Definition
A teaching method used in flight instruction in which the learner verbally directs the instructor through each step of a maneuver or procedure while the instructor performs the physical actions on the controls. It is used to confirm that the learner understands the sequence, reasoning, and required actions before being asked to perform the maneuver themselves.
Plain English
The student talks the instructor through how to do the maneuver, step by step, and the instructor flies it exactly as told. This shows whether the student really understands what to do before they try it on their own.
Context Anchor
Seen in flight instructor training and maneuver teaching, especially when an instructor is building a learner from watching a task to safely doing it.
Why Pilots Care
It exposes gaps in understanding before they become mistakes in the air. If a learner cannot accurately describe what to do, they are not yet ready to do it — and the instructor finds out safely on the ground or in stable flight rather than mid-maneuver.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as the learner taking control or becoming responsible for the flight. In this step, the learner gives the instructions; the instructor still performs the actions and maintains safety.
Example Sentence 1
Before letting her attempt the steep turn herself, the instructor used Learner Tells—Instructor Does to check that she had the entry steps in the right order.
Example Sentence 2
The CFI used the Learner Tells—Instructor Does method so the student could practice describing the checklist while seeing it executed correctly.