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hi marchag!

below long and also some wandering brainstorming- bear with me

so glad that posters 'jus, Kathy, Kestrel and tr3slunas was able to give you a hand! I think it's really cool that you have the forethought and open-ness to come check out the forum here for insights:) Lucky students of yours!

I learned to drive in my 20's as requirement for case management <social services> job. Am in U.S. Was working with people with cognitive disabilities and dual diagnoses/group home clients and part of my job was to go and check out their residence and check for things like - smoke detector working, what are they eating, garbage taken out regularly, how are roommates getting along; also, driving to shopping and so on. I got the job on the condition that I learn to drive. I started the job with only a couple of clients in my immediate area <agency covered entire county, which is a multi-municipality region> and my husband and my dad, as well as another case-worker, assisted with transportation. Many of my clients could take the bus on known routes, independently so that also helped.

So I looked up driving companies and chose one based on what other people I spoke with may have heard of them and how it was to talk to them on phone. Initially had one driving instructor, that didn't work out so well, just some interpersonal stuff. Then had a different one and that was better.
Things that helped me were: lots of patience - just because I see a motion or a behavior doesn't mean I can replicate it. I have issues with spatial orientation and verbal instruction.

use of visuals anyway as opposed to tell me - ok, turn Left, then go down a block and try to turn Right, then go a mile....
I don't know what a mile is; I don't know from feet and if you have a string of directions I may get only part of it.
So, explain by use of landmark, draw a picture, use your hands - anything where I can get a picture in my head. I tend to think in pictures. If I can picture it, I have a much higher chance of getting it. If you tell me "the red book" I get a picture or signs for "red book".

marchag, I also really liked how you described explaining the "why" of it. I know that is especially important to many people - I find it useful too of course but there are certain people like my husband who seems to only be open or able to learn if you explain all the "whys" in vast and complex detail.

Repetition is indeed very helpful and maybe asking students why they might have done something a certain why, or if something was confusing , why was it confusing to them. You could ask them - say you have a skill you want to share with another person with LD - tell ME <you, the driving instructor> how YOU would teach that to this fictitious person.

Write down a list of sequences - depending on the level of LD, or if working with a person with a cognitive disability -

first we check this
then we check that
then we put our foot here
then we look back there
then we do....? what do you think we do? <Ask them>

make segments out of the behaviors - group of behaviors A, B and so on.
break it down, don't lump it up

all for now
:)