Observer on test – your feedback

In the April issue of Despatch, we reported on DSA’s efforts to encourage more instructors to sit in on tests with their candidates. With ADIs now present on around 20 per cent of tests, we asked you to send in your own views and experiences about being an observer on test.

The feedback has been extremely positive. And whilst there’s still a concern among a minority of instructors that being present on test puts additional pressure on their pupil, most said they found it very valuable to see the test firsthand.

Here’s a selection of your comments:

“I encourage all my pupils to take me with them on test. I stress the decision is theirs, accepting that some may feel overwhelmed by having an examiner and instructor in the car with them. But most of my pupils seem to feel having me there gives them some moral support.”
Robert Ridley

“Sitting in on test has really opened my eyes to how differently students perform. And it has, without a shadow of a doubt, helped me to develop my training skills and adapt the way I go about educating my students.”
Duncan Garwell

“I have always encouraged my students to ask for me to sit and observe their test. If the trainer observes the test they are in a much better position to identify the areas that the examiner has picked up on and can fully debrief the candidate when they are in a more appropriate frame of mind to understand and take in the feedback.”
Dave Taylor

“I certainly don’t mind sitting in on tests with my pupils, provided they are comfortable with me being in the car with them. However, I would also like to be able to ask the odd question to the examiner which is something we as instructors are not allowed to do.”
Derek Costello