2. Allow Your Pupil The Opportunity To Add Context To Their Learning On The Move
- Allow your pupil the opportunity to add context to their learning on the move.
Remember that we are teaching in a safety-critical environment and as such, to maintain a safe learning environment, we must not bombard our clients with questions while they are focussed on achieving the goal. Maximise the learning opportunities by minimising the use of Q&A. Keep any Q&A on the move purely to contextual learning opportunities around the developing needs of the client around the goal or to manage risk.
Whatever the goal of the session there will be plenty of opportunities along the route to link experience to the new learning objective.
You may agree that the pupil needs to develop their understanding of speed on approach to roundabouts, and therefore you could link experience along the route, maybe turning in major to minor, or approaching traffic lights and meeting situations.
If the route is suitable and safe you could ask them to reflect on the move :
“What was good about your speed as you approached the last junction?”
“Do you remember how far back you started your braking”
“What were you focussed on?”
“How did you feel as you approached…?”
“How will you apply this to the roundabouts we will approach?”
Be careful to ensure the questions are minimised to obtain the learning outcome and that the environment is suitable, if this is not the case then flag the learning opportunity “I want you to remember the approach to that last junction” and discuss it in a less safety-critical environment, either pulled up at the side of the road or through a less complex stretch of the journey.
If we maximise learning opportunities along the route, then learning may take place around the goal of the session before we have even reached our practice area, thus ensuring the pupil achieves optimal development in the lesson. It can give the learner those ‘light bulb moments where the brain suddenly recognises the links between two different experiences and applies one formed behaviour to another, yet undeveloped platform.