Basic Teaching Skills Course

This course is aimed at those who are teaching a Scottish country dance group or about to take on a teaching role in their group but have no RSCDS teaching qualification. It would also suit those who are interested in learning how to teach SCD but are unsure whether they wish to undergo either the Core Training for Instructors(CTI) or the Teaching Certificate. 

The twelve-hour course will take place at the Melbourne Winter School 2026 and will be a morning class option (i.e. participants would do the teaching skills course in place of a normal morning class each day). Attendees would still be part of the Winter School and able to attend afternoon and evening activities. 

Attendance at each session is necessary to complete the course, at the end of which a Record of Completion is presented. 

Places are limited and precedence will be given to those already teaching or about to start teaching a group. At least eight participants are required to make the course viable. 

Pricing will be the same as for Winter School as this course is subsidised by ATA. 

Participants would be expected to teach short assignments within the group. There will be some homework to complete in advance of the course and some lesson preparation required outside of class time during the course. 

The course will contain several elements from this list: 

• the needs of your class, 

• dance analysis, 

• lesson planning, 

• class management, 

• use of voice (including rhythmic counting and coaching), 

• how to re-cap, 

• devising dance programmes, 

• MC skills, 

• selecting of music, 

• warm up and cool down, 

• teaching basic steps to beginners, 

• teaching basic formations, 

• how to build up the elements of a dance and put it together, 

• self-evaluation. 

Register for the Winter School and the Basic Teaching Skills Course here.