Driver Training Check Test – Teaching Strategies

All learner drivers have different areas of weakness as well as possessing specific skills. This means an instructor cannot afford to stick with just one style of teaching. Different pupils will respond to a varied range of teaching methods. These might be diagrams, verbal instructions or actual demonstrations by the trainer. By assessing the individual needs of the pupil an instructor can find a teaching style most suited to them.

Driver errors need to be analysed and remedial action decided upon but who is responsible for this? Most would say the trainer but a combination of trainer and pupil would yield better results. Self evaluation is one of the most important skills that can be taught to a new driver. If instilled early then the pupil will use and maintain this ability throughout their entire driving career . Every possible driving scenario cannot be covered during lessons so the ability to learn from mistakes is essential for any driver.

All teaching opportunities must be used especially if they relate to the topic being worked on in the session. Look for examples from other road users who exhibit both good and bad examples of driver behaviour which can make excellent teaching models. Learners tend to follow whatever the vehicle in front is doing, especially regarding speed and position. Driver trainers can use question and answer technique to good advantage when a pupil blindly starts to follow the car in front to encourage the process of self evaluation.

Any feedback given to the learner is more effective if it is immediate and positive. That said, a string of compliments is not sufficient to raise awareness of any problems. Feedback needs to be specific and hopefully raise a question with the learner who can then analyse their own performance. Wholly negative criticism is to be avoided as this can quickly demoralise a pupil.

Driver trainers need to pay attention to pupil's questions as well as asking their own. Questions from learners show that they are actively engaged in a driving task and focussed on learning. Any questions should be answered fully and to the pupil's satisfaction. Circumstances during driving lessons Nottingham driver training may not allow for an immediate answer but should be dealt with at the earliest opportunity.

The learner should be encouraged to reflect on their own performance during the final debrief. This is the part of the lesson that the learner takes away with them so it's important that it be made inclusive and not just a driving instructor reeling off a list of things that happened. An honest evaluation from the pupil can greatly enhance their feeling of self reliance and so speed up the learning process.