Training Facilitation Skills Training Course

Duration 5 days 10 modules · 33 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Corporate Trainer, Learning and Development Specialist and others
Fee from USD 1,100 KSh 95,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-LD-232

Before you join: Participants should have experience attending, supporting or delivering workplace training, workshops, meetings or presentations.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Training sessions often fail not because the content is weak, but because participation is uneven, discussion drifts, difficult behaviours go unaddressed, or participants leave without knowing how to apply the material. Trainers and team leaders need to create purposeful learning conversations, manage group dynamics, explain complex material clearly and keep sessions focused on observable workplace outcomes.

This course develops practical facilitation skills for classroom and live online learning. Participants learn to define measurable learning outcomes, plan sessions using backward design, establish learning contracts, ask purposeful questions and use structured discussion methods. They practise selecting methods for cases, demonstrations, role-plays and peer learning; responding to conflict and disruption; giving developmental feedback; and checking whether learning transfers into improved workplace performance. Inclusive facilitation, accessibility and cultural considerations are addressed throughout.

The course is delivered over five instructor-led days, either in a classroom in 50+ cities or live online. Teaching combines short briefings, realistic cases, facilitated group work, simulations, peer observation and individual planning. Participants receive feedback against clear observation criteria and leave with a completed facilitation plan, run-of-show document, participation strategy and 30-day application plan. A certificate of completion is issued to participants who complete the course.

It is particularly suitable for professionals who already deliver training, workshops, inductions, meetings or technical briefings and want a more disciplined approach to learner engagement and group process.

What you will be able to do

  • Design measurable learning outcomes using Bloom's Taxonomy and backward design
  • Facilitate structured discussions using questioning, listening and participation techniques
  • Create session plans with timings, transitions, materials and contingency actions
  • Manage difficult behaviours using process interventions and de-escalation language
  • Select learning methods for cases, demonstrations, role-plays and peer teaching
  • Give developmental feedback using SBI, Feedforward and Pendleton structures
  • Apply inclusive facilitation practices for diverse, multilingual and accessible groups
  • Produce a facilitation run-of-show and 30-day workplace application plan

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Greater confidence handling dominant, disengaged or challenging participants
  • A repeatable method for planning workshops around observable outcomes
  • Stronger questioning and listening skills for meetings and learning sessions
  • Practical feedback structures for developing colleagues and subject-matter experts
  • A documented facilitation plan ready for workplace delivery

For your organisation

  • More consistent quality across internal training, inductions and manager workshops
  • Higher participation rates and clearer evidence of learning during sessions
  • Reduced reliance on presentation-heavy delivery and passive attendance
  • Better transfer of training into role-specific workplace actions
  • Facilitators equipped to manage disagreement, disruption and accessibility needs

Course modules

10 modules over 5 days

Participants can define the facilitator role and establish conditions for purposeful adult learning.

  • Facilitator, trainer and subject-matter expert roles distinguished through accountability boundaries
  • Adult learning principles: relevance, autonomy, experience, practice and timely feedback
  • Learning contracts establishing purpose, participation norms, confidentiality and shared responsibilities
  • Psychological safety created through inclusive language, acknowledgement and error-friendly norms
  • Kolb's experiential learning cycle linked to session design choices
  • Participant needs diagnosed through pre-course questions, observation and stakeholder briefs
  • Facilitator credibility built without over-teaching or dominating discussion

Participants can write measurable outcomes and align facilitation methods, materials and evidence.

  • Bloom's Taxonomy used to distinguish recall, application, analysis and evaluation
  • Observable verbs replace vague objectives such as understand, know and appreciate
  • Backward design connects performance outcomes, assessment evidence and learning activities
  • Session objectives sequenced from foundation concepts to workplace decisions
  • Timeboxes allocate explanation, practice, debrief, reflection and contingency time
  • Facilitation plans specify instructions, materials, room setup and transition cues
  • Learning checks match stated outcomes rather than attendance or satisfaction

Participants can configure inclusive learning environments for classroom and virtual delivery.

  • Room layouts compared: cabaret, U-shape, classroom and circle configurations
  • Seating plans support discussion, paired work, demonstrations and accessibility needs
  • Virtual platform controls managed: breakout rooms, polls, chat and whiteboards
  • Visual aids follow signalling, contrast, proximity and one-message-per-slide principles
  • Materials prepared with version control, timings, instructions and accessibility checks
  • Contingency plans cover technology failure, late arrivals and missing resources
  • Opening routines establish platform etiquette, attention signals and participation channels

Participants can open sessions with purpose and use questions to generate focused participation.

  • Opening statements connect objectives, relevance, agenda and expected contribution
  • Introductions designed around prior experience rather than lengthy personal biographies
  • Open, probing, reflective and closed questions selected for distinct purposes
  • Funnel questioning moves from broad experience to specific evidence and decisions
  • Wait time used deliberately before reframing, prompting or inviting alternatives
  • Cold calling replaced with inclusive invitation, think time and opt-in routes
  • Paraphrasing and summarising confirm meaning before moving discussion forward

Participants can use structures that balance voices and sustain purposeful group discussion.

  • Think-pair-share gives quiet participants rehearsal time before plenary contribution
  • Nominal Group Technique ranks options while preventing early speaker dominance
  • Round-robin contributions distribute airtime without forcing personal disclosure
  • Small-group roles assign chair, recorder, reporter and timekeeper responsibilities
  • Fishbowl discussions make reasoning visible while observers capture evidence
  • Discussion maps track themes, agreements, assumptions and unresolved questions
  • Energy checks trigger format changes before attention and participation decline

Participants can respond to difficult behaviours and conflict while protecting learning objectives.

