Neil has given us an invaluable manual which will support anybody in the role of facilitating learning and indeed be very useful to the learners themselves. The manual promotes the drawing together of practice and Theory and is an extremely accessible read. I appreciated the use of reflective moment boxes and key points and anticipate that my copy will become well-worn with use!
- Audrey Tait, senior practitioner Edinburgh city council, co-author of the Practical Guides to Direct Work series,
Neil Thompson sets out what you really need to know about supporting further learning during placement and practice. 
Stripping away the confusion and anxiety about 'what next?', this manual goes back to the core theories of how learning works in the first place, and how you can synchronise that with values and reflective practice to help your students and colleagues reach their professional goals. Summaries illustrate and reinforce the guidance, creating a set of easy-to-follow strategies for effective workplace development mentoring.
Accessible explanations guide you through the theory and practice, covering everything from fostering a learning environment to troubleshooting difficulties and encouraging a culture of self-directed learning. Grow your mentoring skills and help your colleagues get to grips with not just what to learn, but how to learn it and make it stick.
ContentsWelcome!                                                                                                  
About the author                                                                             
Foreword by Dr Paul Stepney                                                                   
Preface                                                                                    
Acknowledgements                                                                
Why a manual?                                                                                
Who is it for?                                                                          
How do I use it?                                                            
1.     Introduction                                                                  
Developing the next generation of practitioners        
Developing a learning culture                                     
  Human capital                                                              
  The importance of leadership                                                         
Changes in the context of learning                                        
Broadening the focus                                                             
A note on terminology                                                           
2. Understanding learning                                             
Introduction                                                                           
Learning from practice                                                          
Patterns of adult learning                                                                         
The organizational context of learning                                 
Barriers to learning                                                                
Spurs to learning                                                                    
Conclusion                                                                              
3. Teaching and assessing values                                 
Introduction                                                                           
'Slippery' values                                                                      
Tackling discrimination and oppression                              
Learning strategies                                                                                   
Assessing values                                                                     
Conclusion                                                                              
4. Reflective practice                                                       
Introduction                                                                           
What is reflective practice?                                                   
Theorizing practice                                                                          
Critically reflective practice                                                   
Affirming diversity                                                                 
Developments in reflective practice                                      
Promoting reflective practice                                                
Barriers to reflective practice                                                
Conclusion                                                                              
5. Coaching, mentoring and supervision                   
Introduction                                                                           
Coaching                                                                                 
Mentoring                                                                              
Coaching and mentoring within supervision                        
Good practice in coaching and mentoring                            
Supervision                                                                            
The role of the tutor                                                               
Techniques and tools                                                             
Checklist                                                                                 
Conclusion                                                                              
6. Planning                                                                          
Introduction                                                                           
Practice learning                                                                    
Planning for learning                                                             
Conclusion                                                                              
7. Workload management                                              
Introduction                                                                           
Allocating workload                                                               
Managing a heavy workload                                                  
Conclusion                                                                              
8. Evaluating practice                                                      
Introduction                                                                           
Assessing learner performance                                             
Methods of assessing performance                                       
Meeting the challenge of learner assessment                       
Conclusion                                                                              
9. Troubleshooting: dealing with difficulties           
Introduction                                                                           
Using support                                                                        
Dealing with problems                                                          
Conclusion                                                                              
10. Self-directed Learning                                              
Developing self-directed learning                                         
Achieving self-directed learning                                            
Conclusion                                                                          
Guide to further learning                                               
Introduction                                                                           
Recommended reading                                                          
Journals and periodicals                                                        
Training resources                                                                 
Online learning options                                                                            
Organizations and websites                                                   
Learn with Neil Thompson
References                                                                          
Appendices                                                                         
I        The Positive and Negative Indicators Framework      
II       The Avenue Professional Development Programme  
III     Other Learning Resources by Neil Thompson            
IV      Connect with Neil on Social Media
