“I have been reading various things on Facebook about reflective logs being needed for the ADI Standards Check, but I’m not really sure what they’re for and why the DVSA is forcing us to use them. From what I can make out, it’s something that the pupil fills in at the end of the lesson about what they have learned. Can you explain more about what a reflective log is and convince me why I have to use them?”
Thanks for your great question! Let’s first start by reassuring you that nobody is forcing you to use anything that you (or your pupils) don’t want to use. The DVSA’s Standards Check is intended to assess your ability to instruct and whether that instruction helps your pupil to learn in an effective way. A reflective log is simply one ‘tool’ you can use to encourage your pupil to reflect on their own learning and progress, and plan for their way forward.
So what exactly is a ‘reflective log’?
Essentially, a reflective log is a record of the pupil’s learning experiences, thoughts, feelings and reflections. It should be thought of as a critical assessment of how the pupil is progressing. In using the word ‘critical’, this should not be thought of as a negative assessment – quite the contrary. It should be seen as an honest and positively-framed appraisal of what things are going well, where improvements can be made and a plan for moving forward (the next steps).
Reflective logs (or journals) are nothing new – they have been used very successfully for many years in other educational establishments, including some primary and secondary schools. Therefore, it’s quite possible that your pupils will be very familiar with the process, even if it might feel alien to you.
Why is it a good idea for us to use them with our learners?
Some ADIs will advocate using a reflective log as an additional resource for their pupils to complete and keep. For others, the reflective log can be used in place of a lesson record. From starting out as an ADI in the late 1990’s, I have always kept lesson records in A4 landscape format. They looked like this (I could fit 13 lesson records to a double-sided A4 sheet):
This enabled me to keep a track of not just what we covered and when, but specifically how well my pupils carried out those tasks and where they needed to improve. Together, we would then plan what to cover next lesson (although admittedly I frequently ‘led’ the pupil with this decision).
I later replaced this ‘Lesson Record’ with a ‘Reflective Log’ (see below). It’s essentially the same format but now phrased with more client-oriented wordings, and with space for the pupil to add in what steps they can take to improve between this session and the next. This may be something as simple as reading a handout or a section of the Highway Code, watching a particular training video or observing another driver’s handling of a skill (such as dealing with roundabouts). Or they may record detail on what specifically they will focus on during private practise with a friend or relative. The new reflective log also enables the pupil (or me) to note down anything else of relevance, e.g. ‘advised to put test back a couple of weeks’ or ‘block booking payment due next week’.
From a learning perspective, keeping a reflective log will help your learner take more responsibility for the direction and content of lessons. It can also improve ‘flow’ throughout their course of lessons. As they become accustomed to using a log, you may find they progress quicker as they practise the skill of self-reflection. As a bonus, you get to better understand your learners’ thought processes – giving you a valuable insight into their view of the world.
When should it be filled in, and by whom?
Ideally it should be completed by the pupil at the end of a driving lesson. We say ‘ideally’ because sometimes the pupil won’t want to do it, and instead would rather the instructor took the notes. If an instructor is being truly client-centred, they will leave it up to the pupil to decide who writes it.
It is most beneficial for the pupil to write the log themselves so that they don’t censor their thoughts and feelings. However, as long as the record is a true and honest reflection of the pupil’s thoughts and feelings, it shouldn’t matter too much who does the writing. Personally, I have found that most clients prefer me to take the notes whilst they are reflecting on the progress and expressing their thoughts verbally. I then summarise what they’ve said and enter it onto the log. This also saves lots of time.
If I am doing the writing, I will still write the log in the first person, e.g, expressing the comments as “I”. I will also be careful not to alter the pupil’s terminology or wording. To make the biggest impact, it’s important that what is written on the log comes from them, with very little input from me, as their instructor.
It is best if the reflective log is completed in-car, as you can ensure that it is completely thoroughly. Expecting a learner driver to go into their home, school, college or work and complete it usually results in them conveniently ‘forgetting’!
Doesn’t it take too long to complete? Pupils want to be driving, not writing!
I think it’s fair to say that most conscientious ADIs have been completing some form of lesson record at the end of each lesson for some time anyway, whether that be giving a score for each particular skill on the training record, or writing some notes on progress during that particular lesson.
Yes it’s true that some ADIs choose to complete lesson records after the lesson is over and the pupil has gone, but for me personally, the end of session debrief is such an important and integral part of the lesson that ADIs shouldn’t feel obliged to exclude record completion from the lesson time.
Make it a normal part of your lesson and your pupils will accept it. In every educational setting, lessons have a start (recap), middle (learning) and an end (recap/debrief), so why should driving lessons be any different?
Completion of a reflective log will probably take no more than 5 minutes.
My pupil is always itching to get out of the car at the end of the lesson. How can I maintain their attention?
