Effective Communication will cover the ways that you can be an effective communicator. Learn some important communication tools, discover different styles of communication, and delve deeper into different feedback and questioning tools that a telemark instructor can use.
TALK-SHOW-FEEL
Every individual gives and receives information differently. To simplify communication when teaching new skills, instructors can focus on three main communication modes:
This approach is based on sensory input and helps instructors present information in a structured way, ensuring that all students have the best chance to understand and apply what they learn.
Put simply:
TALK
This mode focuses on listening, hearing, and verbal communication. A clear and concise explanation is essential.
Key Considerations:
- Speak clearly and adjust your tone to keep students engaged.
- Ensure your explanation is appropriate for the student’s age and experience level.
- Avoid overly technical jargon that could create confusion.
- Some students prefer verbal explanations and may ask many questions or repeat instructions to process information.
Challenge: Students who rely heavily on verbal input might take longer to attempt the movement, as they will first process it in their minds.
SHOW
This mode focuses on watching, observing, and demonstrating. Accurate demonstrations are just as important as verbal descriptions, helping students visualize the movement.
Key Considerations:
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Ensure students can see you clearly—consider positioning yourself uphill or sending them ahead to watch.
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Use different angles for demonstrations (e.g., facing towards, away, or side-on).
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Highlight specific body parts or movements they should focus on.
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Use gestures and facial expressions to reinforce communication.
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Incorporate visual aids like drawing diagrams in the snow.
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Watching other skiers or instructors can also serve as valuable visual references.
Challenge: Demonstrations are only fully effective if students are looking at the right thing. Ensure they know where to focus their attention.
FEEL
This mode focuses on kinaesthetic awareness—helping students understand how movements feel within their own bodies.
Key Considerations:
- Highlight pressure points (e.g., inside edges of boots, leg muscles, balance shifts).
- Use analogies to compare movements to familiar actions (e.g., “leaning a bike into a turn”). a key sensation or feeling
- Allow students to physically experiment with movements in a stationary position first.
- Some students may instinctively try movements on their own before being asked.
- Assist students by guiding their movements if necessary (e.g., hands-on adjustments).
Challenge: Some students need more time to develop kinaesthetic awareness. Encouraging repetition and experimentation helps reinforce learning.
Example - Teaching the Telemark Stance
Talk - “ We need to create lead change, keep skis parallel, keep equal weight on both feet, now push one foot slightly forward and the other foot back, this will cause the back heel to lift and the front ankle to be a little more open. Still keep a bend in all joints but there will be a difference in ankle bend from the front foot to the back foot.
Show - Instructor show lead change statistically aka telemark stance.
Feel - Students try the movement while stationary, noting that body weight is distributed evenly between the ball of the rear foot and the whole of the frog foot to provide the base of support.
Show (again) - Instructor performs the telemark stance again.
By using all three modes, instructors ensure that every student has the best chance to understand, apply, and refine the skill.
Beyond Talk-Show-Feel: Using External Cues
Using analogies and external references can enhance communication.
Examples:
- Athletic stance – “Stand like a goalkeeper ready to block a shot.”
- Edge control – “Tilt your skis like leaning a bike into a turn.”
Self-Check: Are You Using Talk-Show-Feel Effectively?
Just as we encourage students to listen, observe, and feel, instructors should also listen to their students—adapting their teaching approach based on what works best for each individual.
TALK
- Am I speaking clearly and engaging my students?
- Am I using language appropriate for their skill level?
SHOW
- Can my students see my demonstration from a good angle?
- Am I highlighting key movements clearly?
FEEL
- Have I helped students develop sensations they can recognise?
- Have I given them enough time to experiment with the movement?
Just as we encourage students to listen, observe, and feel, instructors should also listen to their students—adapting their teaching approach based on what works best for each individual.
“If you aren’t going to listen to the response, why ask the question?”