Glossary of Terms
Explore professional driving instructor training materials, explanations, terminology, and teaching concepts designed to strengthen your instructional skills.
Why These Materials Matter
It is common for all types of trades / industries to have a set of phrases that make no sense to anyone who is not in that trade / industry. This is commonly known as “Jargon”. To that effect, we have included many of the phrases and abbreviations that get used within driving instruction.
You should take your time to familiarise yourself with as many as possible. They will help you when giving instruction and improve your knowledge and understanding of the industry.
Core Teaching Concepts
Client-Centred Learning (CCL)
Lessons should be planned around the pupil’s needs and goals. The instructor must actively involve the pupil in decision-making and tailor teaching methods to match preferred learning styles.
Levels Of Listening
- Cosmetic – It seems like we’re listening, but we’re not really.
- Conversational – We’re listening, but also thinking about our own situation.
- Active – We are generally focused on what the other person is saying.
- Deep – We are much more focused on what the other person means.
GROW Technique
- Goal – What do we want to achieve?
- Reality – Where are we now?
- Options – What are our alternative strategies?
- Way Forward – How are we going to achieve our goals?
Learning Methods
Rote: Learning By Repetition
In a teaching sense it could be used in the early stages of learning to drive, when instructions are repeated over and over again to familiarize the pupil with the use of the controls.
Gestalt: Learning By Understanding
Once a pupil is familiar with the basic principles of driving, they must learn to apply these themselves. If they understand the meaning of what has been taught, then this will be possible.
Training Glossary & Concepts
Transfer of Learning: Previously acquired skills and knowledge.
By using a familiar example of a skill known to the pupil, a new skill may be taught. For example, you could explain that the pupil should use the brakes gently and progressively by relating how they use the brakes on their push bike.
Negative Transfer: When old learning conflicts with new learning.
When old learning conflicts with new learning. For example, you will commonly hear the words “my last instructor didn't say that”. Such situations must be handled carefully so as not to confuse the pupil altogether.
Learning Plateau: A temporary lull in the learning process.
In the initial stages, the pupil's learning can be rapid. However, at a certain point progress may slow or halt before improving again. This is quite normal and should be expected.
Open Questions: Those with several possible answers.
Any question starting with “who”, “what”, “where”, “when”, “why” or “how” is an open question.
- It makes the pupil think more deeply.
- It reduces the need for multiple questions.
Communication: The art of conveying meaning.
Good communication skills are essential for a driving instructor. Communication is the ability to impart knowledge and ideas to cause a positive change in behavior or attitude.
ALERT – DIRECT – INFORM (ADI)
This is the recommended way of directing a pupil during a driving lesson.
- Alert: “I would like you to”
- Direct: “Turn right”
- Identify: “At the junction ahead”
- Alert: “At the roundabout ahead”
- Direct: “Take the road to the right”
- Identify: “It's the third exit”
