Learn How to Write eLearning Scripts: 7 Tips for the Perfect Instructional Video

Tip #1: Know Your eLearning Video Objectives

The first step to learning how to write scripts is to answer pertinent questions that will help define your eLearning video objectives.

Who is your audience, and what will they learn by watching your video? What’s the purpose of the video? Be sure to create a clear list of learning objectives and goals before you begin your project. Once you have identified these goals, use them to create your outline.

When creating your outline, make sure to also write down a list of key terms and acronyms. Be sure your script will clearly define these at the beginning of the video––and don’t be afraid to repeat definitions or spell out acronyms that you use in the video.

Tip #2: Know Your Audience & Write With Training in Mind

Before writing your script, make sure you take into consideration who your audience is. This is one of the best writing tips for instructional videos to incorporate since you should keep the focus on proper training.

Are these individuals native English speakers? Are they new to this industry or concept? As a general rule of thumb, be incredibly detailed with your definitions and explanations of key concepts and instructional steps, and adopt the concept of “new, not known”: write as if this material is new to you. Take this into consideration with both the pace and tone of your script as well.

Tip #3: Start Your Script With a Captivating Hook

Like any good story or movie, your training video script needs to catch the viewer’s attention from the start. You can do so with a fascinating or shocking fact, a captivating phrase, or a thought-provoking question. This will leave them interested in what you have to say and keep them engaged throughout the eLearning experience.

Remember:

Retention is an important part of learning how to write eLearning scripts.

Tip #4: Communicate Effectively & Don’t Be Afraid of Repetition

In the report “A Review of the Current Research on Vocabulary Instruction,” The U.S. Department of Education reports that repetition or drilling of vocabulary words is ineffective: instead, students must be provided multiple opportunities to encounter new words or concepts, and these words or concepts must be repeated and presented in different ways
(U.S. Department of Education 2010).

To help with retention, incorporate new words or phrases into your training video scripts at different times, and as creatively as possible. This will help students understand and remember key phrases.

Final Thoughts on Learning How to Write eLearning Scripts

Since as long as film has been around, researchers have noted its effectiveness in retention: as early as 1921, scientists coined the term “Dual Coding Theory” to explain how educational video works because it combines the brain’s abilities to record pictorial and word-based memories; this combination of visual and verbal associations greatly increases recall (Paivio, 1921).

When you’re learning how to write eLearning scripts for an instructional video, make the most of your video by ensuring your training script meets the needs, adequately covers all content, and ends with a prompt that ensures your viewer takes the appropriate next steps. Above all else, have fun with your script and with teaching your employees through video!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this script writing tutorial of sorts. Are you ready to begin creating your educational video and implementing our writing tips for your instructional video script? If so, contact Ninja Tropic for some advice and inspiration.

Or, keep on learning more about this industry and some tips for writing great scripts with our script templates and some of our favorite educational videos.