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| You are here >> | SmartLearners | / | Supervising Learners | / | Talking sense |
Talking sense
The words that you use can make a big difference to the way your learner responds (or doesn't respond!).
Terms such as 'gently', 'slowly', 'carefully', etc., have different meanings to different people.
When giving instructions, you should always explain exactly what your idea of the meaning is. Doing this will prevent the potential problems that can be caused by misunderstanding.
An example might be saying "Drive at 20 miles per hour" - this would be much clearer than saying "Drive slowly".
Also, try to focus on the action required rather than on the desired result. If your learner panics when a fire engine comes through a red light, screaming, "Don't hit the fire engine" is unlikely to help ... "Press the footbrake" might be more useful!
Cool it!
It's probable that you are close (emotionally) to the person you are supervising (son, daughter, wife, husband, etc.) and so will want them to do well. This caring approach can often cause frustration when you see them struggling with something that you feel should be easy... Remembering some of the problems you had as a learner will help. Alternatively, swap places and go home ... |
Another very important point is that you must stay calm ... Angry words and fights can easily lead to accidents.  |
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