Core Competencies: Remedy

The ‘core competencies’ are the essential skills that you will need as an ADI.  You will be required to demonstrate these skills on your Instructional Ability test.

In the previous module you looked at fault analysis.  This is the second step to help your pupil gain understanding of the fault.  If the pupil knows what they should have done and why, they will be less likely to keep making the same error. If they know what the consequences are of ‘cutting a right hand corner’, they will much more interested to learn the REMEDY.

So now we are going to look at the final core competence – remedy.

The remedy looks at providing a solution to the problem.  This is where the skill and expertise of the driving instructor come into play.  This is essentially what they are paying you for.  Why else are they prepared to ‘pay’ for driving lessons, rather than getting mum or dad to teach them for free?

Image the ‘remedy’ as your box of tools.  As a professional driving instructor, you will gain these tools, and you will know exactly which tool is required to fix that exact problem.  During your Part 3 Instructional Ability training, you will learn these skills so you are ready to impart your knowledge with your own learner drivers.  For now, we will just introduce the concept.

Here is an example of how we can ‘remedy’ a driver fault.  Let’s use the ‘cutting a corner’ fault.  Ok, so we’ve identified it, we’ve analysed it with the pupil and they understand it was dangerous.  After using some effective Q&A with the pupil, we have discovered the reason they cut the corner.  They simply do not know how to judge when to steer, that’s why they turned in too early.  It is vital that we take the time to understand the fault properly so that we can provide the correct solution or remedy.  So now we need to teach them ‘when to steer’.  We could do this by taking them back to the junction and getting them to stop at the ‘point of turn’.  Give them a moment (if safe to do so) to recognise this position so that next time they can judge it for themselves, independently!  Now drive around the block to give them the opportunity to find the point of turn without your help, you may just need to prompt them as they get nearer.  If they can do it, then you have effectively provided a remedy that they can use from that point on, you may just need to remind them if they lapse.

What would be your remedy for this driver fault?