The Teaching Model

The CSIA has built its framework around two key concepts: the teaching and technical models. Together, they outline HOW and WHAT you teach to your guests. This includes concepts around skiing skills, teaching methodology, guest service and teaching children

The Collaborative Teaching Approach

Along with the assessment and development framework, the CTA provides the model for teaching skiing. The Collaborative teaching approach is designed to be just that, collaborative. It understands that learning is a two-way endeavour undertaken by the instructor and student. The learner is at the centre of the CTA, and decision-making on the snow is adapted to suit the learner’s needs. The CTA is divided into four parts: Know your learner, create an experience, assess the experience and explore the possibilities.

Know Your Learner

With the learner at the centre of the CTA, they guide all decisions the instructor makes. Getting to know your learner considers psychological, physical, aspirational and skill factors. This allows the instructor to modify their approach to ensure the lesson is tailor-made to the student. The instructor considers external factors such as environment and terrain to help make the whole experience more enjoyable for the learner. Using direct questioning and observation, the instructor continues to assess the learner, understanding that their needs may change throughout the lesson. The better you know the learner, the more able you are to make informed decisions.

Create An Experience

Once instructors understand the needs of the learners, they can prescribe the appropriate tasks and techniques to help them develop. This may be a specific skill drill or deciding which terrain to use to aid the student’s development. Each student learns differently and, therefore, requires a unique approach. What worked for one may not work for another. Setting clear objectives for the learner is crucial. This may include external cues such as speed or turn shape, or it may be skill-based. By setting clear objectives, collaboration is then possible between learner and instructor as they reflect on outcome v objective.

Assess The Experience

After a clear objective has been set, and the learner has had the opportunity to try, the learner and instructor can reflect on the task and help develop an understanding of cause and effect. If the objective was to manage speed, but the learner could not do so, the instructor and learner reflect on why that might be. This creates opportunities to develop skills. This process must be kept positive. The goal is not to reflect on what was bad but to help the learner understand what they can add to their skiing to improve.

Explore The Possibilities

Trying to find the right balance between challenge and ease, so the learner is in that optimal zone to develop. Exploring the possibilities may include repetition of a task to ingrain a new move or may involve variations of a task to increase the chance of success and learning. Changing the environment (such as terrain) or changing the objective slightly (faster, slower, rounder) provides the right conditions for development. Constantly referring back to the learner. Is the learner fatigued? Are they more confident? Distracted? All of these things will affect your approach.