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Tri-Coaching will be at the MSA Scotland Conference on Sunday 2nd November.

28/10/2014

Come and say 'Hello' at the MSA Scotland conference on Sunday 2nd November where Tri-Coaching Partnership has a trade stand and I will be giving a talk.

We would love to hear how your business is going and what you think about the recent changes in our industry. Let us know if there is anything we can do to support you and help your business grow; or help you develop your techniques and skills in coaching and client-centred learning.

If you have already attended one of our courses, or are currently completing one, we would love to know what you think of it and whether you have noticed a difference in the way you deliver your driver training.

We have a brand new BTEC Level 4 course in Coaching for Driver Development starting on 11th December 2014 in Newport Pagnell and another one on 21st January 2015 in Glasgow. You can also choose from a whole range of dates and locations for the aCCeLerate and BTEC Level 3 course so come and speak to one of our aCCeLerate trainers - Stewart Lochrie, Darryl Bunning and Ian Lavell - if you want to know more.

Would you like some support with the ADI Standards Check? We have delivered our Standards Check training days to over 400 ADIs around the country, many of whom have gone onto achieve a Grade A. Have a chat with us to find out locations and dates for these training days.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday at the Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld.

Susan McCormack

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Standards Check & Examiner Guidelines

28/10/2014

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5. Standards Check & Examiner Guidelines

The DVSA published the guidance for examiners when assessing the new Standards Check on the 19th November 2013 and this can be found with the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adi-standards-check-guidance-for-driving-examiners

My last four articles have focused on the structure of the new Standards Check by looking at the three broad (or ‘high’) competences of:

Lesson Planning
Risk Management
Teaching and Learning Strategies

This article is based on the guidance for driving examiners and looks at the way the competences will be assessed and marked; and what actually happens on the day.

Each broad competence has a number of competence indicators – there are 17 in total, four with Lesson Planning, five with Risk Management and eight with Teaching and Learning Strategies. There is a maximum of 51 points available as each competence indicator carries a maximum of 3 points. The final score will be reflected in the Grade awarded. The scoring system is:

0 = no evidence of competence demonstrated

1 = a few elements of competence demonstrated

2 = competence demonstrated in most elements

3 = competence demonstrated in all elements

Each competence indicator (also known as lower level competences) can be broken down into elements and the ADI will need to use a range of skills to ensure each of these elements is in place.

The guidance for examiners says: ‘For example, the first lower level competence, in the lesson planning section, is ‘Did the ADI identify the pupil’s learning goals and needs?’

To fully satisfy this requirement the ADI must:

actively recognise the need to understand the pupil’s experience and background
ask suitable questions
encourage the pupil to talk about their goals, concerns etc. and actively listen to what the pupil has to say
understand the significance of what they say
recognise other indications, e.g. body language, that the pupil is trying to express something but perhaps cannot find the right words’

The points above are the elements that combine to meet the lower level competence. If the instructor asks questions about what the learner wants to do or achieve on the lesson but doesn’t listen and carries on with their pre-determined idea of what they want to happen, then the instructor is likely to score 0 or 1 in this respect. The guidance for examiners is about helping examiners understand how the assessment needs to be carried out and emphasises the importance of recognising that instructors are individual and each one will have a different method of teaching. Nevertheless, the overall emphasis is on the instructor’s ability to communicate with their learner and to ensure that their learner is engaged in the learning process. So, if, whilst setting the goals for the lesson the instructor demonstrates that they meet all the above elements they are likely to score a 3 against this lower level competence.

The guide for examiners stresses, as I have said in previous articles, that there will necessarily be an overlap amongst the competences – both lower and higher. For example, the second competence indicator under the high competence of Lesson Planning is: ‘Was the agreed lesson structure appropriate for the pupil’s experience and ability?’ It would not be an accurate assessment if the examiner records a 0 against the first competence: ‘Did the ADI identify the pupil’s learning goals and needs?’ and then a 2 or 3 against agreeing the lesson structure. Agreeing the lesson structure would have to follow as a result of having identified learning goals and needs. It is, however, noted that lesson goals need not be clearly stated at the beginning of the session and could become obvious as the lesson develops.

The guide for examiners identifies four ‘types’ of pupil that might be presented for the ADI’s Standards Check, whilst also acknowledging that these ‘types’ are just broad guides. The four types are:

Beginner or partly trained
Trained or test standard
Newly qualified
Experienced qualified

There is no role play option and the guide clearly sets out the requirements for attending a Standards Check.

