TVET TLAs Explained: Examples for Basic, Common, and Core Units

Many trainers hear the term TLAs and think it means something complicated.

It usually does not.

In simple planning language, TLAs are the Teaching and Learning Activities that show what the trainer does and what the trainees do during a session.

The Short Answer

TLAs answer two practical questions:

• what is the trainer doing in this session?
• what are the trainees doing in this session?

If those two things are clear, the session is easier to teach and easier to defend in a learning plan.

Why TLAs Matter So Much

Many weak learning plans fail at this point.

The topic may be right. The week may be right. The session title may be fine.

But when you get to the activity columns, the writing becomes vague.

Examples of weak TLAs include:

• teach topic
• explain content
• learners listen
• discussion

That is not enough.

Good TLAs show what teaching and learning actually look like.

The Two Sides of TLAs

In a practical planning template, TLAs are usually split into two parts:

Trainer activities

What the trainer explains, demonstrates, guides, supervises, or checks.

Trainee activities

What the trainees discuss, practise, observe, record, build, test, present, or perform.

Both matter.

If you only describe what the trainer does, the plan becomes teacher-centred.

If you only describe what the trainees do, the teaching method becomes unclear.

How Trainer's Desk Kenya Uses TLAs

The platform treats these as separate planning columns:

• trainer activities
• trainee activities

That is a useful discipline because it forces the plan to show the teaching action and the learner action clearly.

It also helps keep the session grounded in real delivery instead of generic wording.

TLAs for Basic Units

Basic units often support foundational knowledge, so the activities may lean more toward explanation, guided understanding, and structured practice.

Good trainer activities may include:

• explain key concepts
• demonstrate worked examples
• guide note-making
• clarify terms and relationships

Good trainee activities may include:

• take notes
• answer oral questions
• solve short exercises
• summarise key ideas

Example

If the topic is communication skills or basic science foundations:

• Trainer activity: Explain the concept, model examples, guide class discussion
• Trainee activity: Respond to questions, complete short tasks, record notes

TLAs for Common Units

Common units often need a balance.

They are not always deeply practical, but they should still move beyond passive listening.

Good trainer activities may include:

• introduce the concept
• connect it to workplace or institutional context
• demonstrate the process
• guide small-group practice

Good trainee activities may include:

• discuss examples
• complete guided exercises
• present answers
• apply the idea to short scenarios

These units often work best when the trainer moves between explanation and controlled participation.

TLAs for Core Units

This is where activity writing must become more concrete.

Core units are practical-heavy, so the activities should show real competency-building.

In the platform, core units follow a practical-focused planning path. Trainer activity language emphasises demonstration, safety briefing, correct procedure, and supervision. Trainee activity language emphasises performing the task, taking measurements, assembling, testing, recording, and demonstrating competence.

That is the right instinct.

Good trainer activities for core units

• brief on safety
• demonstrate correct procedure
• supervise practical performance
• observe technique and correct errors

Good trainee activities for core units

• set up tools or equipment
• perform the task
• take readings or measurements
• record observations
• demonstrate competence to the trainer

If your core-unit TLAs still sound like lecture notes, the plan is too weak.

What Good TLAs Look Like

Strong TLAs are:

• specific
• observable
• suitable for the unit type
• suitable for the session content

Weak TLAs are:

• vague
• repetitive
• copied across too many sessions
• unrelated to the actual learning task

A Quick Test

Read your TLA row and ask:

• can I picture this session happening?
• do the trainer and trainee roles both make sense?
• does this fit a theory session or a practical session?
• is the learner doing something active?

If the answer is no, rewrite the row.

Common TLA Mistakes

The most frequent problems are:

• repeating the same activities all term
• writing "teacher explains" for almost every session
• writing "learners listen" too often
• using practical activity language in theory-heavy sessions without reason
• using theory-only language in a core practical unit

These mistakes make the plan look copied rather than designed.

Better Examples by Unit Type

Basic unit

• Trainer: Explain concept, demonstrate examples, guide recap
• Trainee: Listen actively, answer questions, complete workbook exercise

Common unit

• Trainer: Introduce topic, facilitate discussion, guide group task
• Trainee: Discuss case, complete group work, present findings

Core unit

• Trainer: Brief on safety, demonstrate procedure, supervise task
• Trainee: Perform practical task, record results, demonstrate competency

Final Word

TLAs are not filler text.

They are the part of the learning plan that shows whether the session will actually function in a classroom or workshop.

If you write them well, your plan becomes more realistic, more defensible, and easier to teach from.

If you want help generating session rows with trainer and trainee activities that actually fit the unit type, you can start your learning plan here.