We’ve all been there – as soon as the pupil pulls up at their house, their hand is on the car door handle and they’re readying themselves to jump out! Their attention is on the missed text messages or phone calls on their mobile phone. They are mentally ‘elsewhere’ – certainly not in the right frame of mind to complete any paperwork.
Fortunately, there’s a really easy solution to this problem.
Pull up a couple of streets away from their drop-off point and complete the reflective log there. Their full attention is still likely to be on the lesson, as there’s still more driving to do! Therefore, you’re less likely to see them ‘switch off’. Once the log is complete, they can practise a bit of independent driving to their final destination.
Where can I get one of these reflective logs?
There are various options you could choose from.
Some instructors supply each of their pupils with a ‘Starter Pack’ when they start lessons (which might include a branded pen, terms and conditions, Highway Code, referral vouchers, etc). Adding an inexpensive blank notepad to this pack, labelled ‘Reflective Learning Record’ is one idea. Who keeps the learning record is entirely up to you, although in my experience 17 year olds can be quite forgetful. If you intend to leave the learning record with your pupil, you’ll need a plan in place for when they forget it, or it gets ‘eaten by the dog’.
The DVSA have conveniently supplied a sample reflective log in their ‘ADI1 Standard Operating Procedure’ (see page 77). You could print that off and maybe even develop your own, based around the headings used on the DVSA version.
You could click here to download our version. As I mentioned earlier, our reflective log is based on our previous ‘Student Lesson Record’ which has been publicly available for download on our www.activedrivingsolutions.com website for some time. It is double-sided and A4-sized to fit conveniently in a binder or plastic wallet, and you can record up to 6 driving lessons on each sheet. Simply print them out as you need them.
If you have access to an iPad, check out the ‘Robosoul Reflective Logs app’ designed by Neil Snow. It’s currently available for £2.49 on the iTunes App Store.
Using the app has the added benefit of you being able to directly email completed logs to your students from within the app, keeping them up to date and enabling them to build a personal record of their progress. It can definitely be useful for you both to have a copy of the log.
Will the examiner want to see my pupil’s reflective log on my Standards Check?
Not necessarily. This is what is written in the ADI1 Standard Operating Procedure (page 69):
If the ADI offers to supply training documents (such as the reflective log) you should discuss the content with them but if they do not bring such papers this will not invalidate the standards check.
If you and your pupils do use reflective logs successfully, we would definitely recommend taking your pupil’s log into the test centre to show the examiner before the lesson commences. If you’ve read our industry contributions in the past, you’ll know how much emphasis we place on making a great first impression – it can definitely make a big difference to the examiner’s initial perception of your skills before they even get into the car. If you want to do well on your Standards Check, your aim should be to set a fantastic impression from the outset.
Do you use reflective logs with your pupils? What format have you found works best? Do you complete it, or do you encourage your pupil to do so?
If you haven’t used reflective logs in the past, might you consider it? What other questions do you have that we haven’t answered?
Please share your thoughts, questions and reflections in the comments below. And remember, if you can think of someone that would benefit from this article on using reflective logs, please hit one of the buttons below and SHARE it!
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In the first part of this article, we explored how to effectively develop our learner drivers’ mirror use. If you missed it, we’d strongly advise you read that part first – 
It may be that they are arguing with a passenger, distracted by their children, bopping away to a really good tune, lighting a cigarette, picking their nose (ewww!), texting/chatting on the phone, putting on makeup (okay, some women are distracted sometimes, too!). I’m sure we’ve all seen what other drivers do while at the wheel.
Meanwhile, the learner and instructor had both failed to realise was that there was an enormous quarry lorry close up behind them. Needless to say, when the learner driver slammed on the brakes the lorry couldn’t stop in time. The lorry crashed heavily into the back of the instructor’s car pushing it through the zebra crossing. Fortunately the pedestrian hadn’t started crossing – imagine the outcome if they had 🙁
So what happened next? He continued to the roundabout, failed to stop and drove straight into the lamp post on the other side of the roundabout!
Sometimes, thought-provoking questions relating to the behaviours of drivers behind can highlight your learner drivers’ poor attitudes towards other road users. Your learner may scold the driver behind for using his mobile phone or for driving too closely, or for whatever other bad habit the driver behind is displaying. Instead of displaying similar levels of aggression by rebuking the other drive, think how you could use the other driver’s behaviours as a valuable learning opportunity.
Let’s look back at the example questions we provided in Part 1 of this article when encouraging your pupils to LOOK and SEE what’s there…
Other bottom-up approaches include encouraging the pupil to routinely apply the right signal when moving off for the first time (“just for practise”), rather than to 
Although this is an example of an instructional approach, a coaching conversation would work really well, too. Yes, top-down approaches will take a little longer in the short-term, but the long-term benefits definitely outweigh this.
