I purchased a MicroLogix 1000 with RSLogix Micro Light software, from PLCtrainer.net. The training instructions are not great, but I'm getting some experience working with it in the evenings.
Way back ... early to mid 1980 range ... I had the "honor" of doing PLC training for customers and fellow employees. The best training materials are not very good, but I don't think it is the creators fault, rather that every user is unique. And a fundamental issue ... are you trying to learn to create or to service another persons creation. Learning is, TO ME, significantly different in these instances.
If you cover the basic functions seen every day, "contacts", "coils", "timers", and "counters" you are going to give enough for them to figure out the questions to which they need answers.
For the 1 student who needs to bit-pick a register value, or use a shift register, or most of the other functions, 99 will feel it is a waste of their time ... NOW ... and won't recognize the future need. As significant, if they are just exposed to it but don't learn it, learning will still need to occur for effective use.
In a week class I tried to teach LOGIC and THOUGHT for 3 days. I tried to then give one example of each "function block" and what it's reason for existing is for a day. The last day went as deeply as I was capable in specific requests of the student.
I'll add that PLC programming, DONE WELL, is little different from computer programming. AB introduced an almost-forced structured concept which is not part of training of beginners ... but should be, IMO.
If the job is planned, it will be more successful. Planning takes a long time, but saves, IMO, time in the end.
No guide can train that. A good student can get 99% on their own, IMO. 30 or 40 sample program segments, and 1 or 2 for each of the processors functions in the book will give the tools.