In part one of this article I discussed risk and what the expectation is on the Standards Check.
So lets look at some of the other reasons for failing the Standards Check
- Lesson Plan not adapted to help work towards goals
- Teaching style not suited to learning style and ability
- Pupil not encouraged to analyse problems and take responsibility for learning.
- Pupil not given appropriate and timely feedback
- Pupil not encouraged to reflect on own performance.
Number 1 and Number 3 – These are related to the same as the main reason people failed the Check Test:-
Level of Instruction – This is covered in Element 6.3.3 of the standard – Coach
First lets take a quick look at the ADI 1 though:- “The important thing to remember when considering teaching and learning styles is that it is not just about coaching. It is about client-centred learning….We are trying to increase the options available to an ADI. Coaching is a powerful extension of the range of options. It is not an automatic replacement for any of the existing ones”
The whole standard doesn’t once contain the word “coaching” –
What element 6.3.3 does say is :-
You must know and understand
a. how to use a range of learner-centred techniques to help the learner identify and overcome barriers to achievement of learning goals
b. how to use a range of learner-centred techniques to encourage the learner to join-up their understanding of practice and theory and of different parts of theory
c. how to use a range of learner-centred techniques to support the transfer of ownership of the learning process to the learner
d. the impact of your own willingness to transfer ownership of the learning process
e. the importance of providing regular formative feedback
f. how to use learner-centred techniques while putting your responsibility for safety in the learning environment first
Simply put – listening to what the client is saying and using an appropriate level of instruction.
So again from the ADI 1 – Some indications that elements of competence are in place include:
- Actively working to understand how they can best support the pupils learning process
- modifying teaching style when or if they realise there is a need to do so
- providing accurate and technically correct demonstration, instruction or information. Giving ..incorrect…information…is an automatic fail if that might lead to a safety critical situation
- Using practical examples and other similar tools to provide different ways of looking at a subject
- linking learning in theory to learning in practice
- encouraging the pupil to take ownership of the learning process
- responding to faults in a timely manner
- providing enough uninterrupted time to practice new skills
- providing the pupil with clear guidance on how they might practice outside the session
The ADI 1 also lists indications of lack of competence and rather than list them here, again I encourage you to read the original document.
The most important in that list for me is Number 2 – again it goes directly to level of instruction. Check with the client the level they believe they need and then jump in and out as appropriate.
Numbers 3 relates to subject knowledge – Ensure you are fully familiar with the syllabus, Driving the Essential skills – Ensure you know what it actually says – not what you think it says. Inaccurate information even if not of a safety critical nature is unlikely to cause the examiner to reflect well on your performance.
CCL – From the DVSA “At its simplest, this means listening to your learner (the client) to find out how they like to learn, the things that are getting in the way of their progress and how you can help, – People learn in different ways and at different speeds. If someone who likes time to reflect on their learning is forced to move on to the next thing too quickly it could slow down their progress. Or if someone who likes to learn by trying things out is made to watch too many demonstrations without having a go they will get frustrated”
- Lesson Plan not adapted to help work towards goals
“Hello Fred, well todays lesson we’re going look at roundabouts, is there anything you’d like to look at as well?”
“Well I’d like to have a go at the parallel park”
“Ok well, we’ll start off with some roundabout’s and if we get time at the end of the session we’ll look at the parallel park”
Do you see the problem with that?
While coaching advice will come in another series of articles, simply put – establish the clients goals at the beginning of the session and then work towards those goals agreeing how you are going to do it and how much help the client would like – but and this is a big BUT, should something else crop up along the way that clearly needs sorting, then agree with the client to modify the goal and work on whatever it is, i.e. if they come to a problem with roundabout approaches don’t just take over and start trying to rectify that problem, agree to either change the goal set at the beginning of the lesson to roundabout approaches or agree to deal with it on another lesson.
“OK Fred well you seemed to have some problems with Roundabouts there – would you still like to focus on the parallel park or would you like to look at roundabouts in this session?”
The ADI 1 again gives examples of competency in this area:
Indications that all the elements of competence are in place could include:
• comparing the actual performance of the pupil with their claims and clarifying any differences
• responding to any faults or weaknesses that undermine the original plan for the session
• responding to any concerns or issues raised by the pupil
• picking up on non-verbal signs of discomfort or confusion
Indications of lack of competence include:
• persisting with a plan despite the pupil being clearly out of their depth
• persisting with a plan despite the pupil demonstrating faults or weaknesses that should lead to a rethink of the plan
• changing the plan without reason
• failing to explain to the pupil why the plan has been changed
In part 3, I’ll look at numbers 4 and 7 on the list – Pupil reflection.