Was any verbal or physical intervention by the trainer timely and appropriate? &

Was sufficient feedback given to help the pupil understand any potentially safety critical incidents?

Intervention

The overall approach should be client-centred. Remember that there is a fine balance between giving enough input and giving too much.

When stationary it would be expected that inputs and interventions would take the form of a dialogue with the pupil. In the moving-car environment a PDI remaining silent and signalling their confidence in the pupil, through their body language, is just as much a coaching input as asking a stream of questions.

Clearly the most important ‘interventions’ are those that manage risk in a moving car. We would expect a PDI to point out situations in which a risk or hazard might arise to their pupil. However direct intervention by the PDI, to prevent a situation escalating, may be needed. This criterion is primarily about the PDI’s response in those situations.

Indications that all the elements of competence are in place could include:

• intervening in a way that actively supports the pupil’s learning process and safety during the session.
• allowing the pupil to deal with situations appropriately
• taking control of situation where the pupil is clearly out of their depth

Indications of lack of competence include:

• ignoring a developing situation and leaving the pupil to flounder
• taking control of a situation the pupil is clearly dealing with appropriately
• constantly intervening when unnecessary
• intervening inappropriately and creating distractions
• undermining the pupil’s confidence
• reinforcing the PDI as the person who is in sole control of the lesson

Safety critical feedback

If a safety critical, or potentially critical, incident does occur it is vital that the pupil fully understands what happened and how they could have avoided or dealt with it better. Ideally the pupil should be supported to analyse the situation for themselves. However, it may be necessary for the PDI to provide feedback if, for example, the pupil simply did not see a problem. That feedback should be given as soon as is practical after the incident.

Indications that all the elements of competence are in place could include:

• finding a safe place to stop and examine the critical incident
• allowing the pupil time to express any fears or concerns the incident might have caused
• supporting the pupil to reflect clearly about what happened
• providing input to clarify aspects of the incident that the pupil does not understand
• support the pupil to identify strategies for future situations
• providing input where the pupil does not understand what they should do differently
• checking that the pupil feels able to put the strategy in place
• agreeing ways of developing that competence if the pupil feels the need

Indications of lack of competence include:

• failing to examine the incident
• taking too long to address issues generated by an incident
• not allowing the pupil to explore their own understanding
• telling the pupil what the solution is and not checking their understanding
• failing to check the pupil’s ability to put in place the agreed strategy
  

Next: Teaching style