A new career move
If you can drive and have done for sometime, the draw of high income and flexibility promised by high budget advertising makes it seem like a good career move. The financial rewards claimed make the outlay for the course fees pale into insignificance. Before committing your finances, you need to be sure that you know exactly what is involved.
A teaching job
Becoming a qualified Driving Instructor is not simply starting a new job, but learning the skills of a new profession which can last the rest of your working life.
An Approved Driving Instructors job is to teach people to drive safely and to prepare them for their driving tests. This involves not only giving instruction, but also monitoring the learner, the road and other vehicles very carefully.
Having a high standard of personal driving ability is important, so is having a sound knowledge and understanding of the subjects related to teaching people to drive. It is also necessary to apply these abilities confidently and effectively.
Teaching people to drive involves having a good understanding of:
1. how to teach
2. how people learn
3. how to assess the performance of others
4. communication skills
5. interpersonal skills
Besides an interest in driving, the starting point is having an even temperament and a personality to suit the work. Some instructors find it easier than others to be understanding, supportive and be capable of developing a good rapport with customers. Each learner driver has a different character and personality. One lesson might be with a 17 year old who has the mind of a 'boy racer', the next could be with a mature learner like Maureen Reece of television documentary 'Driving School' fame.
You need to be patient - it's not always easy to be the perfect driver and spend your time sitting next to people who can't drive! On balance, it is very satisfying to consider that the skills you are teaching will provide a foundation for good driving throughout their motoring lives. Learner drivers do not make deliberate mistakes. They are likely to make fewer errors where the instructor is fully in control of the learning environment by giving the correct level of tuition. To achieve that goal, these are the skills you must use:
Route Planning
Instructors plan routes before lessons, making sure to include or avoid certain road and traffic conditions. The route or location must be suited to the lesson topics. These include using the car’s controls correctly; driving procedures and developing a responsible attitude.
Learner Observation
Learners’ actions and responses have to be watched closely, the instructor being able to not only identify, correct and remedy errors, but also gain and build their confidence. Skills in assessment of the learners' strengths and weaknesses are needed to determine when they will be ready to take the Theory / Practical Driving Test.
Effective Communication
Professional instructors have to communicate information and directions clearly and concisely while the learner is driving, ensuring the safety of all road users. A good ADI will fully prepare candidates for the test by teaching in stages up to the level of 'independent driving'. This takes plenty of tuition and practice to achieve a standard where the new driver can drive in complex and demanding road and traffic situations without needing any help.
Instructors must be able to adapt their teaching style to suit all kinds of learners, for instance those who are very nervous.
Core Competencies
The technical merit of a driving lesson is determined on:
• Fault/skills recognition. Clearly identify all the learner's driving faults that require correction. Gain and build learner's confidence.
• Fault analysis. Having identified a driving fault, correctly work out what caused the fault.
• Remedial action. Solutions! Constructive instruction to resolve problems.
Lesson Structure
Every driving lesson needs to have a start, a middle and an end. The usual structure includes:
• Recap at start. Concise accurate summary of the previous lesson.
• Aims & Objectives. Setting realistic and attainable targets.
• Level of Instruction. Dialogue and technique varied to suit learner's knowledge, experience and competence.
• Planning. Organised method and sequence of tuition.
• Control of lesson. Anticipate and protect learner from danger. Time management.
• Communication. Clear and simple instructional terminology and explanations.
• Question & Answer Technique. Relevant questions, correctly timed.
• Feedback & Encouragement. Best response to learner's performance and achievements.
• Instructor's Use of Controls. Learners must always be made aware of why the instructor has used the dual controls or any of the other car's controls.
• Recap at end. Concise accurate summary of the lessons 'learning points'.
Teaching people to drive is highly skilled.
Succeeding in passing each of the three parts of the ADI examination first time depends on you making a serious commitment to study and practical preparation. This can dominate your life until the final test.
Gaining this qualification will mean that you are able to provide learner drivers with a level of professional instruction that will enable them not only to pass the theoretical and practical driving tests, but also and, most importantly, to become safe and confident drivers on the road.
For most instructors, the most enjoyable part of their work is to share people's achievement as they pass the driving test. Knowing that you're the person who's helped them achieve their goal is enormously satisfying - together with the fact that they'll probably remember you for the rest of their lives!
Official Register of Driving Instructor Training (ORDIT)
For details of recommended ORDIT trainers in your area, please call:
- 0800 610 1276 (During normal office hours)
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