Core Competencies

Core competencies are the most important areas in your Part 3 test. During the test, the Supervising Examiner (SE) will take on a role of a learner driver. As a candidate, you will be examined on your skills of identifying, analysing and rectifying the pupil’s faults.

Identifying

One of the most helpful things about identifying faults is to prioritise them. You should be able to distinguish between minor and major faults. Another good thing is to observe your pupil more than the road. You can practice in identifying faults with your instructor or, as a passenger, in other cars.

Analysing

Well, you’ve identified the fault! Your learner driver has just cut the corner. So you would naturally say – “You cut the corner”. Unfortunately, this would demonstrate you as a poor teacher. Instead, you need to analyse WHY your pupil did something wrong. The best way to detect the reason behind the fault is to use question and answer (Q&A) technique.

Correcting

Once you’ve established the fault with your pupil and he/she understood the reason, you should move to correcting the fault. There are three basic methods of doing this – Q&A, explanation and demonstration. A method you choose largely depends on a situation and the character that SE is assuming. For example, SE can play the role of nonresponding learner. In this case, Q&A would probably be a bad idea. On the other hand, if SE seems outgoing, Q&A will be the best solution.

Instructional techniques

Supervising Examiner will also assess you on how you plan and give instruction. Instructional techniques include an ability to grade the level of instruction, planning the lesson, communicating with the pupil, giving feedback and encouragement.

Finally, let’s look at some of the most common failures of trainee ADIs when passing Part 3 test.

• Tiresome briefing. Keep your pre-lesson briefing as short and concise as possible.
• Unrealistic expectations. Your instruction must fit the level of a pupil. Expecting more than your pupil can actually do would demonstrate your inability to teach.
• Weak performance in core competencies. Any weakness in identifying, analysing or correcting driving faults.
• Over-instruction. Try to answer your pupil’s questions as short as possible. Stick to concise and logical pattern during entire training session. Giving over-detailed explanations will surely confuse your pupil.
• Discouragement. Discouraging your pupil is like a cardinal sin. As an ADI, you are expected to radiate positive approach and drive you pupil to improve his or her performance.

Good luck at your Part Three Test!

The move will be introduced in an attempt to enhance learner drivers’ understanding of the principles behind driving theory. As you know, DSA is now publishing the multiple choice questions and answers used in theory test. DSA officials believe this to be ineffective practice with learners focusing on memorising right answers instead of understanding them.

In September 2011 DSA will change learning materials for theory test, adding more sophisticated case studies. Then, from January 2012, DSA will introduce theory tests using questions which will not be available to learners.

Will this push the pass rate down? Or will it improve road safety? The answer is yours.

One of biggest nation-wide instructor training provider, Red Driving School, went into administration. The number of complaints from disillusioned driving instructorsunder training is soaring. Driving instructor test failure rate is jaw-dropping. – It sounds like a daunting undertaking to get a decent driving instructor training these days. Here in this post we are going to talk about getting driving instructor training in the UK and…. getting it right.

Before you shell out your hard-earned money to any driving instructor training school, it’s important that you know the reality of the industry and are able to distinguish between providers. So have some patience and do lots of research before making your choice. Read on to know what to look out for.

Don’t Watch TV

We won’t go about the realities of driving instructor industry or dispelling all of those TV advert myths from instructor training companies here. Simply check our dedicated post before you proceed.

Read Between the Lines

Get it? When a driving instructor school promises a guaranteed placement, it doesn’t mean anything near job security, salaried employment or steady supply of work. What they really offer is to take out a franchise with them. Taking out the franchise means you will pay a fee on a monthly basis to a driving school in exchange for the right to use their name, company logo and often a vehicle. Franchise typically involves the responsibility of a franchisor to supply a franchisee with pupils, handle advertising and provide business-related services. The problem with franchise thing though is that you have to pay your franchise fee whether you earn it off your pupils under franchise deal or not. And fees can be high enough to leave you working just to cover the amount. So make sure you fully understand your franchise offer and it is economically viable.

ORDIT or Not?

Once you start looking for a driving instructor provider, you will surely come across the acronym ORDIT. It stands for The Official Register of Driving Instructor Training. The Register was set up by DSA to ensure standards of driving instructor training are met and maintained. It’s voluntary. However, one of the good things about DSA approved providers is that you can complain to DSA if there is a problem with your training. Typically DSA requires ORDIT registered driving schools to establish clear refund and complaint procedures.

Word of Mouth

There are a great many of organisations out there, small and giant, offering a driving instructor training. And it’s a minefield to walk on. The best way to get informed is to ask other approved driving instructors for advice or visit professional internet forums where people speak from their experiences. Below is a link to driving schools reviews:
http://www.drivertrainingtoday.co.uk/forum/index.php/board,296.0.html
You may also wish to consider what Surepass Driving School has to offer. If so, please, go to our previous post here.

The reason behind the introduction of this part to the practical driving test is to assess the competence of a learner driver to handle driving through the route independently. Please, be aware that it is not to assess your ability to remember directions. If you get lost, it won’t be considered as a driving fault as long as your driving is safe.

If you do go off the pre-determined route, your examiner will help you find your way back. You may also ask the examiner to remind directions while driving. This new section is not expected to add to the driving test duration.

Good luck on your driving test!

Formal tuition can only be given by a trainee Instructor, or a qualified Driving Standards Agency, Approved Driving Instructor (DSA ADI), who can also help structure the private practice.

Many learner drivers only have driving lessons for one or two hours per week and their driving experience is limited to driving at the same time of day and over the same roads. Accompanying a learner driver is a good way of helping your friends or relatives become safe drivers. It’s a team effort involving you, the learner driver and the Driving Instructor.

Working together is the best way of ensuring everyone’s aim of safe driving for life.