As I mentioned in my first article, there are clear situations which would result in an immediate fail. If you score 7 or less in the Risk Management competence or do not deal with a potential or actual safety critical incident appropriately then you will fail the Standards Check. If the examiner judges that the instructor is not managing safety critical situations effectively, the Standards Check could be terminated. If you fail, you will be expected to attend a second one and, if necessary, a third one before being considered for removal from the ADI Register (as is currently the situation with the Check Test).

Reflection is emphasised throughout – both for the instructor as well as the pupil. The DVSA recommend that instructors complete a reflective log and have offered a template as an example, which focuses on what went well, what did not go so well, what could be improved. The reflective log can be presented to the examiner at the start of the Standards Check but will not form part of the assessment. It would seem that the reflective log is there because it is recognised that self-evaluation is a crucial part of learning and that this is as important for the instructor as it is for the customer. Client-centred learning is all about behavioural change and change starts with self-awareness. Self-awareness is about recognising your strengths and limitations; as well as understanding how your emotional state impacts on your behaviour. When we reflect on and self-evaluate our performance we take responsibility for our learning. This, in turn, helps us empathise and therefore engage on an equal basis with our pupils.

On the actual day of your Standards Check, you may leave your customer in the car whilst you go and meet the examiner, who will want to ascertain what type of pupil you have brought – how many lessons they have had, what standard they are at, whether you have any concerns about their driving, what the goals for the lesson are. It is possible that you will have a supervising examiner also sitting in on the standards check and, if this is the case, you will ideally have been informed in advance. However, if it was not possible to inform you in advance of the Standards Check then you will be allowed ten minutes to explain the situation to your customer. If you also have a trainer or mentor with you then it is up to the supervising examiner whether or not they will still accompany the Standards Check.

You are expected to know your area well and to plan a lesson that lasts about an hour and ends up back at the test centre (in most cases) so that the examiner can take some time to consider the outcome and then debrief the lesson. You should therefore allow a further 15 minutes at the end of the one hour Standards Check lesson. The examiner may take notes during the assessment but these must be destroyed and there will be no write-up or written follow-up (even if you fail) because the Standards Check Form is sufficient to record accurately the whole assessment.

How does this fit in with coaching and client-centred learning? The guidance for examiners recognises that there are many different styles of instructor and that learning can be judged to take place as a result of instruction as well as coaching. However, there is definitely an emphasis on coaching and client-centred learning. What is clear is that the higher levels of the Goals for Driver Education (GDE) * framework cannot be addressed unless a client-centred approach is used where the learner is encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and understands how the skills they are acquiring for the driving test can be applied when driving unsupervised. There is, therefore, an expectation that driving instructors will be addressing the higher levels of the GDE * by, for example, engaging the pupil in discussion of driving situations they are likely to encounter when driving post-test – such as, with passengers in the car, at night, or when they are prone to distractions.

(* Levels 1 and 2 of the GDE focus on the skills that are assessed on the ‘L’ practical driving test; whilst levels 3 and 4 – also known as the higher levels of the GDE – look at journey-specific factors, such as choosing the mode of transport, route planning, and managing risk in terms of distractions and peer pressure – Level 3; and, how the personality of the driver – their goals, opinions, values, emotional state and characteristics – impacts on the way they handle the vehicle and the choices they make – Level 4).

For many of us, the new Standards Check will represent the opportunity to deliver a driving lesson that is an accurate reflection of the way we already teach on a day-to-day basis. For some of us, however, it will be necessary to carefully consider the skills and techniques we currently use and reflect on how well we are able to meet the two core aims of driver training: that learning must take place and value for money must be given.

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Standards Check & Teaching & Learning Strategies

23/10/2014

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4. Standards Check & Teaching & Learning Strategies

You’ll remember from my earlier articles that there are three broad competencies against which ADIs are assessed in the new Standards Check introduced from April 2014. These competences are a means of assessing how well the ADI meets the National Driver and Rider Training Standard. (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/226617/dsa-national-standard-driver-rider-training.pdf. )

I have already looked at the first two competences: Lesson Planning and Risk Management and described how many of the indicators that assess the competence of the driving instructor are interlinked. This article looks at the third competency: Teaching and Learning Strategies. Under this heading there are eight competency indicators:

Was the teaching style suited to the pupil’s learning style and level of ability?
Was the pupil encouraged to analyse problems and take responsibility for their learning?
Were opportunities and examples used to clarify learning outcomes?
Was the technical information given comprehensive, appropriate and accurate?
Was the pupil given appropriate and timely feedback during the session?
Were the pupil’s queries followed up and answered?
Did the trainer maintain an appropriate non-discriminatory manner throughout the session?
At the end of the session was the pupil encouraged to reflect on their own performance?
Was the teaching style suited to the pupil’s learning style and level of ability?

