've also learnt how important planning, patientence and positive encouragement are.

What was the highlight of the training for you?

Practising the techniques in real time and seeing how small changes can make a big difference. Working through tasks step by step and watching others do the same really helped everything click. It was also great to see how it helps people learn for themselves rather than having things done for them.

Did anything about the training surprise you?

How much details goes into teaching a task properly. I didn't realise how much planning and observation goes is involved. I was also surprised by how quickly people can learn when the instructions are broken down clearly. 

What did you think about the people we support being involved in the training?

Having people we support involved was a positive part of the experience - they seemed to enjoy it and it added so much value.

It gave:

• a real insight into how people experience learning
• feedback you can't get from theory alone
• a clear reminder of why this training matters
• a chance to practise skills in a meaningful, person-centred way

Click here to read what others thought about the training.