Dialogue
Learning
Engaging Learners,
Changing Lives
Welcome!
1. Sign-in at the registration
table.
2. Please make a name tag.
3. Pick-up training materials.
4. Introduce yourself to the
person sitting next to you.
Central Principles of
Dialogue Learning
Dialogue Learning is a conversation
which engages learners to take an
active role in the learning process.
 Discussion
 Exchange
of ideas
 Hands-on activities
 Reflection and application of new
information
 Behavior change
Central Principles of
Dialogue Learning
Lesson Environment Setting the stage for learning
Planning and Preparation
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Begin and end on time
Greet learners as they arrive
Use bright colors and visual
resource materials to make
the environment interesting
and inviting
Provide nametags for learners
When possible arrange chairs
in a circle
Provide pens and paper for
note taking
Body Language
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Use eye contact
Remember to smile
Be aware of your posture,
gestures, and proximity to
learners
Make the lesson
accessible to all learners
When possible, meet
learners on the same
physical level
Central Principles of
Dialogue Learning
4 A’s of Dialogue Learning
Anchor – Warm-up activity which relates to the
topic to be discussed in class.
Add – The information you want to share with
participants.
Apply – Participants
are actively engaged in
Central Principles of Dialogue Learning
application of the lesson contents.
Away – Participants reflect on what they have
learned and consider ways to use the information
presented, set goals, and consider behavior
change.
Central Principles of
Dialogue Learning
Anchor Warm Up Activity
 Utilize the anchor/warm-up activity which corresponds to the
FSNE curriculum lesson you are teaching, and employs working
with a partner.
 Time this activity and let learners know when you will come
back together as a group to share.
 Working in pairs allows each participant to share experiences
and be heard. Everyone does not need to share ideas in the
whole group setting.
 Ask for a sampling of a few responses when the whole group
comes back together.
 The anchor activity enables each learner to make personal
meaning out of the lesson topic right from the start. This sets the
stage for meaningful learning.
Central Principles of
Dialogue Learning
Anchor/Warm-up Activity:
Community Food Assistance Programs
Each of you can decide if you want to talk to the whole group
or not. I call this “voice by choice.”
Think about programs and organizations in your community that help
people get the food they need. Some examples are the Food
Supplement Program (formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) and
food banks or pantries. Turn to the person sitting next to you, introduce
yourself and then talk briefly about organizations or programs that
people can use to increase their food dollars by either providing nocost or low-cost meals, or by giving money or vouchers to purchase
food.
Write the name of each program you discuss on a sticky note. When
you and your partner have a few names of programs written down,
place your sticky notes up here on the board. When you are finished,
we will share your ideas with the group.
Central Principles of
Dialogue Learning
Add
 Deliver lesson materials in the ways in which
learners can apply this information in the “apply”
portion of the lesson, ideally into their daily life.
 Information presented should be accessible to all
learners. Provide written and oral instructions,
pictures, and tangible learning resources.
 Keep core lesson concepts and handout materials
to a minimum. Try to avoid information overload.
 Too much information presented all at once is
ineffective and causes confusion.
Central Principles of
Dialogue Learning
Apply – Push and Pull
 Consider the amount of time you spend on “push” or delivering
information, and think about the opportunities for “pull” when
learners are engaged and applying this new information.
 Utilize “voice by choice” to elicit responses/questions
from learners. Avoid directly calling on any one person.
 Create a safe learning environment for participants to share in
the dialogue.
 Provide opportunities for learners to express themselves, to ask
questions, and to work with others.
 Always ask “open-ended questions” which are
relevant to the lesson topic, but are not too personal for
learners.
 Pay close attention to the structure of the lesson as written,
specifically designed for DL. Each lesson provides many
opportunities for effective DL to take place.
Remember the 4 A’s: ANCHOR, ADD, APPLY, AWAY.
Central Principles of
Dialogue Learning
Apply Activity:
Community Food Assistance Programs
This next activity will give you an idea of how much money
you can save using community resources. But first, we need
to form some new groups. Pass out the Family Food Assistance
worksheet to each participant and a set of Community Resource cards
to each group.
1. Read the description of the family described in the Case Study.
2. Now look at the Community Resource Cards. Each of the cards lists
a community resource and the average amount of money it can
save enrolled families.
3. Choose the resources that could benefit the family.
4. List the cards you choose and the dollar value of each on the Case
Study worksheet.
5. Add the dollar values to learn how much the family could save each
month by using these resources.