“Hi Ged and Claire, I’m getting really frustrated with my pupils not checking their mirrors, they do it sometimes when I ask or tell them to, but then go right back to forgetting again when I stop helping them. What can I do?”
For the most part, the reason for this is that the learner has no idea what they are specifically looking for. They’ve simply been told or asked to check the mirrors (as in the examples above).
Appropriately phrased questions will help bring these higher priority things to the learner’s attention – things which they may not have even considered paying attention to, or were ‘blind’ to due to overwhelm.
Finally, it’s important to notice that the diagram at the start of this article is 
“Hi Ged & Claire. What do I do about a pupil that doesn’t seem to want to learn? He keeps paying me for lessons, but pulls up and demands to get out for a smoke when things aren’t going so well. I think he spends more time smoking than he does driving. I really feel like I’m wasting my time with him and I hate feeling like this. I love my job and I just want to teach! But how can I motivate him to want to learn?”
During his lessons, Marc seemed quite disinterested. He seemed to ‘plateau’ for a few lessons, and I was struggling to help him to improve. At the end of one particular driving lesson in which Marc hadn’t really shown much improvement, we pulled up outside his house. He wasn’t forthcoming with his feedback when I encouraged him to self-reflect on his progress. So I chose to ask him, “Why is it you want to learn to drive, Marc?” “I don’t”, came his reply. “So why are you having driving lessons?” I asked him. “Cos my dad wants me to”. Marc’s dad ran a successful Italian restaurant and a takeaway pizza parlour. It turned out that Marc’s dad had him lined up to do the pizza deliveries, hence was financing Marc’s driving lessons.
To be quite frank, I didn’t enjoy teaching Marc. He was the perfect definition of what I would term a ‘mood hoover’ or ‘energy vampire’ – over the course of a 1 hour driving lesson, he had this amazing ability to suck every piece of enthusiasm out of me and turn me from a happy, inspiring, smiley driving instructor to a sullen-faced, unmotivated instructor, who felt like packing it all in and getting a ‘proper’ job.
Back when Ged and I were training to become ADIs, the steps for overtaking in ‘The Driving Manual’ were stated as MPSLMSM. This remained the case in seven editions of the updated version of the book (retitled, ‘The Official DSA Guide to Driving: The Essential Skills’). But in the 6th impression (released in 2013), this guidance mysteriously (and without explanation) changed to simply MSPSL
The latest version (6th impression, 2013) of The Official DSA Guide to Driving: The Essential Skills recommends the MSPSL routine:
We believe that each method has its place. Most overtaking opportunities arise on multi-lane roads. Because there are extra lanes to use, it’s not necessary to have to cross onto the opposite side of the road. For these types of road, the MSPSL routine is perfectly adequate. However, on two lane two-way roads, the MPSLMSM becomes more relevant and effective. It is imperative that the driver plans more thoroughly with the possibility of meeting oncoming traffic, and that they overtake quickly so they can return to their own side of the road safely and in good time.
I always remember reading a local news story about a young driver who overtook another vehicle on one of the rural roads near to where we live. He had four of his friends in the car and he hit a single-decker bus coming the other way. The driver and two of his friends were killed instantly, another two were left in a critical condition. It was a shocking (yet all too common) story. I couldn’t help asking myself if we as driving instructors are doing all we can in order to reduce the chances of this happening to those we have taught to drive.
nowledge and understanding may not have been a factor in the crash. Perhaps the driver just made the DECISION to overtake, regardless of the risks. Maybe he was showing off to his mates, was distracted or thought he was invincible, a lot of young people have the ‘it will never happen to me’ attitude. Perhaps his brain development was a factor – the brain’s pre-frontal cortex, which governs emotion, risk-taking and decision-making, does not fully mature until the age of 25.
A newly-qualified instructor recently asked me what they need to do on test day, so I decided to put down some helpful test tips for driving instructors so others can benefit from them too. If you’ve been teaching a while and have any other tips to share, please add them in the comments box at the bottom of this post!
TOP TIP 3:
The big day!
TOP TIP 11: 
TOP TIP 13: 
TOP TIP 19:
The Bay Parking Manoeuvre (bay park exercise) can be one of the most frustrating to teach and to learn. Getting the car in between the two white lines first time isn’t always easy, especially from a 90 degree angle to the bay, and when there are no other parked cars in the adjacent bays to help guide you.
Driver ‘Coaching’ is seen as a dirty word by some driving instructors, not surprising with some of the industry media attention it’s attracted. But can all instructors embrace the benefits of coaching? Do you think you use coaching already? Read on and decide for yourself!
“Hey Ged.. I got a really difficult pupil later. Good control of the car but in a ‘boy racer’ way. Very impatient, slightly aggressive to other road users, especially cyclists. He does know all the dangers/hazards but has the ‘it’s their own fault’ attitude. Any advice for dealing with difficult learner drivers?”