Competent driving instructors can also vary in their capabilities as teachers.

Recommended characteristics:

• Experience
  • Personal Development
  • Course Competence levels vary in standards
• Approachable
• Patient
• Flexible
• Organised

Experience

The longer we do a job usually the better we become. We become more familiar with the subject acquiring more and more knowledge. Our skills also generally improve and this can help us improve in most of the other characteristics detailed below. Experience should also leave us open to change but sometimes individuals don’t like change. (See Personal Development.)

Approachable

An instructor who is easy to talk to and is comfortable to be with, relaxes the nervous pupil and encourages you through positive reassurance. A competent instructor will communicate clearly, accurately and simply at various levels to suit each individual requirement and will readily listen and answer questions when the student needs clarification. He/she is someone who avoids making sarcastic remarks or giving negative feedback.

Patient

A patient instructor has a calming effect or laid back approach when giving instruction. He/she is one who doesn’t get annoyed or agitated, and is sensitive when you are finding difficulty grasping a concept. He/she has time and shows consideration and respect to you and other road users.

Flexible

One who recognises differences in students’ learning styles and uses varying methods when teaching. A good instructor applies various strategies and methods when teaching by using a selection of visual aids and resources, structuring the lessons to suit individual requirements. Agreeing and negotiating a strategy along with students gives them choices and responsibility in what they learn.

Organised

Knows the level of competence of each student and keeps up-to date detailed records on each one. Has structure to each lesson using aims and objectives and follows a logical sequence. Has a method of assessing using criteria covering the 24 areas of the syllabus in driving.

Personal Development

We can all be better in doing whatever we do no matter what skills we possess and driving instruction is no exception to this rule. A driving instructor who has taken time to obtain additional qualifications indicates commitment to his/her job. Developing good skills as an instructor should be a continual process as considerable changes in the driving industry have occurred since 1996 with the introduction of the Theory Test, modifications to the practical test by extending it, and additional skills are now included. Also the Hazard Perception Test has been included with the Theory Test. These are constantly being updated.

Instructors who believe their approach to teaching cannot be improved have their heads buried in the sand. Attending courses and examining different approaches to teaching improves the effectiveness, efficiency and enthusiasm of driving instructors.

Courses Vary in standards and Competence Levels - Driving courses include:

• City& Guilds 730/7 2 years or fast track 1year
• Cert Ed 2 year course or fast track 1 year
• Driving Instructors Association or DIA – Diploma - 5 Modules can be taken over 1 year - fast track or one Module per year over 5 years.

However some Diploma courses are short. EG: Rospa run 5 day Diploma courses costing Driving Instructors £745 They advertise the skills listed below can all be achieved in 5 days.

1. Development of effective classroom management skills
2. Development of instructional commentary on all types of roads and environments
3. Examination in theory, classroom and instructional ability
4. DSA Approved for fleet driver training
5. BTEC qualification

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