The timing of your directions
Timing 
is all-important when giving directions.
If your directions are given too late, your pupils will not have sufficient time to react, as a result they might overshoot the turn or swing wide around the corner.
Remember that when learning to drive, especially in the early stages, people use a lot of their concentration to operate the controls and to remember the basic driving sequences. This means that it may take longer for them to respond to your input than you might expect.
If your directions are given too early, you may find that your pupil never actually gets to the turning as the car goes slower and slower and (yawn!) slower while they look for the junction in question.
Apart from ensuring that your pupils know where to turn, well timed directions are also essential for accurate assessment of your pupils' progress. This is because late or early directions can cause confusion which in turn leads to driving errors – you can be left with the problem of deciding whether the error was caused by the driver's lack of skill, or your mistimed or incorrect directions.
Teach yourself timing...
An easy way to learn about direction timing is simply to 'direct' yourself when driving (out loud).
Give yourself a direction, and then talk yourself through each driving action (mirrors, signals, position and speed changes, gear changes and observation).
Complete your turns a little more slowly than normal to 'mimic' a new driver and speak in a 'deliberate' way. The timing of your directions should allow enough time to do this without feeling rushed.
If you are working on a Trainee Licence, notice how different timing of directions affects your pupils' actions.
Next: Step 7 - Avoiding misleading directions