Were the practice areas suitable?

What the DVSA say:

You should use an area or route that allows your pupil to practice safely and helps them to achieve their goals. It should provide some stretch and challenge, but without taking them out of their competence zone. 

Indications that all the elements of competence are in place could include choosing a practice area / route that provides:

• a range of opportunities to address the agreed learning objectives
• challenges, but is realistic in terms of your pupil’s capabilities and confidence

Indications of lack of competence include taking your pupil into an area that:

• takes your pupil outside of their competence zone – so that they spend all their time ‘surviving’ and have no space left to look at learning issues
• exposes your pupil to risks they cannot manage

What does this mean?

This is an area that can truly enhance the learning outcomes. As an exercise I ask those who attend my standards check workshops to look at the lessons they deliver over the coming week and ask themselves, how much time was devoted to things not on todays subject (for example on junctions lessons are you crossing a lot of pedestrian crossings?)

Things other than todays subject are problematic as they inevitably create extra issues for both instructor and pupil. So focussing your attention on having a short, repetitive practice area that allows for multiple experiences of the subject matter, excluding extra things will help you to have clearer conversations about the subject matter. It should also help you to avoid the plate spinning i see when i observe lessons out in the real world, where there are issues arising outside of the subject of the lesson leading to multiple things being worked on, eventually one of the spinning plates hits the ground and the whole session starts to collapse (I have seen this hundreds of times) it can lead to nothing being fixed and a mish mash of half fixed issues. this leads the examiner to think you are allowing too much to go un-fixed.

Where else does this impact on the form?

Did the trainer identify the pupil’s learning goals and needs – short repetitive route with place for reviews ensures we are continually adapting and discovering new goals (what do you want to achieve from the next lap is a very easy lead in)

Was the agreed lesson structure appropriate for the pupil’s experience and ability – matched through discussion and reflection of last burst of activity

Were the practice areas suitable – you will demonstrate good use of the area by making adjustments following review

Was the lesson plan adapted, when appropriate, to help the pupil work towards their learning goals – again a short repetitive route allows for continual adjustment of the plans in order to help pupil development

Did the trainer ensure that the pupil fully understood how the responsibility for risk would be shared – again, adjustments to the next burst of activity speak to this competence

Was sufficient feedback given to help the pupil understand any potential safety critical incidents – regular reviews allow for this

Was the teaching style suited to the pupil’s learning style and current ability – reviews allow for checking if it is working and if it all makes sense to the learner

Was the pupil encouraged to analyse problems and take responsibility for their learning – what do you want to achieve on the next loop? If we have long meandering routes it is less easy to have this conversation

Was the pupil given appropriate and timely feedback during the session – during regular reviews (you could do them on the move if you wished, but i would advise a long straight road if possible, the examiner will have no objection to a short review stop to quickly reflect and set new goals for each burst of activity. It should take no more than a couple of minutes

In conclusion

This is a much overlooked area, it can make or break a great lesson. Short repetitive routes, linked to other routes where you can take forward or backward steps will help you and your learner stay on track, ensuring there is end product that showcases you well and makes the lesson look like good value for money. In reality we should try to work this way all of the time, it is easier on everyone involved and as it happens ensures faster progress.

I hope that makes sense, and as ever, if it doesn’t or you have anything to add, please use the comments section below.