Preparing for a driving test in Basic English in USA
Design Proposal
Designers for Learning - Adult Learning Zone
Table of Contents
Project Requirements
Learner Audience / Primary Users
College & Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) Alignment
Prior Knowledge
Required Resources
Instructional Strategies and Activities
Presentation / Modeling / Demonstration
Part 3: Supplementary Resources & References
Part 1: Lesson Description
Lesson Title
Preparing for a driving test in Basic English in USA
Abstract
The lesson is geared towards adult immigrants with intermediate English language skills who plan to take a driving test in USA. The goal is to help them fill in basic information about themselves and demonstrate their understanding of basic instructions related to filling up the application form and/or questions needed to answer during the driving test. They will also learn about the steps involved in applying for a learner's permit.
Learner Audience / Primary Users
The primary audience is an adult immigrant with intermediate English language skills as a Second Language learners who plan to take a U.S. driving test.
Educational Use
- Curriculum / Instruction
- Assessment
Language
English
Material Type
- Instructional Material
- Lesson Plans
- Homework and Assignments
- Images and Illustrations
Learning Goals
The purpose of this lesson is for learners to be able to:
- Use the information given to fill in the Application for Driver’s license.
- Follow basic instructions/ answer basic questions during the process (e.g. give the right turn sign, turn the car lights on and off, make a right turn here, park the car in reverse, parallel park the car etc.)
- Demonstrate the steps that a person applying for a first time license needs to take to acquire their learner’s permit.
Keywords
- Designers for Learning
- Adult Education
- Driving
- Road Signs
- Filling application form
- DMV
- Drivers
Time Required for Lesson
60 minutes
Targeted Skills
Key skills covered in this lesson include:
- Demonstrate their understanding of instructions on the Driver’s License Application form
- Demonstrate their understanding of basic instructions during a driving test (e.g. making turns, parking, reading street signs, signals etc.)
- Apply their knowledge to real life situations during a driving test
- Practice these instructions through medium of role-play
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, the learner should be able to:
- Recognize and verbally describe the meaning of questions asked on the Application for Driver’s License form
- Demonstrate their understanding of at least 2-3 basic instructions/ answer basic questions during the process (e.g. give the right turn sign, turn the car lights on and off, make a right turn here, park the car in reverse, parallel park the car etc.)
College & Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) Alignment
- Level: Adult Education
- Grade Level: 11-12
- Subject: English Language Arts / Literacy
- Strand: Reading
- Sub-Strand: Reading Informational Text
- Standard Description: CCR Anchor 7: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
- RI 1.7: Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas (e.g. maps,charts, photographs, political cartons,etc.).
Prior Knowledge
Driving Related Verbs (Stop, Go, Turn, etc.)
Numbers, measures (Feet, inches, pounds etc.)
Directional Vocabulary (Ahead, Straight, Left, etc.)
Shapes (Triangle, Rectangle,etc.)
Negative Forms (No, not)
Personal information (name, age, height, address etc.)
Required Resources
DMV Drivers Manual for Appropriate U.S. State
DMV Application for Driver’s License for that particular state
Worksheet from “Particulars of an Application Form” handout and/or "Evaluation Preparation" handout
Lesson Author & License
- Lesson Author: Vandana Karve
- License: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license.
Part 2: Lesson
This lesson can be broken up into two parts in case the instructor wants to focus on a specific activity for the entire duration of the class. In that case, one lesson can be spent on:
- (2 minutes) watching the video on "How to Pass your Learner's Permit Test"
-( 10-15 minutes) sharing copies of the DMV manual with the students and looking through it briefly in order to help them prepare for the questions in the test.
- ( 10-15 minutes) Discussing experiences of any students who have already taken the test
-( 10-15 minutes) Looking at the Application Form to understand the questions and discuss any words that are not clear.
The next lesson can be spent working on the activities listed below.
