Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) Level 2 Practice Exam

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• Name two common beginner errors in initiation and how to fix them.
• Which term describes forward movement of the skis with speed influenced by snow conditions and wax-dependent base structure?
• Which term denotes outward movement away from the midline of the body, often observed in the foot?
• The process of evaluating student characteristics to determine how to structure individualized effective lessons.
• Which set of indicators best reflects improvement in edge control?
• What term describes information about performance that can come from external feedback or internal observations?
• In working with a perceiving personality, which approach is most appropriate?
• What is the method of moving up the hill with skis across the fall line, stepping up one ski at a time?
• What is the purpose of guided practice with feedback during a lesson?
• What is a common cause of inconsistent speed in turns, and how can it be addressed?
• Which describes a well-phrased lesson objective?
• Which term denotes the contact force generated as the skis press into the snow, often described as resistance to sliding?
• The apex of a turn is the top of a triangle or shaping phase; in skiing, apex is associated with the fall line.
• How should video analysis be used in a Level 2 assessment?
• What are two essential professional behaviors expected of Level 2 instructors?
• In skiing, which term specifies the direction toward the front part of the skis, ahead of the bindings?
• In Level 2 practice, what is an effective way to manage safety while maintaining progression on variable terrain?
• Which term means any movement that reduces or eliminates movement in a given direction, often by blocking with muscles or a ski pole?
• When hazards are identified on the hill, what should be done?
• Which combination best supports a balanced, controlled turn tempo?
• What are two observable indicators of a successful lesson closure?
• Which term covers movements that affect pressure on the skis, including leverage, flexion, extension, weight redistribution, edge angle changes, muscle tension, and turn shape?
• What is the term for the top of a hill or the peak of a turn in skiing?
• Which term describes moving the body's center of mass forward and across the skis, from inside of one turn to inside of the next?
• Which term refers to a linked series of short turns that cross the slope without crossing the fall line, initiated and finished without the shaping phase?
• If a skier increases edge angle during a turn, which result is most likely?
• What is terrain-based learning and why is it used?
• What term describes movements that increase or decrease edge angle?
• Which term refers to the three phases of a turn: Initiation Phase, Shaping Phase, and Finishing Phase?
• Which term means steering the skis toward a parallel position from either a convergent or divergent position?
• How should weather and snow condition awareness influence Level 2 instruction?
• Which term describes the force toward the center of rotation that keeps a turning skier moving along a curved path?
• In skiing technique, which term refers to using turn-generated forces to benefit the current or next turn?
• How should a Level 2 candidate respond to an unsafe situation on the hill?
• Which term describes twisting the upper body in one direction and the lower body in another direction at the same time?
• Which term refers to bending the ski enough that the camber is momentarily gone due to flexing during a turn?
• What term refers to performing a task or exercise as an example for students, highlighting movements?
• Which term refers to the ability to move quickly and easily?
• Which sequence best describes a 30-minute on-snow lesson with a clear objective?
• Which items should be covered in quick equipment checks at the start of a Level 2 session?
• Which stance has the inside, uphill half leading the outside, downhill half through the turn?
• Which term describes actively moving the skis through a turn using subtle muscular movements to respond to terrain and snow conditions?
• How can an instructor ensure a safe lesson on crowded slopes?
• Which term refers to an agent or action that produces a change in direction and/or speed of a body's motion?
• Tipping a ski from one edge to a new edge, either simultaneously or sequentially, is called what?
• Which term describes turns in which the skis carve cleanly with the tails following the tips?
• What is the role of the Evaluate/Feedback step in the PSIA teaching model?
• Which statement about alignment is accurate?
• What is the edge angle when a ski is placed flat on the snow?
• What is meant by progression in ski teaching?
• Which term describes the flow-like sequencing of turns that maintains movement through a course?
• What term describes the arch of a ski when laid flat on a surface?
• How should you accommodate a student with language or cognitive differences whose cues are not understood?
• A mental and/or physical preparation for an upcoming event. In skiing, anticipation is the act of preparing for the next turn.
• Which term denotes the line about which something rotates in biomechanics?
• Which approach is most appropriate for an introverted learner?
• What term describes transferring weight laterally or diagonally from one foot to the other?
• What is the purpose of documenting the plan and outcomes in Level 2 instruction?
• When teaching a thinking personality, which approach is best?
• Which term describes the continuous, directed, and uninterrupted guidance of the skier's center of mass through linked turns?
• What is a practical cue to safely increase edge angle during turns?
• Why is reflective journaling or debriefing after Level 2 practice valuable?
