YOUR strategy for learning

Strategy to learning

It’s a regretful fact that the failure rate for learners and trainee driving instructors is really too high in the driving education industry.  That’s quite a bold statement and I’m sure would drive many people completely potty, as it is so sweeping in its nature that, it could be claimed to be meaningless.  Some might argue that by having such a failure rate you are ensuring standards are kept high.  Some might question what levels of failure becomes ‘too high’.

I’ll qualify it slightly.  Let’s look at the picture for learners first.

Nationally, on average, about 1 in every 2 learner tests result in a fail.  Now if you, like me, consider the standard of the learner test to be too low (as in not fit for purpose), then to have about 50% of tests resulting in a fail, one has to wonder what on earth is happening with the training that causes that figure to occur.  However, let me point out a few important facts:

                Learners can, and often do, set unrealistic timescales for going to test, and manage to ‘persuade’ their instructors to take them to test, against the instructors better judgement (the DSA and many other instructors may vehemently disapprove of that, but it is a fact)

                Learners can and do go to test having received no formal/professional training at all

                Learners who suffer with learning difficulties or excessive nerves can take several attempts to pass the test

                Learners (and their parents) can have extreme financial restrictions that limit the amount of professional training they can afford to receive

So the failure rate on learner tests should not be SOLELY laid at the driving instructors door.  But even taking into account the above, it is still far higher than it need be.  And with regret,  common ‘excuses’ given by driving instructors when a fail occurs include:

                “She just can’t handle the test day nerves, normally she drives wonderfully”

or            “Well, I did tell him not to go to test, but he wouldn’t listen”

or            “I have absolutely no idea why he did (cause for test fail), he’s NEVER done that before”

I’ve heard some instructors criticise the examiner, the test route, the traffic, the weather.  It’s pitiful really.  But it is my honestly held opinion that there needs to be some light shone on the actual strategy adopted to learn to drive.  Because, if the learner (and parents) have the attitude that it is the responsibility of the driving instructor to teach their child how to drive, as quickly as possible or, on a very tight budget, with no willingness to consider what else can be done to aid learning between lessons with the instructor, then that attitude can and very often does result in a test fail.

Where I believe driving instructors could actually HELP THEMSELVES, is by showing more desire to be accountable for their pass rates, refuse to take learners to test if they are not ready for example.  They could be very clear in their communications with learners and parents what the likely outcome of this kind of attitude to learning will be when it comes to test day.  Driving instructors, in an effort to stay in business (due to the sheer over supply of instructors) are bending over backwards to make promises just to get learners in the driving seat and some money in their pocket.  In the UK it’s a truly awful situation we find ourselves in.  I hear many talk of the simple law of ‘supply and demand’, many instructors who have been in the industry for decades, will say “it’s the way it has always been, and always will be”.

The final decision on the strategy to learn surely rests with the learner though does it not?  An instructor can advise but if the learner wants as least ‘pain’ as is possible to just scrape through the test, then even the most well-intentioned instructor is going to struggle in persuading them otherwise.  Considerations I’m thinking of include:

                How does the learner LIKE to learn, tell the instructor what your preferred learning styles are, so that they can adapt the training to make it meaningful and enjoyable

                How often do you want to train, and for how long – that suits your needs for effective learning

                What resources are available to you that you can utilise in between lessons with the driving instructor that will aid/reinforce/develop learning

                What is the most effective course of lessons (given the budget available) that is most likely to succeed in passing the test

                What is the overall goal; to pass the test, to be an efficient and safe driver for life, to be willing to discover and develop safe attitudes to driving as well as the necessary skills

                What is the scope of learning, to experience as many different driving conditions as is sensibly possible or to drive round test routes

                Who is responsible for the success of the goal, the learner or the instructor

                What is the best method of measuring what progress is being made, whose opinion matters more, the learner or the instructor 

               

It’s my opinion that the more a learner embraces the training, the more they will benefit.  This is a life skill that is being learnt, that is likely to be used every single day after passing the test... for life.  It’s not an academic qualification, whereby the content of the learning needs to be regurgitated just the once on exam day.  This is a skill, an attitude, a responsibility that is with you for as long as you want the freedom that the mobility provides you.  My advice is to consider your strategy for learning very carefully, then go find yourself an instructor who is best suited to that strategy.

The failure rate for trainee driving instructors is a completely different story, and worthy of a different blog.