This document provides guidance on briefing and debriefing for sailing instructors. It recommends including the objective, sailing area, timings, safety procedures, communication methods, crafts, student levels and progression in the brief. Instructors should communicate clearly and concisely, check for understanding, and use visual aids tailored to different learning styles. The debrief should occur as soon as possible after and focus on positives while also providing constructive criticism and solutions for improvement. Instructors should get feedback from students and emphasize reinforcing good performance with praise.

1. Briefing & Debriefing

2. BRIEF TASK
DEBRIEF

3. Briefing your instructors:
• What should be included in the brief?
• Why ask questions? What questions
should we ask?
• How can we communicate effectively?

4. What to include:
• Objective/Aim/Purpose of session
• Sailing area
• Timings
• Safety
• Recall signals/Comms
• Craft/students
• Level
• Progression

5. How to get your message
across:
• Clear, Concise
• K.I.S.S.
• Don’t assume..
• Check understanding
• Visual aids
• V.A.R.K.

6. Fitting everything into your brief
• ‘Bums on a rugby post’
How, What, Why,
Where, When, Who
• If your students can
answer all of these
questions then you are
on the right track.

7. Task
• Set the right level of task.
• Allow mistakes – people learn! If you are
tempted to interfere, ask yourself:
‘Is this error a useful learning opportunity?’
• Observe carefully, take notes on session.
• Max observation, Min disruption.

8. Debrief
• As soon as possible after the session/course.
• Be positive, good natured, helpful.
• Weaknesses: Be direct & honest – constructive
criticism.
• Good use of questions (they will debrief
themselves! – we are our own worst critic)
• Avoid any ‘edge’.
• Tell them how to improve/ Find solutions
• Get feedback from the students.
• Emphasise the good points/ Reinforce positives
• PRAISE = PERFORMANCE.