Going from the known to the unknown.

When we teach our pupil's to drive we have a basic syllabus that we follow. This keeps the lessons simple and breaks learning to drive into building blocks with each connecting to the next. For example, you would follow the controls lesson with moving off and stopping and then follow that with dealing with junctions. Approaching and Emerging could be linked together and when each has been covered progress to crossroads and then roundabouts. There are micro lessons in between to perhaps develop car handling skills like steering, braking, clutch control and gear changes but hopefully, you get the gist of where I am coming from!

Having established our pupil's ability and knowledge we can make our briefings short and focus on the main points of the new skill that the pupil does not know.

Let us consider the briefing for emerging at T-junctions.

Staying with Part 3, we can ask a few recap questions about approaching junctions which will establish that our pupil knows and has used the MSPSL routine. Understanding can be confirmed with some simple Q and A either as part of the recap or during the brief. As part of the brief, you could say "Last week you were approaching junctions so which mirrors and in what order did you check them for turning left? Why do we check the centre mirror first? How far from the junction do we check them?" The same approach can be used for dealing with the signal and positioning. Inform the pupil that the procedure is the same for emerging.

This approach makes the briefing more interactive, engages the learner and allows the instructor to discover the pupil's understanding. The instructor can then fill in any gaps in knowledge and identify any areas the pupil may be weak on once they get on the move. So they are establishing the amount of help the pupil may need? The speed of approach, the look part of the MSPSL routine and emerging itself will be new to the pupil so this is the area the briefing should be more directed too! It is perhaps better to simply tell the pupil these differences rather than using Q and A, simply because they will probably not know. There are also time constraints with in the Part 3 test of instructional ability and you really need to get the car moving!

Constructing your briefings by learning scripts is all well and good but you can come unstuck.

It is essential that you know the subject well and particularly the main points which you will find in column A on the marking sheets. Your examiner on Part 3 is looking for these to be dealt with during the lesson and questions you ask may not receive the answers you are expecting. Any script in your head which you are then running through will now be thrown into disarray and you will be left floundering to find the next line.

Have good knowledge and the brief will be structured, to the point and not too long!

Chris Deane ADI