ADI Part 3 Lesson Plan and Briefing Folder Part 1

Stop Trying to Remember What to Teach. Start Understanding How to Teach It.

Preparing for the ADI Part 3 test can feel overwhelming.

You don't just need to know how to drive. You need to understand the subject well enough to teach it, recognise when something is going wrong, work out why it's happening and then adapt your lesson to help the pupil improve.

That's exactly why we've created the ADI Part 3 Lesson Plan Folder – Part 1.

160 pages - A4 - 130gsm paper

This isn't a collection of scripts for you to memorise and repeat on your Part 3. It's a practical training resource designed to help you build the subject knowledge and lesson structure you need to become a better driving instructor.

Because when the examiner sits in the back of your car, you don't know exactly what your pupil is going to do.

You need to be prepared for whatever happens.

Build the Knowledge Behind the Lesson

One of the biggest mistakes we see when people prepare for ADI Part 3 is concentrating almost entirely on the test itself.

They practice questions. They watch mock tests. They learn phrases. They prepare a lesson plan for roundabouts or junctions and hope everything goes according to plan.

But what happens when it doesn't?

What happens when your pupil struggles with something you weren't expecting?

That's when your knowledge and understanding of the subject become so important.

The ADI Part 3 Lesson Plan Folder gives you a structured resource covering the core subjects you'll teach as a driving instructor, helping you understand what needs to be taught, what you need to look for and how each subject can be broken down into manageable parts.

What's Included in Part 1?

Part 1 takes you from the fundamentals of vehicle control through to some of the subjects that regularly cause learners — and trainee instructors — the most difficulty.

It includes:

• Cockpit drill

• Mirrors

• Foot controls

• Clutch

• Hand controls

• Blind spots

• Moving off

• Stopping on the left

• Turning the car around in the road

• Left turns

• Right turns

• Emerging at T-junctions

• Open and closed junctions

• Y-junctions

• Roundabouts

• Judging a safe gap at roundabouts

• Mini-roundabouts

• Spiral roundabouts

• Crossroads

• Uncontrolled pedestrian crossings

• Controlled pedestrian crossings

Rather than treating subjects such as roundabouts or junctions as one enormous topic, the folder helps you break them down into the individual skills your pupil actually needs.

That distinction matters.

A pupil might understand how to approach a roundabout perfectly well but struggle to judge a safe gap. Another might judge gaps well but approach too quickly. Someone else might struggle with lane choice, observations or understanding the effect another vehicle has on the traffic they're watching.

They're all having problems with "roundabouts", but they don't necessarily need the same lesson.

A Lesson Plan Should Be a Framework, Not a Script

Your pupil hasn't read your lesson plan.

Traffic hasn't read it either.

So however carefully you've prepared your ADI Part 3 lesson, things can change once you start driving.

That's why we don't believe in teaching trainee instructors to memorise a script.

A good lesson plan gives you a framework. It helps you understand the subject, establish what the pupil already knows, identify what they need to improve and decide how you're going to help them.

Then you adapt.

That's what real driving instructors have always had to do, and it's exactly the skill you need to develop for ADI Part 3.

Know What You're Looking For

Seeing a fault is only the beginning.

Imagine your pupil approaches a T-junction too quickly.

You could simply say:

"You're approaching too quickly. Slow down earlier next time."

But have you actually solved anything?

Why were they too fast?

Did they identify the junction early enough? Did they understand whether it was open or closed? Did they know the appropriate speed? Did they understand how much braking was required? Were they distracted by another task? Was it a knowledge problem, an understanding problem, a skill problem or simply a lack of confidence?

Until you understand the cause, you're effectively guessing at the solution.

The stronger your subject knowledge becomes, the easier it is to analyse what you're seeing and provide the right support.

Particularly Important for Roundabouts

"Roundabouts" isn't really one lesson.

There are numerous individual skills involved.

