Definition
An evaluation conducted by an instructor at the start of training, or before a new block of instruction, to determine a student's existing knowledge, skills, attitudes, experience, and learning needs so that instruction can be tailored accordingly.
Plain English
A check the instructor does before teaching, to find out what the student already knows and what they still need to learn.
Context Anchor
Used in aviation instruction when an instructor is planning a first lesson, a new training block, or a lesson for a student whose background is not yet known.
Derivation
From the prefix 'pre-' (before) and 'assessment' (an evaluation or judgment of something). Literally, an assessment done beforehand — before instruction begins.
Why Pilots Care
It allows training to start at the right level, avoiding wasted time on material the student already understands or confusion from material that is too advanced.
Intuition Check
A pre-assessment is not mainly a pass-or-fail test. It is a starting-point check used to shape the instruction that follows.
Example Sentence 1
During the first lesson, the CFI used a short pre-assessment to find out how much the student already understood about airspace.
Example Sentence 2
Results from the pre-assessment helped the instructor skip topics the student had already mastered.