Learning how to drive with a manual transmission is a valuable skill to have, even in a world filled with automatics. Manual transmissions are still popular in sports cars and off-road vehicles such as tractors or jeeps. Parents looking for a dependable first car for their children may find a bargain-priced Volkswagen Beetle or five-speed economy car from the 1980s or 1990s. Knowing how to drive with a manual transmission can also prove useful when driving other people's vehicles. It pays to learn all of the different driving systems in case of emergencies.

The first way to learn the details of a manual transmission is through an approved Driver Education course. Many high schools offer classes with both simulator and real road practice, although some do not emphasize manual transmission techniques. If the school's official Driver's Education class does not offer stick-shift training, it may fall on parents to demonstrate. Private driving schools may offer manual transmission training if the student specifically requests it. A standard shift vehicle may be available at the school or the student may have to obtain one.

Many drivers in training will practice their skills in an abandoned parking lot or other private property with minimal distractions. This is not always the optimal environment to learn manual transmission techniques, however. Standard shift cars need a significant amount of linear space in order to go through all of the gears. A parking lot is still a great place to practice parking, reversing and braking, but a student needs to experience the feel of a manual transmission as the motor reaches roadway speeds.

Unlike learning to drive an automatic drive, beginning students may need to sit in the passenger seat and observe an experienced driver at first. The instructor should demonstrate the proper way to depress the clutch, position the gear shift lever and coordinate the gas pedal. As each gear reaches maximum torque, the instructor should tell the student how to listen for a distinctive engine noise. This sound should indicate the need to shift to a higher gear or jump back to a lower one. Again, the balance between gear shift, clutch and accelerator should be demonstrated. At this point, braking and downshifting back to first gear should also be demonstrated.

Learning to drive a manual transmission is usually a matter of trial-and-error until the student learns the natural rhythm of a standard shift car. For this reason, it may be best to practice with an older but mechanically-sound vehicle, not an expensive sports car. Finding third gear while simultaneously releasing the clutch and depressing the accelerator is not easy for many drivers, so one should expect some grinding of the clutch and stutter stopping. Eventually most drivers do learn the intricacies of manual transmission, even if they prefer the relative ease of an automatic.