Central Principles of
Dialogue Learning
Apply Activity Continued
Central Principles of
Dialogue Learning
Away-Closing
 Ask participants “What are your questions?”
 Wait 5 seconds for responses while maintaining eye
contact.
 Be an active listener to participant responses.
 Thanks learners for their questions and comments using
affirmations. If time permits, ask learners to expand upon
their question or comment.
 Weave comments and questions together as a method to
summarize and review the lesson content.
 Reiterate and reinforce the essential core messages at
the conclusion of the lesson.
 Empower learners to set goals, to move the information
into their future, to incorporate healthy behaviors into
their daily routine.
Central Principles of
Dialogue Learning
Away-Closing Activity
Think about the community food assistance resources we have
discussed today and consider which ones could help your
family.
 Take a look at the Take Home Tips handout.
 Pick programs from the list provided today
that you are interested in contacting.
 Write their names on the Take Home Tips
handout.
 Circle one program you will contact
this week.
 Find out if you are eligible to participate
in the program.
 Put the Take Home Tips on your fridge.
Central Principles of
Dialogue Learning
Away-Closing
Put the Take Home Tips on your fridge. I have included a copy
of the Fruit and Dreamy Dip recipe on the handout.
Thank you for coming today! I enjoyed our time together and
hope to see you at our next session.
Please complete
and turn in your
evaluation on your
way out.
If you have any
questions
regarding today’s
training, feel free to
contact me.
Dialogue
Learning
Engaging Learners,
Changing Lives
Thank you for
coming!
Lynn Rubin
[email protected]
410.715.6903
Dialogue
Learning
Putting Theory into
Practice
Welcome!
1. Sign-in at the registration
table.
2. Please make a name tag.
3. Pick-up training materials.
4. Introduce yourself to the
person sitting next to you.
Putting Theory Into Practice
Dialogue Learning is a conversation which
engages learners to take an active role in the
learning process. This training will empower
you with tips and tools to incorporate
Dialogue Learning theories into your teaching.
 Open-ended
questions
 Affirmations
 Group
activities
 Reflection and application of new
information
Putting Theory Into Practice
4 A’s of Dialogue Learning
Anchor – Warm-up activity which relates to the
topic to be discussed in class.
Add – The information you want to share with
participants.
Apply – Participants
are actively engaged in
Central Principles of Dialogue Learning
application of the lesson contents.
Away – Participants reflect on what they have
learned and consider ways to use the information
presented, set goals, and consider behavior
change.
Putting Theory Into Practice
Open-ended Questions
 Empowers learners to problem solve and apply the
information presented to their own experience.
 Open-ended questions provide learners an opportunity
to contribute their thoughts and ideas.
 This question format reaches beyond yes or no answers.
 Learners are empowered to apply open-ended questions
to their own experiences and preferences.
 This question format enables participants to share,
without fear of providing a right or wrong answer.
 Open-ended questions foster trust and camaraderie
among participants and brings personal meaning to the
lesson material.
Putting Theory Into Practice
Let’s Consider Some Examples
Open and closed questions, can you identify each type?
1. Which of these foods contains whole grains?
2. What surprised you about the ingredients listed on this
box of cereal?
3. Do you eat meals together as a family?
4. Can you share some ways in which everyone can help
to prepare and enjoy family meals together?
5. Is chicken a plant or an animal protein?
6. What are some creative ways to add plant protein to
main dishes to stretch your food dollars?
Putting Theory Into Practice
Group Activity:
Open-ended question starters
On the chart paper located at each table, create some
open-ended question starters with your table mates. We
will come back together in a few minutes to share our
ideas.
Here are a few of sample question starters to inspire you:
1. What are some ways your children can help…
2. How does this compare to your experience…
3. What are some ways you might use…
Putting Theory Into Practice
Affirmations
Everyone deserves to be heard!
 Provide learners with the acknowledgement that they are
vital to the learning process.
 Help to establish an educator/learner rapport.
 Create an engaged group dynamic during lessons.
 Provide personal and diverse perspectives on lesson
topics.
Great care must be taken on the part of the
educator when responding to learners with an
appropriate affirmation.
Putting Theory Into Practice
Affirmations Continued
Let’s take a closer look at the types of questions or
responses you might receive from a participant:
 A relevant question which applies to the whole group
 A comment which contains inaccurate nutrition or
medical information
 A question or comment which does not relate to the
topic, class, or environment
 A response which summarizes the concepts of the lesson
 A concern about personal dietary restrictions
 A question about a child’s health, wellness, or diet
 A comment about success with the latest diet trend
 An inquiry for additional resource information on a
related topic to the lesson
Putting Theory Into Practice
Group Activity:
Identify Derailing Questions & Responses
Listen to the following questions and statements. Can you
identify the ones which just might throw the learning and
the lesson off track?
