Session 5. Questions and Answers

During the standard checks the examiner will assess your ability to use questions in a variety of situations and to be alert to the questions of the learner.

For any training to be effective, the communication between the pupil and instructor needs to be two-way.

By using questions, both you and learner driver can target the training effort more effectively. Ultimately a good instructor will develop an effective coaching approach to using questions.  Remember that Q and A is a 2 way street and we need to encourage and support the learner driver to interact openly by asking questions.

As a driving instructor it is essential to have a clear understanding of how questions can be used to:

• Motivate

• Stimulate thought

• Involve the learner in the teaching process

• Engage the learner’s attention

• Gain feedback about previous training

• Check understanding of previous training

• Develop new skills

To achieve the above, you need to start thinking of different methods of questioning and try to demonstrate the use of questions with learner drivers.

Try to use questions in all areas of training. Try to get into the habit of checking for previous knowledge or ensuring that explanations have been understood before starting any instruction or other tuition sequence.  Start to think about how questions can be used in conjunction with other methods such as demonstration or the use of visual aids.

No Lists!

Some Instructors practices lists of questions to learn and regurgitate during a standards check.

This is, however, far from useful and can often inhibit the “think on your feet” approach that is essential for good driver instruction.

Question lists are usually a total waste of time and often result in instructors trying to make situations fit the questions they have learned, rather than asking relevant questions designed to fit the current situation.

The aim of the Instructor's is not to learn ‘10 questions that you can ask at junctions’!

But rather to focus on the fundamentals of how and why questions are a powerful aid to learning.

Remember that good questions arise ‘in the moment’ and are dependent upon their learner driver’s actions, input and knowledge. The most important skill with Q&A is the ability to listen – that is, to really listen in an objective and unbiased way.

Have a think about the questions below:

• Why would you use questions?

• When would you use questions?

• Open and Closed questions.

• The importance of listening and concept of ‘no such thing as a wrong answer’ approach.

• When might questions be distracting?

• Also mention the dangers of ‘Why?’ questions

It is important that you understand that questions are the cornerstone of a client-centred approach to training.

It is also to be understood that while questions are useful for checking knowledge and ‘facts’, the main purpose of Q&A is to ‘develop the learner driver’s thinking processes’.

Workshop TBC