Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) Qualification Part 3: Test of Instructional Ability Syllabus

Part 3: Test of Instructional Ability syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Part 3: Test of Instructional Ability in Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) Qualification, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   The National Standard and Competence Framework

   4 topics

   • The National Standard for driver and rider training
   • The 17 assessment competencies
     • Lesson planning competencies
     • Risk management competencies
     • Teaching and learning strategies competencies
   • Pass mark: 31 out of 51, with safety-critical thresholds
   • Grade A (43+) and Grade B (31-42) outcomes
2. 2

   Lesson Planning

   4 topics

   • Identifying the pupil's learning goals and needs
   • Agreeing lesson aims appropriate to experience and ability
   • Adapting the lesson plan to changing circumstances
   • Using appropriate routes and progression
3. 3

   Risk Management

   4 topics

   • Ensuring physical safety
     • Dual controls and timely intervention
     • Sharing responsibility for risk with the pupil
   • Maintaining awareness and concentration
   • Directions and instructions given clearly and in good time
   • Keeping the pupil and others safe at all times
4. 4

   Teaching and Learning Strategies

   5 topics

   • Client-centred learning approaches
     • Goal-setting and partnership with the pupil
     • Q&A and self-evaluation techniques
   • Matching teaching style to the pupil's learning style
   • Giving clear, technically accurate instruction
   • Encouraging the pupil to analyse and solve problems
   • Providing constructive, timely feedback
5. 5

   Test Delivery and Scenarios

   4 topics

   • Delivering a real lesson with a genuine pupil
   • Pupil types
     • Novice or partly-trained learner
     • Trained driver (full licence holder) seeking development
   • Examiner role: observing a normal lesson, not role-play
   • Three attempts rule and re-qualification consequences

Part 3: Test of Instructional Ability flashcards for Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) Qualification

18 of 50 cards from the Part 3: Test of Instructional Ability deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is the National Standard for driver and rider training, and why is it central to the ADI Part 3 test?

   It is the official benchmark that defines the knowledge, understanding and skills a person needs to be a safe and responsible driver trainer. The Part 3 test assesses how well a candidate's instruction reflects this standard during a real lesson.

2. On the ADI Part 3 test, how many assessment competencies is the candidate marked against?

   17 competencies, grouped under three categories: Lesson planning, Risk management, and Teaching and learning strategies.

3. What are the three high-level categories that group the 17 ADI Part 3 competencies?

   1) Lesson planning, 2) Risk management, and 3) Teaching and learning strategies.

4. How many of the 17 ADI Part 3 competencies fall under the 'Lesson planning' category, and what are they?

   Three: identifying the pupil's learning goals and needs; agreeing lesson aims appropriate to the pupil's experience and ability; and adapting the lesson plan when appropriate to changing circumstances.

5. How many of the 17 ADI Part 3 competencies fall under 'Risk management', and what do they cover?

   Five: ensuring the pupil fully understands their responsibility for risk; ensuring the pupil is fully aware of physical safety; directions and instructions given clearly and in good time; teaching style suited to the pupil; and keeping the pupil and others safe at all times.

6. How many of the 17 ADI Part 3 competencies fall under 'Teaching and learning strategies'?

   Nine, covering matters such as suitable teaching style, encouraging analysis and problem solving, giving clear technically accurate instruction, feedback and matching teaching to the learning style.

7. What is the pass mark for the ADI Part 3 test, expressed as a score?

   A candidate must score at least $31$ out of a maximum of $51$.

8. How is the maximum score of 51 on the ADI Part 3 test arrived at from the competencies?

   Each of the $17$ competencies is scored from $0$ to $3$, so the maximum is $17 \times 3 = 51$ marks.

9. What score range on the ADI Part 3 test results in a Grade A pass?

   A score of $43$ or above (out of $51$) is a Grade A.

10. What score range on the ADI Part 3 test results in a Grade B pass?

    A score from $31$ to $42$ inclusive is a Grade B.

11. Below what total score does a candidate fail the ADI Part 3 test?

    A total score of $30$ or below is a fail (i.e. anything under the pass mark of $31$).

12. What is the 'safety-critical' threshold rule on the ADI Part 3 test relating to the risk management competency?

    If the examiner records a score of $0$ in the 'risk management' area because the candidate's actions led to a potentially dangerous situation, the test is failed automatically regardless of the total score.

13. On the ADI Part 3 0-to-3 scoring scale, what does a score of 0 in a competency indicate?

    That few or none of the required elements of competence were demonstrated by the candidate.

14. On the ADI Part 3 0-to-3 scoring scale, what does a score of 3 in a competency indicate?

    That all or most of the required elements of competence were demonstrated to a high standard.

15. What does the 'identifying the pupil's learning goals and needs' competency require the instructor to do?

    To establish, through questioning and discussion, what the pupil wants and needs to learn, taking account of prior experience, so the lesson is built around the pupil rather than a fixed agenda.

16. What does 'agreeing lesson aims appropriate to the pupil's experience and ability' involve?

    Jointly setting realistic, achievable aims for the lesson that match the pupil's current skill level and experience, rather than the instructor unilaterally imposing aims that are too easy or too hard.

17. Why is 'adapting the lesson plan to changing circumstances' assessed on Part 3?

    Because real lessons are unpredictable; the instructor must flexibly change the plan when conditions, the pupil's performance or the traffic environment require it, rather than rigidly sticking to the original plan.

18. What is meant by using 'appropriate routes and progression' in an ADI lesson?

    Selecting roads and a sequence of tasks suited to the pupil's ability, building difficulty gradually so the pupil is appropriately challenged but not overwhelmed.

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