What is TSI training?
Training in Systematic Instruction (TSI), originally developed by Dr. Marc Gold as Try Another Way, is a teaching approach designed for people who have barriers with traditional learning methods, especially those with learning disabilities.
It’s built on three core beliefs:
- People with disabilities have untapped potential.
- Everyone can learn if taught the right way.
- Everyone deserves equal life opportunities.
TSI combines a structured framework, effective teaching strategies, and strong values. It equips staff with practical skills to help individuals learn complex tasks in work, daily living, and community life.
Who is TSI for?
TSI is designed for anyone supporting people with learning disabilities or autism to develop skills that enhance independence, confidence, and quality of life. It's especially valuable for professionals working in:
- Supported Employment (Job Coaches)
- Independent Living Services (Support Staff)
- Day Services (Support Staff)
- Education and Rehabilitation (Teachers)
It’s a practical tool for teaching meaningful skills in real-life settings.
How TSI Helps
TSI equips staff with practical, structured teaching methods tailored for individuals who struggle with traditional learning especially those with learning disabilities or autism.
- Empowers Staff: Provides clear, step-by-step strategies to teach tasks effectively.
- Promotes Independence: Helps learners gain skills for work, home, and community life, leading to greater self-reliance and confidence.
- Built-in Tools: Includes systems for planning, tracking, and evaluating progress.
- Supports Equality: Encourages a respectful, balanced relationship between teacher and learner, fostering mutual growth and understanding.
Key Skills Gained from a TSI Course
Participants on a TSI course develop a range of practical and reflective teaching skills, including:
- Task Analysis: Learning how to break down complex tasks into manageable, teachable steps.
- Effective Planning: Organising and structuring teaching sessions to maximise learning success.
- Teaching Techniques: Gaining a toolkit of practical strategies tailored to individual learning needs.
- Understanding the Trainer Role: Knowing when to step in, when to step back, and how to support learning without taking over.
- Environmental and Task Assessment: Learning to evaluate both the task and the learning environment in relation to the individual’s specific needs and abilities.
Course Information & FAQs – TSI Training
Here’s a clear overview of what to expect from the TSI course:
Course Format
Duration: 4 consecutive days.
Delivery: In-person only – the course is highly practical and best delivered face-to-face.
Delivering face-to-face, we believe is the only way participants will get the most out of the training, whereby we guarantee that what we deliver is Quality training.
Location: Available across the UK, delivered by experienced trainers.
Group Size
Up to 12 participants per course.
What’s Included in the Price
- Our individual booking price is £500 per person.
- Training delivered by experienced trainers.
- Payments to consultant learners (individuals with learning disabilities/autism who support the training).
What We Ask from You
- Provide a suitable training venue.
- Arrange consultant learners for Days 3 and 4 (We’ll support you with guidance and information to help with this).
- Travel and accommodation expenses (location-dependent).
Dr Marc Gold
In the late 1960s, educator Marc Gold began developing a radical, person-centred approach to learning; based on the belief that people with significant disabilities hold far more potential than society often allows. Dr Marc Gold believed that everyone deserves the opportunity to shape their own lives and pursue goals that matter to them, and with the right approach, everyone can learn.
At Supporting Minds, and through our own experiences working in the field, we proudly carry forward these principles through our use of Training in Systematic Instruction (TSI).
