FAA Instrument Flight Instructor (FII)Instructional TechniquesMedium
A CFII has an instrument student fly the same VOR holding entry repeatedly across four separate lessons, believing that repeated correct practice strengthens the neural pathway for the skill. Which law of learning is the CFII applying?
- ALaw of Recency
- BLaw of Effect
- CLaw of Readiness
- DLaw of Exercise
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Law of Exercise
The Law of Exercise holds that repetition of a response strengthens the connection and makes the skill more reliable, which is exactly why the CFII has the student practice the holding entry across multiple lessons.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Recency concerns how recently something was learned, not repeated practice.
- B. Effect concerns reinforcement through satisfaction, not repetition itself.
- C. Readiness concerns the student's preparedness, not repetition.
Law of Exercise
Connections between stimulus and response are strengthened through repetition and practice, and weakened through disuse.
- Emphasizes 'practice makes perfect'
- Applies to both physical and mental skills
- Supports spaced repetition across multiple lessons
Memory trick: 'READY, EXERCISE, EFFECT, RECENCY, INTENSITY, PRIMACY' — REERIP builds learning.