- Scale it, Make it SMOOTH!
Scaling is a very powerful method of eliciting feedback from your clients, enabling them to achieve their goals, and become self-aware, responsible, and solutions-focused, when delivered comprehensively.
Scaling can make the process of learning SMOOTH if you follow this feedback model:
Scale
On a scale of 0-10 where, 0 is terrible and 10 is excellent, where are you currently?
This gives the learner the opportunity to reflect on their current reality. You should not pass judgement on their mark, either low or high nor should you express your score when scaling. Scores can be influenced by mood, beliefs, experience etc. In other words, the same performance might return a higher or lower score on a different day, when the mood is different or with increased experience, as expectations may have altered. The important aspect is to next gather evidence.
Measure
What is good about it, that makes you give it this mark.
This step is about gathering evidence as to your pupil’s current reality, and what strengths they currently have. What position are they moving forwards from? Be prepared for your pupils to tell you their weaknesses at this point! But those will be addressed in the opportunities to develop, so keep them on track….”No | said what is good!’
It is extremely important within reflection for your pupils to develop the ability to examine and explore their strengths, in order for them to be able to rely on their strengths as a driver in complex situations. This is their current reality and helps to raise their self-awareness.
Opportunities
What opportunities are there for you to develop this?
This step looks at taking the learner forwards. Examine and explore as many aspects as possible, and make suggestions where necessary if you believe there’s something that might benefit the learning, or if something might be more realistic as a bigger goal to be achieved over several lessons through making smaller achievable goals that eventually lead to the learning outcome being achieved. In performing this step we are encouraging our pupils to develop key self-evaluation techniques, that will keep them safe beyond the driving test, as they begin to consider how they can find the solution to their needs.
Options
What option will you choose first, what next, and what will work best for you to achieve the overall goal?
This step sets out the learning goals and objectives for the lesson, crossing over into lesson planning. By enabling our pupils to explore their options and to make agreements about what both parties feel is the best and most realistic step to take first, we encourage them to take responsibility for their development and safety, we also develop their ability to find solutions and plan strategies.
Time
How long do you need to practise? Where do you want to get to by the end of this lesson?
Putting a timescale on the practise gives focus and purpose, it also allows time for reflection to plan new strategies and adapt the lesson that was necessary to help the learner reach their goal. As previously stated, it may be that the bigger goal will be achieved throughout numerous lessons by way of achieving a series of smaller goals. Laying out a realistic timescale for bigger and smaller goals keeps the learner motivated and encouraged as they see their development and get closer to their ultimate objective.
Help
Will you need any help from me?
Linked also to risk management, this step enables the instructor to divide up the responsibilities for the task, so that the learner can realistically achieve their goal. Braking learning down into manageable chunks is far more effective and efficient than overloading the learner with the entire task, although it is also worth stating that at points during the learning process, the pupil will be capable of taking responsibility for the entire task and your role in their development might simply be to observe and step in to keep the car safe, if necessary.
Hence asking “Will you need any help from me?” As opposed to “What help will you need from me?”
As always Client Centred Learning does not mean Client Led and if you feel the client may need a little more support, considering their current reality, it is essential that you provide your input constructively.
The DVSA ADI 1 outlines its competencies as follows:
Indication that all the elements of competence are in place could include:
- providing feedback in response to questions from the pupil
- seeking appropriate opportunities to provide feedback that reinforces understanding or confirms the achievement of learning objectives
- providing feedback about failure to achieve learning objectives that help the pupil achieve an understanding of what they need to do to improve
- providing feedback that the pupil can understand
- providing consistent feedback that is reinforced by body language
Indications of lack of competence include:
- providing feedback a long time after an incident so that the pupil cannot link the feedback to what happened
- providing feedback that overlooks a safety-critical incident
- continuously providing feedback when this may be distracting the pupil
- failing to check the pupil’s understanding of feedback
- providing feedback that is irrelevant to the pupil’s learning objectives, for example, commenting on their personal appearance
- refusing to hear reasonable feedback about the ADI’s own performance