Req 7a2 — American Teaching System
The American Teaching System (ATS) is the national framework used by ski instructors in the United States to teach skiing at every level. It was developed by the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) to give students a consistent, learner-centered experience at any U.S. ski school.
What the American Teaching System Is
Rather than teaching a fixed sequence of moves, the ATS starts with the learner — where they are right now — and builds skills in stages. Instructors guide students through progressions that develop three core skill areas simultaneously:
Edging — Tilting the ski on its edge to grip the snow and control direction. Beginners use flat skis; advanced skiers make precise edge adjustments on every turn.
Rotary (turning) — Steering and rotating the skis to control the direction of travel. This ranges from simple leg steering in a wedge to refined hip and leg rotation in parallel skiing.
Pressure control — Managing where and how much force is applied to the ski, which affects turn quality and the ability to handle varied terrain.
All three skills are present at every level — but their refinement defines the progression.
A Basic Skiing Progression
The ATS organizes skiing into skill levels that provide a roadmap from first day on snow through expert terrain:
Getting started (beginner) First-time skiers learn to walk on flat snow, glide, and stop. The herringbone and sidestep help with uphill movement. Falls are expected and part of learning.
Gliding wedge and wedge stop The student forms a wedge shape (tips together, tails apart) to glide and stop on gentle terrain. This is the first tool for controlling speed and direction.
Wedge turns Steering within the wedge to change direction left and right. The student begins to link turns rhythmically.
Wedge christies One ski begins to match the other near the end of the turn, moving from a full wedge toward parallel. Speed control improves.
Basic parallel turns Both skis are kept roughly parallel throughout the turn. The student can comfortably ski easy blue terrain.
Intermediate and advanced parallel Dynamic edge use, carving, moguls, varied snow, and steeper terrain. These levels develop all three core skills to a high degree.