This is about adapting the way you teach to suit the way someone learns. If you are in the habit of giving briefings to everyone of your customers then you may be slowing down the learning of some of them, particularly if they have a more kinaesthetic learning preference. It is simply not true that the most effective way to learn is following the ‘Explain – Demonstrate – Practice’ (EDP) route. Unfortunately, for many of us, training to become a driving instructor was all about passing the Part 3 test with very little emphasis – if any - on how people learn; and now we have become conditioned to believe that this is therefore the way things should be.

Consider how you got on at school. Did you have teachers you preferred over others or favourite subjects? Did everyone in your class share your preferences? ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ respectively is probably how you answered those two questions because everyone is different and each of us is unique in how we absorb and process information and therefore how we learn new things. Our interpretation of the world and our individual set of experiences, existing knowledge and understanding influence how we learn new knowledge and experiences.

When you are teaching someone to drive you need to adapt the way you teach to suit the way someone learns most effectively. This is not a hard and fast science and most people process information through a number of different channels. However, the most important thing to take on board is that when your customer is yawning whilst you are giving them a briefing, it is not necessarily because they were out partying the night before; it is far more likely to be because you are boring the pants off them and you need to change your method of communication.

My advice is to experiment with the way you do things in the car. Be creative and consider whether your customer is engaged in the lesson or bored and has switched off.
Was the pupil encouraged to analyse problems and take responsibility for their learning?

There is no need to jump in with the answer every time a fault occurs. If your customer stalls the car, for example, ask them if they know what just happened. This develops their ability to analyse problems, which is a crucial skill when they are driving independently. It might be obvious to you that the reason they stalled is because they have just tried to pull away in third gear; or that they brought the clutch up too quickly; or they forgot to release the handbrake; or they didn’t have enough gas. But is it obvious to them? No one gets things right all the time and, particularly in driving, it is easy to make mistakes. However, the ability to analyse why something is not working and put it right is very important and could easily mean the difference between a crash occurring or not.
Were opportunities and examples used to clarify learning outcomes?

Learning outcomes are the same as goals and these were established at the beginning of the session. This links back to the Lesson Planning competency and is about taking advantage of the environment and recognising that there are plenty of opportunities that can be drawn on during the session that will help ensure the goals are achieved. For example, the skills involved in planning and anticipation can be developed on a number of different occasions so a goal, that has been set around deciding whether to give way or continue in meeting situations, could be developed when judging a safe gap on the approach to a roundabout or anticipating whether to give way at a pedestrian crossing.
Was the technical information given comprehensive, appropriate and accurate?

Taking a client-centred approach to learning does not mean that you cannot give information where relevant. Your expertise as an ADI is of vital importance when teaching people to drive safely for life. Some people seem to think that coaching is all about asking questions and nothing to do with giving information. This is an inaccurate interpretation of coaching or client-centred learning. Your role as a driving instructor is to teach someone safe driving skills that they will be able to apply and develop throughout their lives. Using a client-centred learning approach ensures that you engage with them in the way that is most conducive to their learning because research shows that this kind of learning sticks. Telling people how to behave /drive does not necessarily stay with them beyond the driving test. You have to determine when it is necessary to give technical information and when it would be more effective for the pupil to go away and research it. Nevertheless, when you give technical information you do need to be certain that it is comprehensive, appropriate and accurate. If you are not sure, go away and find out.
Was the pupil given appropriate and timely feedback during the session?

Giving appropriate and timely feedback is about ensuring the goals agreed for the session will be met within the timescales and lesson plan already discussed. This particular competency indicator is not necessarily about dealing with faults because the overall competency is aimed at assessing your teaching and learning strategies. The use of feedback is a strategy that will enhance the pupil’s learning and therefore will be solution focused taking strengths (as well as weaknesses) into consideration. In this respect, this indicator is linked to the others under this competency heading and, perhaps especially, the one about drawing on opportunities and examples to clarify learning outcomes.
Were the pupil’s queries followed up and answered?

With good rapport any driving lesson becomes a two-way exchange of information, ideas and opinions. If the pupil is fully engaged in their learning then they may need to ask questions to check their understanding and assess their progress towards achieving their goal. It is important that you attend to their queries and ensure you are listening and remaining focused on their learning more so than your teaching. This does not mean that pupil’s queries should be answered immediately because sometimes this would simply not be safe or appropriate. Deflecting a question until a more appropriate time – pulled up at the side of the road – is all about you applying appropriate teaching strategies to maximise their learning. You might, for example, say, ‘Good question – let’s deal with this situation first and then we can discuss it in more detail when we are parked.’
Did the trainer maintain an appropriate non-discriminatory manner throughout the session?

