providing opportunities to practise

Read the notes below before watching the video.

An essential principle for route planning is that there should be plenty of opportunities to practice the subject being learned. One of the best and easiest ways to achieve this, especially when a topic is being covered for the first time, is to use a short, repetitive route.

By short, I usually mean between two and five minutes long. By repetitive, I mean that the route would usually 'go around the block' looping back to the beginning.

The benefit of a repetitive route is that after the first or second time around, the learner will know the route and be able to focus on the task (as opposed to wondering/worrying about where the road goes next).

On the previous page, I left you with a brief task. To watch the two-minute video and count the crossroads.

The video showed a short route that was about two minutes long around a quiet estate with parked vehicles.

So! How many crossroads did you count? 

If you counted two, well done – that's what most ADIs 'score' when they are in the car with me on this route. If you counted three, you get top marks. But this is just for starters.

Watch the short clip above for a typical reaction to the 'third' crossroad on the route. 

This video was filmed live with two experienced instructors during a development session. Both of the ADIs had counted two crossroads on the first drive around the block. (I also demonstrate 'how to be rude to your clients!')

Next: The thinking so far...