  • Behaviour-impact-request statements address repeated disruptions without labelling participants personally
  • SBI feedback separates situation, behaviour and impact from personal judgement
  • Process interventions redirect side conversations, monopolising voices and off-topic debate
  • Interest-based questioning separates stated positions from underlying concerns
  • De-escalation language acknowledges emotion, sets boundaries and returns to task
  • Conflict choices distinguish productive dissent from unsafe or discriminatory conduct
  • Escalation protocols identify when facilitators pause, refer or seek support

Participants can select and facilitate methods that turn workplace experience into usable learning.

  • Case method sequencing moves from facts to diagnosis, options and decisions
  • Role-play briefs define roles, stakes, observer criteria and debrief questions
  • Demonstration-practice-feedback cycles build procedural confidence and correct errors
  • Peer teaching tests explanation clarity and exposes knowledge gaps
  • Action learning sets tackle live problems through questioning and commitments
  • Experiential activities debrief using what, so what, now what questions
  • Method selection considers risk, complexity, participant experience and available time

Participants can give developmental feedback and evaluate learning transfer to workplace performance.

  • Observation checklists capture behaviours against published performance criteria
  • Feedforward identifies next actions before participants repeat a skill
  • Pendleton feedback structure balances self-assessment, reinforcement and improvement points
  • Kirkpatrick levels distinguish reaction, learning, behaviour and results evidence
  • Knowledge checks use retrieval practice, scenario decisions and confidence ratings
  • Transfer barriers identified through manager support, workload and system constraints
  • Follow-up measures link training actions to agreed performance indicators

Participants can facilitate inclusively across cultures, power differences and accessibility needs.

  • Universal Design for Learning offers multiple means of engagement and expression
  • Accessible materials use readable fonts, contrast, captions and descriptive labels
  • Power dynamics surfaced through anonymous input, structured turns and independent reflection
  • Culturally responsive facilitation avoids assumptions about communication, hierarchy and participation
  • Plain-language instructions reduce ambiguity for multilingual and mixed-experience groups
  • Pronunciation, names and pronouns handled respectfully without forced disclosure
  • Bias interruptions challenge stereotypes while preserving dignity and learning focus

Participants can produce a facilitation plan and development plan for an upcoming session.

  • Facilitation canvas combines outcomes, audience data, methods, timings and materials
  • Run-of-show documents prompts, transitions, instructions, contingencies and ownership
  • Risk review anticipates low participation, conflict, technology and timing failures
  • Peer review tests alignment between outcomes, methods, evidence and timing
  • Personal facilitation strengths and development priorities recorded against observation criteria
  • Thirty-day application plan schedules delivery, feedback collection and reflective review
  • Manager briefing requests support, observation opportunities and transfer conditions

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Facilitation planning canvas
  2. Session run-of-show template
  3. Learning contract checklist
  4. Structured questioning guide
  5. Facilitator observation checklist
  6. Thirty-day application plan

Who should attend

  • Corporate Trainer — needs to improve learner participation, practice and transfer
  • Learning and Development Specialist — designs and delivers internal learning interventions
  • Team Leader — facilitates team meetings, briefings, problem-solving sessions and inductions
  • Technical Expert — must explain specialist knowledge without relying on lectures alone
  • HR Business Partner — runs manager workshops, policy briefings and people-development sessions
  • Programme Officer — facilitates stakeholder learning events, consultations and capacity-building workshops

Skills and tools covered

Session designGroup facilitationQuestioning techniquesConflict managementDevelopmental feedbackInclusive learning

Tools and standards

Bloom's Taxonomy, Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle, Kirkpatrick Model, Universal Design for Learning

How the course runs

Training methodology

Short tutor briefings introduce each method before participants apply it to realistic workplace scenarios. Case work, group exercises, facilitation simulations and peer observation build skill in questioning, discussion management, feedback and intervention. Participants alternate between facilitator, participant and observer roles, using published observation criteria to identify specific behaviours. Individual application planning connects course methods to an upcoming workshop, briefing or team session. Delivery is adapted for classroom or live online cohorts while maintaining active participation throughout.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have experience attending, supporting or delivering workplace training, workshops, meetings or presentations. They should be comfortable speaking to groups and willing to receive structured feedback on their facilitation approach. Familiarity with their organisation's learning programmes, policies or technical subject matter will help them apply the methods quickly. No formal training qualification, instructional design certification, psychology background or previous online teaching experience is required. This is not a public-speaking course for complete beginners; it assumes basic confidence presenting to colleagues.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should have basic experience presenting, leading meetings, supporting training or sharing technical knowledge with colleagues. No formal training qualification or instructional design background is required.

Bring details of an upcoming workshop, briefing, induction or team session that you want to improve. This will provide material for your facilitation plan and application plan.

It suits trainers, L&D specialists, team leaders, HR professionals, technical experts and programme staff who facilitate groups. It is intended for people who already have basic presentation confidence and need stronger group facilitation methods.

This course concentrates on the live facilitation process: participation, questioning, discussion, group dynamics, feedback and difficult moments. Train-the-trainer programmes may place greater emphasis on course design, content development and trainer certification.

You will build a plan for a real session and identify methods suited to its audience, objectives and risks. The 30-day application plan includes delivery actions, feedback collection and reflection steps.

The programme contains ten modules, each designed as a self-contained unit of approximately three contact hours. Remaining contact time is used for introductions, simulations, peer feedback, application planning and course review across 08:30-16:30 training days.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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