Training

There are many different types of courses that we offer. You can plan your training round your job and CALM DRIVING offer evening training as well as day training. Training sessions are usually 3 hours long (morning, afternoon or evening).

All training is carried out by David Musk who is highly trained and recognised by the 'Driving standards agency' as a O.R.D.I.T (official register of instructor training) registered instructor.

At the bottom of this page you can read the criteria needed to be O.R.D.I.T registered. Of course, you will shop around before making a decision as to which company to do your training, but please ensure that you go with a O.R.D.I.T registered company as the training will be of a much higher standard.

All the training material you will ever need........

Instruction Techniques and Practices
Driving Instructor's Handbook
The Highway Code
Driving 'The Essential Skills'
Driving Test Procedures
Official Guide to Learning to Drive
Know your Traffic Signs
ADI Part 1 Branded Mock Tests x 18

The training books listed above will be used throughout your career as a driving instructor. and will help you through all your exams and tests. We also provide cd roms to help with training.

All cd roms have 'mock test' sections so you can track your progress.

An essential training aid is the 'Colourfile system' this is a pictorial training aid that shows your pupils exactly what is required of them in a lesson. This also helps you to conduct the lesson in a methodical structured way.

All these items are provided by CALM DRIVING when you start your instructor training.

PART ONE TRAINING ......THE KNOWLEDGE.

Taking your theory test

The multiple choice part is delivered using a touch screen computer and the hazard perception part records your responses through the use of a computer mouse button.

If you pass one part and fail the other you'll fail the whole test, and you'll need to take both parts again.

The questions in each multiple choice test vary according to the category of vehicle you're hoping to obtain a license for, ie a motorcycle theory test will contain specific questions that don't appear in any other test.

For the hazard perception test there are no separate versions for different vehicles, each vehicle category takes the same test, however the pass mark is different for different categories of tests.

Part one - multiple choice

Before the test starts you'll be given instructions on how the test works.

You can also choose to go through a practice session of the multiple choice questions to get used to the layout of the test. At the end of the practice session the real test will begin.

A question and several answer options will appear onscreen and you have to select the correct answer to the question by touching the screen. Some questions may require more than one answer.

For cars you'll be asked 100 questions and the pass mark is 85 out of 100.

You can navigate between questions and 'flag' questions that you want to come back to later in the test. After the multiple choice part you can choose to have a break of up to three minutes before the hazard perception part starts.

Hazard perception test forms a second section of the theory test and must be passed at the same time.

Integrating theoretical hazard perception test training into the practical training sessions will ensure that as competence is achieved in each of the necessary skills, this will show you have the advanced perception skills needed to become a driving instructor.

This part of the theory test requires you to view 14 hazard video clips on the computer screen of approximately one minute each. You are required to watch these clips as if you were the driver. There will be 15 hazard to find - at least one on each clip. However, one clip will have 2 hazards. The hazard perception test clips will not contain any sound.

The clips feature various types of hazard, such as vehicles, pedestrians and road conditions. You should respond by pressing a mouse button as soon as you see a hazard developing that may result in the driver having to take some action, such as changing speed or direction. The earlier the developing hazard is spotted, and a response made, the higher the score.

Candidates can score up to five marks on each hazard and the test contains 15 scoreable hazards.

You click either the left or right mouse button whenever you think you can see a hazard developing. The speed at which you click the mouse button as a hazard develops will determine your score for that particular hazard perception clips. You can score between 0 and 5 on each hazard.

The pass mark for this part of the test is 57 out of 75 (i.e. 15 hazard x 5) .

Candidates are given their results when they have finished both parts of the test and have returned to the waiting room

Part two training (Driving Ability)

This part of your training will test your driving skills and coach you how to drive in the correct manner and prepare you for teaching pupils. It is no good to drive badly in your day to day life then expect to teach pupils the correct way .You must make safe sound effective driving a way of life so that you can teach your pupils the same way. That is what David will do on the PART TWO training sessions. Stage by stage David will coach you and give you the skills to be able to drive correctly for life.

Part 3 test (Ability to teach)

This test is to asses the key skills you will need to become a driving instructor.

Your ability to teach pupils is obviously of high priority and because of this PART 3 is a testing exam and requires skill and a lot of practice.

The Part 3 test lasts around 1 hour and is split into two sections-

Phase 1
Your SE (senior examiner) will play the role of a pupil who is a beginner or partly trained you must listen to the SE's word picture before he or she goes into role play.

Phase 2
Your SE will role play a pupil at the trained stage, you must listen to the SE's word picture before they go into role play.

All phase 1 pst's are designed to test your ability to teach a beginner or part trained learner.

All phase 2 pst's are designed to test your ability to assess and teach a trained learner.

When you start your training with CALM DRIVING the phases will be explained and taught to you so that you have a thorough understanding of all the phases below.

1

Phase 1 - Controls Lesson

Phase 2- Crossroads

Phase 1 - Moving off and stopping

Phase 2-Meet, Cross, Overtake, Clearance, Anticipation

Phase 1-Turn in the road

Phase 2-Approaching junctions to turn left or right

Phase 1-Reverse left or right

Phase 2-T-Junctions

Phase 1-Controlled stop and use of mirrors

Phase 2-Progress, Hesitancy, Normal positioning

Phase 1 -Pedestrian crossings and use of signals

Phase 2-Reverse park

Phase 1 -Approaching junctions (left or right)

Phase 2-Pedestrian crossings and the use of signals

Phase 1 -T-Junctions

Phase 2-Meet, Cross, Overtake, Clearance, Anticipation

Phase 1 -Crossroads

Phase 2-Pedestrian crossings and the use of signals

Phase 1 -Meet, Cross, Overtake, Clearance, Anticipation

Phase 2-Progress, Hesitancy, Normal positioning

The key teaching skill areas that you will be tested on are:

Core competencies
Fault identification
See a fault and alert the pupil
Fault analysis
Why did the fault happen? It may be obvious or you may need to find out from the pupil as to why they committed the fault
Remedial action
Rectify the fault with the correct level of instruction
Instructional techniques and instructor characteristics
Level of instruction
Using talk through, prompting or independent & Knowing when to switch instruction levels
Planning
Lesson structure & Allocation of time between theory & practice
Control of lesson

Be aware of what is happening inside & outside of the car. You need to be looking well ahead and at your pupil and be ready to intervene before a problem occurs.

Communication
Use language that is easy to understand & pitched at the pupil's level

Question and answer techniques
Use to establish that the pupil understands. Encourage the pupil to ask questions

Feedback and encouragement
Give praise when the pupil deserves it. Inform the pupil of their progress

Instructor's use of controls
Instructors should only use the driver or dual controls when necessary and inform the pupil as to why

Instructor characteristics

Attitude and approach
As an instructor you should be able to provide an relaxed and supportive learning environment showing an enthusiastic and friendly manner but without being over familiar. Also you should be self confident with the ability to transfer confidence to your pupil in a patient and tactful manner.

How You Are Graded.
When you take the part three test you will be graded. The grading system works on a scale from one to six

The grading is as follows:

Grade 6: Instruction to a very high standard with no significant weaknesses

Grade 5: A good overall standard of instruction with some minor weaknesses

Grade 4: A competent performance with some minor deficiencies

Grade 3: An inadequate performance

Grade 2: Poor overall performance

Grade 1: Overall standard of instruction extremely poor or dangerous

A grade four is the pass bench mark which is considered acceptable.

Three or below is considered as unsuccessful. On the part 3 you will be graded on each of the two phases so to pass you will need a minimum of a 4/4. If you were to receive a 6/3 for example, then that would be unsuccessful.