Definition
A teaching principle in which the instructor begins with information the student already understands and uses it as a foundation to introduce new material. Each new concept is connected to something the learner has previously mastered, allowing learning to proceed in manageable steps rather than as isolated facts.
Plain English
Start teaching with what the student already knows, then build on it to introduce what they don't know yet.
Context Anchor
Seen in aviation lesson planning, ground instruction, and flight instruction when an instructor is deciding how to explain a new concept or skill.
Why Pilots Care
It helps instructors deliver training that builds understanding efficiently and reduces student confusion during lessons.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as “teach only easy things.” It means use familiar ideas as the starting point, then lead the student into unfamiliar material step by step.
Example Sentence 1
When introducing turning stalls, the instructor used the known to the unknown by first reviewing straight-ahead stalls the student had already practiced.
Example Sentence 2
By moving from the known to the unknown, the CFI ensured the student grasped aerodynamics without feeling overwhelmed.