Even though teaching and training are used interchangeably, they have minute differences. Teaching transfers knowledge from teacher to students orally, and students gain this data from listening to it.
Training is all about practical skills. It improves a student’s functional ability to process a task.
Key Takeaways
- Teaching is imparting knowledge or skills to others, in an educational setting, focusing on understanding concepts, theories, and critical thinking.
- Training provides practical instruction and practices to develop specific skills or abilities required for a particular job, task, or activity.
- The key difference between the two is their focus: teaching aims to impart broader knowledge and understanding while training targets developing specific skills and competencies.
Teaching vs Training
The difference between Teaching and Training is that teaching imparts theoretical knowledge from teachers to students. In contrast, training is a trainer’s establishment of a particular skill in their students.

Teaching is imparting theoretical knowledge to someone. It is more of a mind’s play.
The ability of a person to make a concept understandable to others is a skill. Teachers transfer information on a specific topic to their students to make the case clear to everyone.
The profession of teaching is mainly to provide knowledge to students.
Training is a physical task. It is a method of improving a particular skill in the student.
Students cannot acquire this skill if lectures are given to them. Practical methods must be clear to them so they can become experts in the field.
Trainers give practical support to the students and improve their ability to accomplish a particular task.
Comparison Table
Parameter of Comparison | Teaching | Training |
---|---|---|
Definition | Teaching is imparting knowledge about something from a teacher to a student. | Training is helping a student improve their skills in a specific field. |
Environment | Teaching needs a classroom environment for a better experience. | Training needs a workshop environment to improve their skills. |
Focus | A teacher can teach any topic in any subject. This gives a broader exposure. | Each training is specific to the subject. A deeper concentration is given to this topic for improving a specific skill. |
Educators | Teachers are trained to improve their skills in the field of teaching. | Trainers are the people who are experts in skill and have experience in the field. |
Diversity | At a certain point in time, many subjects are learned alternatively. | Usually, a single training is taken at a time. This is to concentrate on a particular skill and to improve it. |
What is Teaching?
Teaching is a profession handled by teachers. They are specifically trained to improve their students’ skills to understand what they teach.
Teachers specifically teach in the area of their expertise and are supposed to clear the doubts raised by the students. Students have the right to raise questions and clarify them with a teacher.
All over the world, teachers are qualified by different means. The primary need is a qualified degree in their field of expertise.
Also, a unique training program is organized in many countries to improve their skills in teaching. Their qualification varies according to the grade they teach.
During teaching a student, a teacher is assigned a variety of jobs. A teacher has to teach a student about a particular topic, clarify the doubts asked by the students, and then give a test to them.
Examinations are an integral part of teaching. From examinations, a student’s calibre and a teacher’s teaching skills can be evaluated.
Teaching is a field of vast opportunities. The method of teaching worldwide varies.
Some teachers use space outside classrooms. They feel more comfortable, and students get a different experience when lessons are taught outside classrooms.
The student-teacher relationship must be smooth for the best experience.
For example, English literature is theoretical, and hence it is taught.

What is Training?
Training is a process of developing skills in a person. Usually, a trainer is appointed for training, but self-training is also possible nowadays.
Training is given in a field without theoretical knowledge to master a skill. Practical efforts are put in so the trainee can become an expert.
Training is more specific than teaching. A trainer is a person who is an expert in a particular field.
They know the techniques to be implanted in a student to improve their talents. Training schools are established to give professional training to students who enrol in them.
They are known as polytechnics or technical colleges.
Training is given before a person enters into any profession. This is to make them understand the environment of their field.
Before this training, theoretical lessons are taught to them. This theory has to be changed to practical skills during the training period.
This training period is called a professional development period in some contexts.
Training can be divided into physical activity and mental exercise. In physical training, the skill in a biological field is taught.
In mental training, the mind is trained for specific skills. Swimming is a part of physical training, whereas spiritual training is a part of mental training.
For example, Spoken English is a practical skill, so it is to be trained.

Main Differences Between Teaching and Training
- Teaching is transferring knowledge from teacher to student, whereas training is about improving skills for a practical field.
- Teaching needs a classroom environment for better interaction. Training requires a workshop set up according to the field of activity.
- A teacher’s focus is more comprehensive; a single teacher can teach many things. A trainer trains for a specific domain.
- Teachers are given training before they are in this profession. A professional can become a trainer to provide training for students.
- Many subjects can be taught simultaneously, whereas a single training is given.

- https://www.cyfar.org/sites/default/files/Taylor-Powell,%202008.pdf
- https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ed080p1206

Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.