FAA Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI)Human Behavior and Effective CommunicationMedium
A flight instructor introduces steep turns by first demonstrating and having the student attempt the entire maneuver from entry to rollout. The instructor then isolates practice on bank control alone, then altitude control alone, before finally having the student perform the complete maneuver again with all elements integrated. This teaching sequence best illustrates which instructional technique?
- AInsight learning
- BWhole-part-whole method
- CLaw of primacy
- DRote learning
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Whole-part-whole method
The whole-part-whole method presents the complete skill first so the student sees how the parts fit together, breaks the skill into components for focused practice, then reintegrates the parts into the whole performance. This sequence matches exactly what the instructor did with the steep turn.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Insight learning is a sudden realization connecting separate elements, not a planned teaching method.
- C. Law of primacy concerns the lasting impact of first impressions, not this practice structure.
- D. Rote learning refers to memorization without understanding, not a teaching sequence.
Whole-Part-Whole Method
An instructional technique in which the instructor first presents an entire skill or maneuver, breaks it into parts for focused practice, and then has the student reintegrate the parts into the whole performance.
- Helps the student see the big picture before drilling on details
- Useful for complex maneuvers with multiple integrated skills
- Ends with the whole maneuver to reinforce integration of parts
Memory trick: See the whole pie, taste each slice, then eat the whole pie again.