Your pupil needs to recognise the roundabout early enough, understand the road signs and markings, choose an appropriate lane, adjust their speed, make effective observations and judge a safe gap.

Then there are mini-roundabouts, larger multi-lane roundabouts and spiral roundabouts to consider.

Even judging a safe gap deserves attention in its own right.

Instead of simply telling somebody to "go when it's safe", an instructor needs to help the pupil understand what they're looking at and how the movement and position of other vehicles can affect their decision.

That's the difference between telling somebody what to do and actually teaching them how to make the decision for themselves.

From Basic Controls to Real Traffic Situations

The folder begins with the foundations because they're important.

Cockpit drill, mirrors, foot controls, clutch control, hand controls and blind spots might seem basic once you've been driving for years, but they're completely new to a beginner.

As an instructor, you need to be able to take something you now do almost automatically and explain it clearly to somebody who may have never sat behind a steering wheel before.

From there, the folder progresses through moving off and stopping, junctions, roundabouts, crossroads and pedestrian crossings.

That gives you a resource you can continue using as your pupils progress.

Controlled and Uncontrolled Pedestrian Crossings

Pedestrian crossings are another area where good subject knowledge matters.

The folder covers both uncontrolled and controlled pedestrian crossings, helping you understand the differences and the responsibilities placed on the driver.

This means you're not simply teaching a pupil to recognise a crossing. You're helping them understand observations, approach speed, anticipation, vulnerable road users and how to respond safely to what is happening around them.

These are skills that matter long after the driving test has been passed.

Designed for ADI Part 3 — Useful Long After You've Passed

Although we've designed the folder with ADI Part 3 training firmly in mind, its usefulness doesn't suddenly end when you qualify.

Keep it in the car.

Use it when planning lessons.

Refer back to it when you've got a pupil struggling with a particular subject.

Use it to refresh your own knowledge before teaching something you haven't covered for a while.

Qualified instructors can also use it to review their lesson structure and prepare for their ADI Standards Check.

Good subject knowledge isn't something you need simply to pass Part 3. It's one of the foundations of being a professional driving instructor.

Don't Memorise Lessons. Understand Them.

There is a huge difference between knowing what somebody else said in an ADI Part 3 mock test and understanding why they said it.

That's why we'd always encourage trainees to build their knowledge rather than copy somebody else's performance.

If you understand the subject, you have options.

If your pupil needs more support, you can provide it. If they're doing well, you can reduce it. If the lesson needs to change direction, you can adapt it.

You're no longer desperately trying to remember what the next line of your script was supposed to be.

You're teaching the pupil sitting next to you.

Ideal for PDIs and Qualified ADIs

The ADI Part 3 Lesson Plan Folder – Part 1 is ideal if you're:

Preparing for your ADI Part 3 test, training without a trainee licence, working on a trainee licence, building your lesson-planning skills, looking to improve your subject knowledge, preparing for a Standards Check or simply looking for a professional reference resource to keep in the car.

Whether you're just beginning your instructor training or you've been teaching for years, having the information organised and available when you need it can make lesson preparation much easier.

Give Yourself Something You Can Actually Use

There are plenty of videos you can watch and plenty of information available online.

But sometimes you simply want to open a folder, turn to the subject you're teaching and have the information in front of you.

That's what we've created.

A practical lesson-planning resource covering the subjects driving instructors teach every day, designed around the knowledge you need to plan, teach, analyse and adapt.

Not something to memorise.

Not an ADI Part 3 script.

A resource to help you understand what you're teaching.

ADI Part 3 Lesson Plan Folder – Part 1

Build your knowledge. Improve your lesson planning. Become a more adaptable instructor.

Whether you're working towards your ADI Part 3 or looking to improve the lessons you already deliver, the ADI Part 3 Lesson Plan Folder – Part 1 gives you a comprehensive reference point for some of the most important subjects you'll teach.

Order your ADI Part 3 Lesson Plan Folder – Part 1 today and start building the knowledge behind better driving lessons.