Summary of Wlodkowski’s Skills and Characteristics of Motivating Instructors

  • Expertise: They know their subject area very well and they are prepared to convey to others their expertise via instructional process.
  • Enthusiasm: Their teaching is enthusiastic, animated, well-paced and expresses their commitment to and passion for their subject area.
  • Clarity: They can communicate clearly to others what they want to say and, if the material is not understood at initial presentation, can provide alternative ways of comprehension (e.g., examples, analogies, diagrams).
  • Empathy: They consider the learners’ perspective and adapt their teaching to the learners’ level of knowledge and skill.
  • Cultural responsiveness: They create a safe and inclusive environment that accommodates the diversity of their learners by respecting their culture, values and interests.