Definition
A structured teaching approach in which the instructor first explains and demonstrates a skill or procedure, and the student then performs the same skill under supervision until proficiency is achieved. It is built on the principle that people learn physical and procedural tasks best by watching a correct example and then practicing it themselves with feedback. The method is typically organized into five phases: explanation, demonstration, student performance, instructor supervision, and evaluation.
Plain English
The instructor shows you how to do something, explains it, and then has you do it yourself while they watch and correct you. You keep practicing until you can do it well on your own.
Context Anchor
Used in flight and ground training when teaching maneuvers, procedures, checklist use, radio calls, and other pilot skills.
Derivation
The name describes its two core parts: 'demonstration' (the instructor showing) and 'performance' (the student doing). It comes from the broader teaching tradition of 'show, then do,' formalized for skills training.
Why Pilots Care
Ensures students build correct habits through direct observation followed by guided practice, improving skill retention and safety.
Grounding Statement
The core pattern is: explain it, show it, have the student do it, then correct and confirm the result.
Intuition Check
“Performance” here does not mean aircraft performance, such as climb rate or takeoff distance. It means the student actually doing the task after the instructor demonstrates it.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor used the demonstration-performance training delivery method to teach steep turns, first flying one while explaining each step, then coaching the student through several attempts.
Example Sentence 2
Using the demonstration-performance training delivery method helped the student master the traffic pattern entry more quickly.