ADI Part 3 - Beginner, Part Trained, Trained

Beginner, Part Trained and Trained

You will have no doubt seen these descriptions for the types of learners that the SE can portray in the role play environment of part 3.

They sometimes cause confusion, so I'll try to explain them here.

Think about a real learner on a driving lesson . . . imagine it's a turn in the road lesson. The learner has never done a turn in the road before, and they are nowhere near test standard. But does that mean that they are an 'empty box' with no skills at all?

No, it doesn't. To have reached the stage of being ale to do the turn in the road, the learner will have had a few, perhaps even quite a few, driving lessons. They will have approached junctions, emerged from junctions, probably negotiated several roundabouts, driven over pedestrian crossings and dealt with meeting and crossing situations.

In other words, they are not fully trained, but they are also not complete beginners . . . they can be described as part trained.

Now, imagine the same learner quite some time in the future. This time the learner has a test booked in a few days, and they merely want to brush up how they deal with approaching junctions. This time, your learner can be described as trained, as they are at or near to test standard.

Now, go back. Way, way back . . . back to the same beginners first ever lesson - the controls lesson. Now, they are neither trained nor even part trained. They are a complete beginner.

They are also still classed as a beginner (DSA speak) when they learn how to move off and stop, which is usually the second lesson they are given.

The following lessons of a course of driving with a real learner are usually approaching, followed by emerging. Now the learner is entering the territory of being part trained, as we discussed above.

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.

Be careful about trying to pigeon hole people into boxes marked beginner, part trained or trained. Use your flexibility to deal with all learners, no matter where the DSA would like to categorise them.

For a fuller description of the different ways of dealing with these different levels of skill, see the pages on level of instruction and lesson planning.

ADIT team