This article in my driving instruction series looks at the different levels of instructional support involved when giving driving lessons in Nottingham. It is intended for trainee driving instructors who are preparing for the part three test of instructional ability as well as more experienced driving instructors who wish to update their skills.
Driving Instruction – Levels of Instructional Support
This article in my driving instruction series looks at the different levels of instructional support involved when giving driving lessons in Nottingham. It is intended for trainee driving instructors who are preparing for the part three test of instructional ability as well as more experienced driving instructors who wish to update their skills.
Instructional support can be divided into three sections: Full talk through, prompted practise and unaided. The ability of the pupil, and the learning stage they are at will determine which of these the driving instructor will apply at any given time.
Full talk through is where the driving instructor informs the pupil of the step by step actions required to accomplish a given driving task and is the highest level of support that an instructor can give. You will need to be able to verbally recite every single action required to perform the task in order and using the clearest possible language. This skill can take some time to develop and will require many hours of solo practise to perfect. It is surprising how many single actions are needed to start a car and move away. Also you will need to explain where the pupil should look and why. Full talk through should only relate to procedures and situations not previously encountered by the pupil.
Give any talk through instructions in good time. A learner will need time to hear what has been said, react and carry out the task. This can be surprisingly long for new learners so it pays to give instruction early. Keep your language simple and to the point, avoid slang or jargon. Always deliver your instruction in a calm and friendly manner, sounding annoyed or impatient will not help. Only give talk through in new situations or where the pupil is clearly having difficulty.
When the pupil has begun to perform the driving tasks more easily it is time to transfer responsibility to the pupil and move onto prompted practise. Always give the support that you feel is needed, don't leave the pupil to deal with things you don't feel they understand and give talk through instruction again if the pupil seems to be struggling. When the pupil can complete a task without constant instructions then move on to prompted practise. Identify the elements of the task that the pupil seems most comfortable with and remove support from these first. Use well timed questions instead of direct instruction to prompt the pupil. Verbal prompts can also help the pupil to get the timing of the procedures right without talking through. Don't forget to give positive feedback when the pupil performs a task correctly as this reinforces their feeling of progress.
When the pupil can perform the driving task with minimal prompts then it is time to hand responsibility over to them and allow them to practise unaided. Keep a close eye on them and deal with any mistakes quickly but do not instruct on aspects already covered . Remember that over instruction is as big a fault as under instruction so you will need to constantly reassess your pupil and offer the level of support you think necessary for the given situation. Be flexible.
There are the three stages of instructional support. In my next article I will look at fault assessment and correction. More info at www.mydrivinginstructortraining.com.
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