Private Practice : Talking to your Learner
After The Practice
The learning doesn’t stop when you get out of the car; discuss with your learner what happened during the practice afterwards. Review what happened during the drive using your route plan and notes to remind you about where you went, and ask what knowledge the learner has gained from the situations that arose.
It is important to bring out the positives of the drive during the review, people can learn from good experiences as well as bad ones. If the learner did something well, then ask them how they applied their knowledge to do it. Don't be afraid to give praise where it is due.
If you encountered any situations where the learner had difficulty, ask what they would do next time if they encountered the same situation, and what they could have done to ensure their safety. You may have spotted several hazards that the learner did not, and you should talk about these.
When discussing several faults, prioritise them to deal with the higher risk issues first and leave the others for later. This helps to keep the learner optimistic, rather than becoming discouraged.
Safer Attitudes
Remember that it is important to talk about the dangers of the road and encourage good attitudes and behaviour in your learner. Talk about hazards that you have seen on the drive and how they may have become dangerous situations. Talk about some of the times that you have felt in danger whilst driving, and try to pass on your experience. A story from you about the dangers of an icy surface may have more impact than reading about why you should slow down in cold weather.
Monitoring Your Learner's Development
The best way to monitor your learner’s development is by using a logbook, in which you can fill in details about the route after every practice drive. The DSA's "Driver's Record for Pupils" can be used to help you monitor the situations and environments your learner is encountering, and gives you a better idea of how to vary your practice routes.
The more frequently a learner encounters a situation, the more experience is gained which could be used to avoid an accident after the test.
Make sure the learner's instructor knows what kind of practice you have been taking your learner on by showing him or her the logbook frequently.
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