CWI Instructional Techniques & Skills Development 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When planning a lesson for a climber with a fear of heights, the instructor's first priority should be:
- Push the climber to the top of the wall on the first session to overcome fear quickly
- Build trust through low-height activities and gradual height exposure (Correct answer)
- Avoid climbing above 10 feet for the entire course
- Refer the climber to a therapist before instruction begins
Correct answer: Build trust through low-height activities and gradual height exposure
Systematic desensitization through graduated exposure at low heights builds confidence and trust before progressing upward.
Question 2: A climber is learning the hip turn technique on an overhang. The MOST appropriate analogy an instructor could use is:
- 'Think of pushing a lawn mower forward'
- 'Rotate your hip toward the wall like turning a door handle' (Correct answer)
- 'Imagine doing a jumping jack'
- 'Stand upright as if waiting in line'
Correct answer: 'Rotate your hip toward the wall like turning a door handle'
A door-handle rotation analogy captures the hip-to-wall movement accurately and is a commonly understood physical reference.
Question 3: Which of the following is a key principle of scaffolded instruction in climbing coaching?
- Provide maximum support at the start and gradually reduce it as competence grows (Correct answer)
- Give the same level of support throughout all sessions
- Allow students to struggle without any instructor input to build resilience
- Increase difficulty and support simultaneously
Correct answer: Provide maximum support at the start and gradually reduce it as competence grows
Scaffolding means providing structured support early, then fading it as the learner becomes more independent and capable.
Question 4: During a skills progression session, a student can perform a skill correctly in isolation but fails when climbing a full route. This indicates:
- The student is not ready to advance and should repeat basic drills indefinitely
- The student needs practice transferring skills to dynamic, variable environments (Correct answer)
- The instructor should select easier routes to rebuild confidence
- The student has a physical limitation preventing skill application
Correct answer: The student needs practice transferring skills to dynamic, variable environments
Transfer practice—applying isolated skills in context—is a critical phase between drill competence and real climbing performance.
Question 5: Which of the following best supports the development of route-reading skills in intermediate climbers?
- Have them always climb with a more experienced partner who calls out moves
- Ask them to plan and verbalize their planned sequence before leaving the ground (Correct answer)
- Focus solely on physical conditioning for six weeks before addressing route reading
- Blindfold them on easy routes to develop feel
Correct answer: Ask them to plan and verbalize their planned sequence before leaving the ground
Previewing and verbalizing a route sequence activates mental rehearsal and forces intentional visual processing before movement.
Question 6: A student repeatedly attempts a move and fails while showing frustration. The best instructor response is:
- Immediately top-rope them so they can feel success
- Acknowledge the frustration, then offer a modified challenge at the edge of their ability (Correct answer)
- Tell them to keep trying until they succeed to build mental toughness
- End the session early to prevent negative associations with climbing
Correct answer: Acknowledge the frustration, then offer a modified challenge at the edge of their ability
Acknowledging emotion before reframing the challenge maintains motivation while keeping the student in the optimal learning zone.
Question 7: When teaching lead climbing progression, the correct order of skill introduction is:
- Clip technique → fall practice → lead climbing on easy routes → longer routes (Correct answer)
- Lead climbing → fall practice → clip technique → easier routes
- Fall practice → lead climbing → clip technique → longer routes
- Clip technique → longer routes → fall practice → lead climbing
Correct answer: Clip technique → fall practice → lead climbing on easy routes → longer routes
Clipping must be mastered before falling practice begins, and both must be established before leading full routes, progressing from easy to longer terrain.
CWI Instructional Techniques & Skills Development 3
When planning a lesson for a climber with a fear of heights, the instructor's first priority should be: