Part 1. You can read Part 2 here
One of the most effective tools for teaching a new skill is Question and Answer techniques (Q & A). Its used to establish how much knowledge your student driver has of a particular subject.
There are two types of questions; closed and open.
A closed question is one that requires a simple yes or no answer; For example "did you see the red car" The answer has to be either yes or no.
An open question is one that the student driver has to give a more detailed response. For example: "Why do you need to check your mirrors when approaching a hazard?"
A lot of Trainee Driving Instructors tend to over elaborate in their Q & A technique.
There are five major words that are important to asking good questions.
They are:
- What
- Why
- When
- Who
- How
For example:
What do do you think the driver of the red car might do?
Why did you decide to change gear at that time?
When do you think its appropriate to get into the correct lane?
Who will benefit from your signal?
How will your signal affect other road users?
The golden rule is to K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple Silly)
Here is a conversation between a fictitious driving instructor and his student after taking his ADI Part 3 test of teaching ability, on the subject of checking blindspots.
I had a friend who had moving away for his part3.
His briefing was good.
Under full instruction examiner did all that was asked of him.(As they do)
Then the friend asked the Supervising Examiner (SE) to try it alone.
He failed to check his blind spot .
Q: Why didn't you look? ....correct Q
A: I forgot, sorry.
Ok try again.
Again the SE didn't check?
Q:That’s twice now why didn't u look u know u should?............. Wrong question
No point repeating same question? you only get a repeat answer?
A: Sorry
The SE does it ok next time.
But the next time he forgets.
My friend then continues the explanation of why you should look.
So examiner does look. Well he would? He keep being told to?
Mate failed.
Learning must take place. Constant contradiction is not learning?
Examiner was looking but only because he was told to? And forgot when not told to?
The fault was spotted but not analyzes or remedied?
A better Q and A technique would have been along the lines of::
Not why he didn't, but why he should? (word game)
First Q asked by friend should have been:
Q: Why didn't you look?
A: I forgot? (alarm bells should be ringing, as it was the wrong answer given)
My friend accepted this. And tried again but worded it differently;
Q: Why should you look over shoulder? You now make a closed question open, and he has to think.of a possible answer.
A: Don't know?
So you then go into reasons. Cant see everything in mirrors and you need to check areas not covered by them. That’s why its called a blind spot.
Reinforce with example and reason ( given below)
Possible reason: 2.
No need?????. He's boy racer type my dad says I can see in mirrors, so I don't need to look round (the student thinks he knows it all).
Example and reason.
Q: Can you see the white car in the drive in mirrors?
A: No?
Q: So what would happen if you moved off and he came out of the drive?
A: I don't know! Would he wait?
Q: What if a car was in same position as that car on the road and overtaking and you pulled out?
A: (hopefully) I would be pulling out in front of him?
Reward, Well done, You would pulling out in front of him.
Q: Why?
A: Because I haven’t seen him?
Q: Why wouldn't you have seen him?
A: Because I didn't check it was clear except in mirrors?
Q: And what is that area called?
A: A blind spot? Reward. Well done
Q: So can you see all you need to see in mirrors?
A: No.
Q: So what will you check before u move away in future?
A: Blindspots.
Carry on.
Learning took place as opposed to just telling?
Spotting the fault is relatively easy.
Analysis. Q and A find out why the fault was committed;
Then explain the remedy. to correct the fault but make sure its correct reason.
Another example if the student driver is constantly speeding.
Don’t assume its a accelerator fault. Don’t keep on telling them to slow down. Contradiction is not learning.
Finding the fault is easy - he's going too fast ;
Analysis. Why is he too fast?
Q and A. What's the speed limit here? How fast are you going? Does the SE even realize?
If you get wrong answers in q and a then follow it up with another. If you get a correct answer, for example, 30mph then don’t keep on asking.
Could be as easy as he's not watching speedo?
Remedy………. ask him to keep checking.
Q and A is great tool if you use it correctly.
More help with Q & A techniques...