Instructional Strategies and Activities
Warm-Up
Time: 2- 5 minutes
Discuss learner motivation for obtaining a driver’s license
If the class is a non-driving focused class, ask the class about who has a driver’s license. If the class is a driving focused class, you can ask about who already has a driver’s license, as some learners may be licensed in their own countries but not in the U.S. Either way, elicit discussion about the purpose of a driver’s license and what kind of knowledge is required to obtain one.
Introduction
Time: 5 to 8 minutes
Show a video
You can show a video to elicit discussion about the process to be followed to acquire a driver’s license. In case there are people who already have a license, you can discuss the type of questions that were asked in the online exam for acquiring a learner’s permit.
Examples:
- How to Pass your Learner's Permit Test ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6YwMMAZQi8)
- 2016 California DMV written test (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5Wuq3I2ulc )
- Free Drivers Education Video - How to prepare and pass the written test (Part 1 of 4) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNp4aTEUldo )
- Free Drivers Education Video - How to prepare and pass the written test (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o54r2AQ5IjA) (PArt 2 of4)
- Free Drivers Education Video - How to prepare and pass the written test (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Muoy1VPugE (Part 3 of 4)
- Free Drivers Education Video - How to prepare and pass the written test (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfmyEjt_lQ8 (Part 4 of 4)
Presentation / Modeling / Demonstration
Time: 5-15 minutes
Common questions asked in the application form at the DMV
Use the attached worksheet to enable the class fill in the relevant information for future reference. You can print the worksheet to enable them to fill in their particulars or use these guideline questions to write information on a whiteboard to discuss. Alternatively, you can encourage them to role-play and obtain this information or any pertinent details about each other.
A separate file is included with basic answers filled in to help students with basic English language skills understand how to fill forms.
Guided Practice
Time: 10 -15 minutes
Have learners answer a few questions that could be a part of the written test
Use the attached worksheet to make copies and distribute to the class or alternately ask the questions verbally and note the answers on the whiteboard.
The Answers are separately saved in order to avoid confusion on which files to print.
Answers:
Guided Practice
DDS Written Test
You can print this worksheet to enable students to practice for a written test.
Alternatively, you can encourage them to role-play and quiz each other on these questions. The correct answers are in bold.
- You may pass on the right of another vehicle when:
- Both answers
- When travelling on a multi-lane highway carrying two or more lanes of traffic in the same direction.
- The other vehicle is making or about to make a left turn, when a lane is provided to pass on the right.
2. You are driving behind a motorcycle and want to pass. You must:
· Stay in the right lane as much as possible, because the motorcycle is small and doesn't use all of the lane.
· Blow your horn to make the motorcycle move onto the shoulder so that you can pass.
· Have your vehicle entirely into the left lane before and during the pass.
3. If you are involved in an accident, one of the immediate requirements is to:
· Render aid to the injured.
· Notify your insurance agent.
· Notify the Secretary of State's Office.
4. Double solid white lines on the road separate two lanes of traffic
· merging left.
· moving in the same direction.
· moving in the opposite direction.
5. If a railroad grade crossing has no warning devices or only a crossbuck sign, you should
· slow down and then proceed with caution.
· increase your vehicle speed and cross the railroad grade crossing.
· stop within 100 feet of the railroad crossing.
6. What does this sign mean?
Slippery Road
· Only passenger vehicles are allowed
· A curved road ahead
· The road is slippery when wet
7. What does this road sign mean:
School zone
· Directional sign for children.
· School zone ahead.
· Playground area ahead.
8. The Department of Driver Services is required by law to suspend the driving privileges of an individual for a conviction of the following offense(s).
· Improper exhaust.
· Hit and run or leaving the scene of an accident.
· Super Speeder.
9. When a vehicle is approaching from the front or rear, and is displaying emergency lights and sounding a siren, you must:
· Slow down until the vehicle passes.
· Continue at the same rate of speed, but keep well to the right.
· Pull over to the right and stop.
10. You have allowed the wheels of your vehicle to run off the edge of the pavement. You should:
· Release the gas pedal and turn the front wheels slightly to the left to edge the car back on the pavement.