There are two aspects to being non-discriminatory. One is ensuring that your attitude and approach to your customer is consistently non-judgemental. The other is not expressing what might be construed as judgemental views about other road users.

You might find yourself feeling frustrated or impatient with your customer because they don’t seem able to grasp the skills you are teaching. Remaining non-discriminatory or non-judgemental encourages you to consider different methods of engaging with them. It might be that the teaching strategy you are using does not suit their learning preferences and therefore they are really struggling to meet your expectations. Pupils are neither thick nor stupid – they simply need a different approach.

Commenting on other road users – whether the appearance of pedestrians or the way someone is driving – does little to accelerate the pupil’s learning or achievement of the goal set for the lesson. However, using the way someone is driving, or the potential outcomes of distraction caused by focusing on a particular type of pedestrian, as discussion points can be valid and constructive.
At the end of the session was the pupil encouraged to reflect on their own performance?

Reflection is a necessary part of learning. Reflecting on one’s own performance helps embed the learning that has taken place and determine whether or not the goal has been achieved. Reflection also develops self-evaluation skills and the ability to recognise strengths, limitations and development needs. This is crucial in ensuring your customer has the best chance of reducing their risk when driving on their own. At the end of the session you could ask your pupil to name three things they were particularly pleased with in their driving and discuss these with them so that they are able to articulate what it is that pleased them about each of these three things and whether there is anything they would want to improve on and develop further. This is an ideal opportunity for your pupil to consider what goals they would like to set for next lesson.

The new Standards Check has a focus on client-centred learning and offers for many of us the opportunity to realistically demonstrate what we do in our day-to-day driving lessons. Some of you will want to spend time developing your client-centred learning approaches and one of the most effective ways of doing this is to start the lesson by asking one or two of the following questions:
Do you know how you learn best?
What would you like to achieve out of today’s lesson?
How can I help you?

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Tri-Coaching Partnership will be at the adinjc Conference Sunday 12th October

9/10/2014

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Come and say 'Hello' at the adinjc conference on Sunday where Tri-Coaching Partnership has a trade stand. We would love to hear how your business is going and what you think about the recent changes in our industry. Let us know if there is anything we can do to support you and help your business grow; or help you develop your techniques and skills in coaching and client-centred learning.

If you have already attended one of our courses, or are currently completing one, we would love to know what you think of it and whether you have noticed a difference in the way you deliver your driver training.

We have a brand new BTEC Level 4 course in Coaching for Driver Development starting on 11th December 2014 in Newport Pagnell and another one on 21st January 2015 in Glasgow. You can also choose from a whole range of dates and locations for the aCCeLerate and BTEC Level 3 course so come and speak to one of our aCCeLerate trainers if you want to know more.

Would you like some support with the ADI Standards Check? We have delivered our Standards Check training days to over 400 ADIs around the country, many of whom have gone onto achieve a Grade A. Have a chat with us to find out locations and dates for these training days.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday

Susan McCormack

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7 reasons to have fun

1/10/2014

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Learning new stuff can often be a serious business and when we get serious we tend to frown and invite stress into our lives. Put a smile on your face and notice the difference it makes to your customers :)

1. You can only have fun helping other people learn if you're having fun doing it.

2. When a class and its teacher all laugh together ... they become a unit ... enjoying the shared experience. If that community can be prolonged or re-established, and applied to the job of thinking, the teacher will have succeeded. (Highet, 1951: 56-57)

3. The power of humour to break through barriers of fear, anxiety and tension is well-recognised.

4. People like people who make them smile :) it helps if your customer likes you.

5. Smiling offers encouragement to the person that you are talking to.

6. Conti and Fellenz's research on good and bad teaching of native American learners (1988) reveals an appreciation by learners of teachers who display 'a variety of warm, human feelings that are telegraphed to students by a smile ... a genuine smile', and 'good teachers make learning fun'

7. Learning is difficult without rapport, see what happens to your customers when you smile :)

We at Tri-Coaching Partnership would love to put a smile on your face and help you learn something, so next time you look in the mirror and see a picture of a bulldog chewing a wasp just smile.

I thought I would finish with a song sung by a genius about a genius just click on the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN8oLGBNXpE

Graham Hooper

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Tri-Coaching will be at the MSA Scotland Conference on Sunday 2nd November.

Standards Check & Examiner Guidelines

Standards Check & Teaching & Learning Strategies

Tri-Coaching Partnership will be at the adinjc Conference Sunday 12th October

7 reasons to have fun

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