• Which movement is generally associated with stemming and stepping, including stem turns and sequential leg rotation?
• Which term denotes a turn in which the inside ski is lifted and crosses over the outside ski while the inside ski remains suspended through the arc?
• Which approach best supports differentiation for mixed-ability groups?
• Which term refers to the theoretical point where all mass is concentrated?
• How should an instructor begin an on-snow lesson to establish rapport and safety?
• Which term describes actions that adjust edge angle during turns?
• Which PSIA teaching model step involves showing the student how to perform the skill?
• Which stance places the skier with the hips and shoulders over the feet, with minimal lateral lean?
• What term describes a combination of sliding and slipping as the skis move forward through a turn when not carving?
• Which term describes the process of assessing a student's ability—the movement patterns and how skills blend—and identifying the cause-and-effect relationships?
• How can you adapt your instruction to different learning styles?
• What is the theoretical point at which all of a body's mass is considered to be concentrated?
• Which of the following is an observable, measurable objective example for a Level 2 lesson?
• What is an effective use of check-ins during a lesson with diverse learners?
• Which term describes the muscular actions used to maintain equilibrium or desired alignment on skis, and is a PSIA skills concept?
• What is the difference between carving and skidding?
• In skiing, balance in motion is described by which term?
• Which term describes any ski position where the tails are closer together than the tips?
• What should the Explain step include?
• What should the closing recap of a Level 2 lesson include?
• A line about which something rotates. The reference axes for human movement are vertical, sagittal, and frontal.
• What does the Analyze step in the PSIA teaching model involve?
• What term describes taking varying amounts of weight off the skis to manipulate and control pressure?
• For a sensing learner, what type of information should you provide?
• Which personality type benefits most from a timetable and advance warning of changes?
• Reducing muscular tension and twisting between the upper and lower body during the end of an old turn and beginning of a new turn.
• Why is it important to maintain a neutral upper body position during turns?
• What type of unweighting is caused by rebound skis lifting off the snow?
• Which term indicates movement that decreases the angle at a joint, such as bending the knee, hip, and ankle?
• Which term describes the effect of acceleration that makes skiers feel pulled away from the center of the turn toward the outside of the turn?
• What is the purpose of wearing a helmet during on-snow instruction?
• What is the term for moving the body's center of mass forward and across the skis, from the inside of one turn to the inside of the next?
• In the Skill/Drill/Hill Formula, what does Hill represent?
• Which term represents the concept of achieving maximum result with minimum effort?
• Lateral tipping and flexing certain parts of the body more than others to form angles between body segments.
• Which approach best supports an extroverted learner during feedback?
• What term describes the resistance to an object sliding across a surface?
• What is a scaffolding approach in skiing instruction?
• In the Skill/Drill/Hill Formula, which element corresponds to the situation you create to encourage learning?
• How should you handle a language barrier with a student?
• The capability to move quickly and easily.
• When reviewing video with a student, what should be the primary focus?
• What is a simple drill to improve balance on one ski?
• Which component in the Skill/Drill/Hill Formula represents the terrain for learning?
• Define edge angle and its role in carving.
• Which term refers to twisting the upper body in one direction while the lower body twists in the opposite direction at the same time?
• For a feeling personality, which approach is most effective?
• Which form of unweighting uses the terrain to help unweight the skis?
• How should you address a student who is anxious about speed?
• Which term describes evaluating student characteristics to plan individualized lessons?
• Which term describes forward sliding of the skis, either in a direct line down the hill or through a turn?
• What is the purpose of a closing review at the end of a lesson?
• Which term refers to a relationship in which the skier is in balance without excessive leaning laterally, forward, or aft, looking aligned over the feet?
• Which cues help a student maintain a neutral upper body during a turn?
• Which term describes knocking the ski off its edge as a result of the boot contacting the snow during the turn?
• What term describes movements that increase, limit, or decrease rotation of the skis?
• Why review safety rules before starting?
• Which term describes any movement that increases (opens) the angle at a joint, such as extending the knee, hip, and ankle?
• To counter excessive upper-body rotation during initiation, what should the instructor emphasize?
• In a herringbone stance, the skis are diverging. Which term describes this condition?
• Pushing the downhill ski tail away from the uphill ski, resulting in convergence, is known as what?
• Which term describes a deliberate edge engagement that prepares for the next turn?
• Which term describes stepping up the hill when the skis are across the fall line?
• What is the term for a task or exercise that highlights a particular movement or skill?
• Which term describes using terrain and snow conditions to aid turning, with direction change caused by snow pushing the bottom of skis?
• Which type of question is used to elicit information or confirm understanding and agreement?
