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SUGGESTIONS FOR HELPING STUDENTS
LEARN STEP-BY-STEP SKILLS
Like scientific problem solving, many specific skills or procedures in health care
involve a thoughtful, step-by-step approach. Here are suggestions for helping students
learn such skills, and for testing to see if they have learned them well.
1. I do and say—you do and say.
First, show how to do it. As you demonstrate, say what you are doing, step by
step.
Then have the student do it. Have the student also say each step as he does it.
2. Mixing up and sorting out the steps.
To find out if the student has learned a skill well, write the steps on the
blackboard in a mixed-up order. For example:
Then ask the student to number the steps in the right order. If he can do it
correctly, he probably has learned well (although more practice may still be needed).