· Hold the steering wheel firmly; release the gas pedal; and gently apply the brakes. Return to the pavement when the vehicle has slowed enough to allow roll steer back onto the highway safely .
· Apply the brakes and turn the front wheels sharply to the left.
Evaluation
Time: 5 minutes
Provide the learners with the attached worksheet to evaluate their basic understanding of how to fill in an application form. A separate file with answers is attached for the student's reference.
Please note this is not the entire DDS application form. Only part of it is reproduced here for a quick practice.
In case you would like to fill in the actual application form, the link for the Georgia DDS Renewal form can be found at this link: http://www.dds.ga.gov/docs/forms/mailinrenewal.pdf
Application
Time: 10 - 15 minutes
Have learners form groups of two where they can role play the scenario at the DMV
Example:
One of them poses as the examiner at the DMV.
They will ask them questions related to their personal information.
Then they will give them instructions to follow. Distribute the attached worksheet with a common set of instructions that need to be enacted.
Turn right/left - the learner will demonstrate their right and left side
Reverse park - The learner will walk in reverse to demonstrate their understanding of the instruction
Indicate a change of lanes: The learner will signal with their right/left hand to demonstrate their understanding of the direction (left/right) and move to the corresponding direction
Show them pictures of various traffic signs and check whether they have understood the meaning of that sign.
You can use the handouts in the following lesson for that purpose.
Additional activity 1
Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour (outside of class)
Photo essay assignment
Have learners take pictures of the traffic signals and/or road signs presented in the class that they encounter to and/or from class, or that are in their neighborhood, and create a simple slide show to verbally narrate and present in the next class.
Additional activity 2
Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour (outside of class)
Role-play skit
Have learners prepare and present a skit on any experience they have faced while filling up an application form for any particular activity (e.g.- applying for a loan, applying for a job etc.)
Part 3: Supplementary Resources & References
References
Supplementary Resources
DMV.org - Find the driving manual for any U.S. state: http://www.dmv.org/driver-handbook.php
Manual of Traffic Signs - A comprehensive listing of the most commonly used traffic signs in the United States: http://www.trafficsign.us/
Free Road Sign Practice Test on DMV.org: http://www.dmv.org/road-sign-practice-test.php
Free Road Sign Quizzes: http://quizagogo.com/u-s-road-signs/
Georgia DDS Manual - 2016 with links for practice tests : http://driving-tests.org/georgia/ga-dds-drivers-handbook-manual/
References
Georgia Department of Driver Services 2011 Driver’s Manual : http://www.dds.ga.gov/docs/forms/FullDriversManual.pdf
Georgia DDS Renewal form can be found at this link: http://www.dds.ga.gov/docs/forms/mailinrenewal.pdf
Driver’s License Practice test for Georgia: http://www.dds.ga.gov/training/practicetest.aspx
Application for Driver's License, Permit or Identification Card - DDS-23S:
http://www.dds.ga.gov/docs/forms/DS-36.pdf
Attribution Statements
“Describing Traffic and Road Signs in Basic English” - Lina Christie created under License: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license
“How to pass your Learner's Permit Test “ - created by Howcast under standard YouTube license
“2016 California DMV written test” - created by Kalpsen under standard YouTube license
“Free Drivers Education Video - How to prepare and pass the written test (Part 1 of 4)” - created by Kevin Brake under Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)
“Free Drivers Education Video - How to prepare and pass the written test (Part 2 of4)”
created by Kevin Brake under standard YouTube license
“ Free Drivers Education Video - How to prepare and pass the written test (Part 3 of 4) “
created by Kevin Brake under standard YouTube license
“Free Drivers Education Video - How to prepare and pass the written test (Part 4 of 4) “
created by Kevin Brake under standard YouTube license
This course content is offered by Designers for Learning under a CC Attribution license.
Content in this course can be considered under this license unless otherwise noted. Page
(Design Guide effective September 12, 2016)