Training Materials for Young People

Ziff Davis has several training courses and manuals, one of which may fit your needs. You can review their offerings at: http://www.zdeducation.com/products/
In our office, the trainig contractor starts off with Level 1 of the Ziff Davis manuals before going to Level 2, etc. Level 1 may be suitable for you.

Prior to using the Ziff Davis training manuals, we used to use the QUE series of books. I believe they are now part of Macmillian publishing. I think they are now known by the "Complete Idiots Guide..." I am not sure the title will do any good for the kids' egos, but you may want to look at it nonetheless. Good luck.

To resolve the paramount issue of a technician's communication to a "user-
in-need" of help; get some small Lego kits. Put them in baggies, and pair your students, back to back. It's "role-playing." One is the "customer" and
one is the "Engineer."The customer may not know what he is making, and
neither one can look at what the other is doing. Using only the "kit" instructions, the "Engineer" must talk the "Customer" through the contruction process. If there are enough students, assign a third student to each pair to act as an observer (Quality Assurance.) Time the whole excercise, and note the first three "teams" who finish, in order. Reward any teams who finish correctly. Fun exercise for all, and implants permanently the paramount need in any communication: a point of reference. It might be good this this age group, to establish "ground rules" of behavior in advance, i.e., no "arguing", etc. Wihout true communication, none of us can be effective with other people, and I would love to see this skil