Types & Levels of Prompting
Explore how prompting can move from direct support through guided questions to light and reflective prompts, helping the pupil take increasing responsibility for their own decisions.
What Did You Notice?
At the end of the previous lesson, you were asked to think about a prompt you regularly use and whether it could be made shorter, better timed or more pupil-centred.
What did you come up with?
Think about the exact words you normally use. Do they leave the pupil with a decision to make, or do they effectively make the decision for them?
Prompting Is Not One Fixed Level
Prompting sits between a full talk-through and independent driving, but there are different levels within prompting itself.
At one end, the pupil may still need quite direct support. As their understanding and confidence improve, the instructor can use guiding questions, lighter reminders and eventually reflective prompts.
Direct Prompting
When the Pupil Still Needs Clear Help
Direct prompting is useful when the pupil needs clear and immediate support but does not require a complete step-by-step talk-through.
The instructor remains fairly active, giving concise guidance at the moments where support is needed.
Examples
- “Check your mirrors.”
- “Ease off the gas.”
- “Look to the right earlier.”
- “Bring your speed down earlier for this junction.”
These are more direct than questions, but they can still leave other decisions with the pupil.
Guided Prompting
Help the Pupil Reach the Decision
Guided prompting gives the pupil more thinking responsibility. Instead of telling them exactly what to do, the instructor guides them towards recognising the situation and deciding what action is needed.
It is particularly useful when the pupil understands the skill but still needs help recognising the right moment to act.
Example Questions
- “What mirrors do you need here?”
- “How is your speed on approach?”
- “What are you looking for?”
- “Is your position helping you?”
- “What could you do now to give yourself more time?”
More Direct
The instructor has made the decision and told the pupil exactly what action to take.
Guided
The pupil now has to assess the situation and decide whether action is required.
Light Prompting
A Small Reminder
Light prompting is useful when the pupil is approaching independence and only needs a small reminder to trigger their own thinking.
The prompt may be a single word or very short phrase.
Examples
Other light prompts might include:
- “Think about your approach.”
- “Speed?”
- “Planning?”
Reflective Prompting
Encourage Self-Assessment
Reflective prompts encourage the pupil to assess their own driving rather than simply react to an instructor’s instruction.
This keeps the decision with the pupil and helps develop awareness, judgement and self-correction.
Reflective Questions
- “Are you happy with your pace?”
- “Does this speed give you enough time?”
- “Are you comfortable with this approach?”
- “What would help you create more time?”
Choosing the Right Level of Prompt
There is no single “best” type of prompt. The correct prompt depends on what the pupil needs at that particular moment.
-
Needs clear support?
Use a more direct prompt. -
Understands the skill but needs help recognising the situation?
Use guided prompting. -
Almost independent?
Use a short or light reminder. -
Capable of assessing their own performance?
Use a reflective question.
One Skill, Different Levels of Prompting
Imagine the lesson goal is improving the pupil’s speed on approach to junctions.
More Direct
“Bring your speed down earlier for this junction.”
Lighter
“Think about your approach.”
Reflective
“Are you happy with your pace here?”
Independent
No prompt unless support is needed for learning or safety.
What Would a Good Coach Do?
Your pupil understands junction routines and has been dealing with most junctions successfully. On the last two approaches, however, their speed has started to creep slightly higher than planned.
They have previously responded well to guided questions and appear close to managing the skill independently.