A train whistle sound (woo-woo) will let me know our lesson
is headed in the wrong direction!
Putting Theory Into Practice
Group Activity continued
Identify Derailing Questions & Responses
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Are frozen vegetables less healthy than fresh ones?
How can I make my EBT benefits go farther?
I just lost 10 pounds on the grapefruit diet, do you think it works?
I don’t buy low-fat milk, it tastes awful.
How much physical activity do kids need each day?
My doctor told me to stop eating carbs altogether. Is that a good
idea?
I am a diabetic, how much fruit can I eat each day?
No one in my family likes vegetables. They wouldn’t like this
recipe.
How can I make sure the bread I buy is made with whole grains?
I don’t have time to cook. My family eats fast food for dinner most
nights.
Putting Theory Into Practice
Affirmations Continued
How can we effectively respond to learners and why is
it so important?
 Engage participants in the learning process
 Weave learner responses into lesson content
 Empower learners to apply information to their own
experience
 Avoid giving more praise for one response over another
 Phrases such as “perfectly said” or “exactly right” place
more importance on some responses and less on others
 Remember, learners are responding with unique thoughts
and ideas on the lesson topic.
Affirmations generally fall into 3 categories:
Acknowledgement or Reinforcement of Lesson Topic,
Contrary or Negative Point of View, and Misinformation
Putting Theory Into Practice
3 Types of Affirmations
Acknowledgement or
Reinforcement
Contrary or Negative
Point of View
Misinformation
That is so interesting…
That is something I had
not thought of before…
I am not sure I
understand your thinking.
Our emphasis today is…
Your idea relates to our
lesson topic…
Thanks you for sharing
your different
perspective…
I had been thinking about
it differently, but I
appreciate your input.
So you are saying…
I appreciate you sharing
your idea because…
Let me check my
understanding, did I hear
you say…
This idea supports the
lesson topic we are
talking about today
I hear what you are
saying, can you share
how it relates to our
topic?
I am not certain we are
talking about the same
thing. Let’s briefly review
the concept again.
Thank you for your
question, it is one best
answered by your health
care practitioner.
Thank you for questioning
this perspective…
That doesn’t fit my
experience, but it is most
interesting.
(Acknowledgement)
(Reinforcement)
(Reinforcement)
(Reinforcement)
(Acknowledgement)
Putting Theory Into Practice
Group Activity:
Let’s apply what we have learned!
Working in pairs at your table groups, select scenario cards
one at a time, read it to your partner, and ask your partner
to respond with an appropriate and effective affirmation.
Make sure each of you has an opportunity to assume the
role of the reader as well as the responder to several of the
scenarios provided.
Refer back to the affirmation chart if you need a
nudge when responding to the prompt.
Putting Theory Into Practice
3 Types of Affirmations
Acknowledgement or
Reinforcement
Contrary or Negative
Point of View
Misinformation
That is so interesting…
That is something I had
not thought of before…
I am not sure I
understand your thinking.
Our emphasis today is…
Your idea relates to our
lesson topic…
Thanks you for sharing
your different
perspective…
I had been thinking about
it differently, but I
appreciate your input.
So you are saying…
(Reinforcement)
I appreciate you sharing
your idea because…
Let me check my
understanding, did I hear
you say…
This idea supports the
lesson topic we are
talking about today
(Reinforcement)
I hear what you are
saying, can you share
how it relates to our
topic?
I am not certain we are
talking about the same
thing. Let’s briefly review
the concept again.
Thank you for your
question, it is one best
answered by your health
care practitioner.
(Acknowledgement)
Thank you for questioning
this perspective…
That doesn’t fit my
experience, but it is most
interesting.
(Acknowledgement)
(Reinforcement)
Putting Theory Into Practice
Group Activity continued:
Let’s share our responses!
Acknowledgement/Reinforcement
Contrary or Negative Point of View
Misinformation
Please complete
and turn in your
evaluation on your
way out.
If you have any
questions
regarding today’s
training, feel free to
contact me.
Dialogue
Learning
Engaging Learners,
Changing Lives
Thank you for
coming!
Lynn Rubin
[email protected]
410.715.6903