Lesson planning for your part 3 test to become a driving instructor

For your Part 3, it is important that whatever pre-set test you are asked to give a lesson on, you should have a plan of how your aims and objectives will be achieved. If you wait to see what happens and allow the examiner to dictate your lesson, you will have no control. Having a lesson plan helps you to develop a strategy that will teach your learner. It is useful to have more than one strategy, remember that people learn in many different ways.  


The lesson plan will start with the aims and objectives followed by a recap of any previous learning. Using questions, you can establish their prior knowledge and then communicate your briefing using resources to help put your message across. Remember the learner will not only need to know what to do but how to do it.  


“I would like you to drive on when ready”, will only lead to the SE ADI regaining control as you wait for something to happen. Be proactive. Let us say that the lesson is about crossroads. Stating, “I would like you to drive on and please tell me when you identify a crossroads” gives the driver something active to be doing as well as keeping the lesson focused on the subject that you are teaching. It will also enable you to find out if the driver can identify crossroads, are they looking for road signs and markings, do they know how to identify junctions? 


You should plan some questions that can be asked on the move at appropriate times, these help to stimulate and encourage drivers, and can also help to build confidence, especially if the driver gives the correct response. A possible question could be, “What are you looking for as we approach this crossroads?” 


At this stage of the lesson you must remember what the objectives are. If errors are occurring, have you thought about how you will rectify them? Are your resources still easily to hand? Do you have pen and paper available to draw a diagram if necessary? Can you rectify the error on the move or will you have to pull over somewhere safe and convenient to put your message across? 


Do not be scared to ask the Examiner to pull over. You may have structured your lesson so that in the early stages you would give a full talk through and then in the next stage you want your driver to react to your prompts through questions and finally you could let them practise independently so that they accept responsibility for the control of the car. To do this you will have to ask the driver to pull over so that you can inform them of the next stage of your lesson and reassure them that you will help whenever it is needed. 

Trying to prevent errors happening before they occur through remedial action requires you to be proactive and notice the hazard and watch the learner, if you are not successful pull over and discuss the situation. 

The final stage, if you get this far during the Part 3 test, is to assess their progress (recap). Ask them what they have learned, inform them and confirm their improvement, mention what could still be improved upon and then finally congratulate them on their progress and reiterate what they have done correctly.  

 'Have a lesson plan and stay firmly in control.'

If you want to know more about becoming an Approved Driving Instructor and being helped to set up your own business then talk to us at Tri-Coaching on 0800 058 8009. We can arrange everything for you and our training is measured against the DVSA National Standards. ​