• What sequence best describes using movement analysis to guide ski instruction?
• Which effect describes the sensation of being pulled outward in a turn due to forces building in the turn?
• Toward the tail of the skis; behind the bindings.
• Which of the following is an observable performance criterion for a clean parallel turn?
• What is terrain scouting and how does it influence lesson planning?
• What term describes the arch formed when a ski lies flat on a surface, with the middle higher than the tip and tail?
• What is the role of stance width in stability?
• Which approach best manages cognitive load during practice while maintaining learning?
• A purposeful edge engagement that provides a platform for the next turn is called what?
• Which term best describes a natural or acquired (learned) talent?
• In scaffolding, how is progression typically marked?
• The positioning of the body so that forces derived from the interaction of the skis on the snow pass through the body's center of mass to produce the intended movement.
• Which statement about alignment and edge control is most accurate?
• Which practice best supports identifying faults during movement analysis?
• What is the edge angle of a ski relative to the snow and hill when it is not tilted?
• Which turn is characterized by skis skidding on corresponding edges?
• Which approach best aligns with a judging personality in a training session?
• Which term describes movement of the feet and skis under the body's CM, with feet moving from the outside of the next turn, leaving CM inside each turn?
• Which term refers to the path a ball would take if it rolls down a slope, commonly described as the line of least resistance?
• When working with a sensing learner, which approach is most effective?
• Which type of questions provide insights to your students level of commitment, the value they place on learning the snowsport, and their emotional response to the lesson, your teaching style, and their progress?
• How should demonstrations be used to support understanding when cues are not fully understood by the student?
• Which term describes using terrain or snow conditions to aid in turning, with the direction change caused by snow pushing the bottom of the skis?
• Which term describes the application of force across a surface, with weight distributed through the feet as pressure when standing on a flat surface?
• What is a safe progression for balance training on one ski?
• Which term describes actively directing the path of the skis through a turn using subtle muscular cues to respond to terrain?
• Which term describes outward movement of a body part away from the midline, such as the foot rotating laterally?
• Which type of unweighting is produced by a rapid upward extension of the body at the end of the turn?
• How do you tailor a lesson plan for a student with limited mobility?
• Which term describes the set of questions used to gain insights into a learner's deeper preferences and progress?
• Which type of question is used to initiate a discussion or gain information about a customer's insights and opinions?
• Which term means toward the tips of the skis, in front of the bindings?
• Which term refers to bending the ski so that the camber is momentarily gone due to flexing during a turn?
• For an intuitive learner, which approach is most appropriate?
• What is the main goal of the PSIA Level 2 exam?
• When coaching a thinking personality, which approach should you use?
• Which term describes the joint action that increases the angle, such as when extending the knee?
• In what way should movement analysis influence cueing during teaching?
• What approach ensures Level 2 lesson transfer to real-world skiing?
• Which term refers to turns with more carving than skidding, where forces are used to benefit the turn?
• Why is it important to verbalize observations during instruction?
• When coaching an introverted learner, which approach is recommended?
• What is the purpose of a lesson closure being able to articulate cues and a plan for practice?
• What term describes the relationship where the lower body turns opposite the upper body?
• How should you balance technical accuracy with student confidence during drills?
• What is the role of reflective practice in Level 2 preparation?
• Which term describes the movement of the feet and skis under the body's CM, with the feet moving from the outside of the next turn, leaving the CM inside each turn?
• What demonstrates readiness for progression to more advanced turns?
• Which action represents a risk-management practice on the hill?
• What term is used for situations and tasks designed to break down and isolate movements for development, often combined into a progression?
• Which term describes whole-body tipping with the line of action perpendicular to the base of support?
• What is the difference between an observation cue and a biomechanical cue?
• Which statement best describes how to demonstrate transfer of learning?
• Which term is the concept that links initiation, shaping, and finishing phases as the three-part structure of a turn?
• Which term describes turns where the skis travel on an edge with minimal lateral slipping or skidding, leaving a clean track?
• What term describes a method of moving down the hill with skis perpendicular to the fall line?
• How can a Level 2 instructor ensure compliance with PSIA professional standards during a lesson?
• Which term describes the act of preparing for the next turn with the upper body as an anchor?
• Which of the following is an example of risk management on the hill?
• In skiing, what is the term for the ability to maintain equilibrium on skis?
• What term describes the use of muscular force to project off one or both feet to create rotary movement?
• Which of the following is NOT a step in the PSIA teaching model?
• What is the purpose of a pre-lesson safety briefing?
• How should feedback be structured to maximize learning?