Definition
A principle of learning, formulated by educational psychologist Edward Thorndike, stating that people learn best when they are mentally, physically, and emotionally ready to learn, and that learning is hindered when they are not. Readiness includes having a clear purpose, sufficient background, and a willingness to engage with the material.
Plain English
Students learn well when they are prepared and want to learn. If they are tired, distracted, uninterested, or lacking the basics they need, learning slows down or fails to happen at all.
Context Anchor
Seen in flight instructor training when discussing student motivation, lesson timing, and how to keep training effective.
Derivation
Named after Edward L. Thorndike, an American psychologist in the early 1900s who studied how people and animals learn. 'Readiness' here keeps its everyday meaning -- being prepared and willing -- but Thorndike applied it specifically to the conditions needed for effective learning.
Why Pilots Care
Flight instructors assess a student's mental and physical state before introducing complex material, reducing frustration and the chance the student will lose confidence.
Grounding Statement
A student who is rested, briefed, and knows the purpose of the lesson is more ready to learn than one who arrives rushed, confused, and mentally elsewhere.
Intuition Check
Do not read "law" here as an FAA regulation. It means a reliable principle about how learning works. Do not read "readiness" as simple enthusiasm. It means the student is physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared to learn the next step.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor postponed the cross-country lesson after noticing the student hadn't slept well, applying Thorndike's Law of Readiness to avoid an ineffective flight.
Example Sentence 2
By confirming the student felt prepared, the CFI followed Thorndike's Law of Readiness and scheduled the lesson on emergency procedures.