JR
Sometimes its the seemingly simple ideas that can be prove to be worthwhile. Apart from keeping things convenient and allowing for time to concentrate on the more serious side of flying, you can maybe appreciate the slightly tongue in cheek scenario below:
AAIB report xyz - After dropping his sunglasses on the cockpit floor, the captain reached down to retrieve them when his left earlobe pressed the main hydraulics switch into the OFF position, that had been invertently left unguarded by the night shift maintenance crew. This caused numerous aural and visual alarms and as the captain raised his head quickly, he knocked a full beverage cup off the centre console with his nose. Fluid went down into the FMS CDU, short circuited the main power supply and caused a burning smell with some smoke.............
With regards abbreviations on aircraft, space and standardistation are the major limiting factors on EICAS etc. "LEFT" and "RIGHT" may be able to be written in full for certain captions, however not for other longer EICAS messages. With regards the "ABN" misinterpretation you quoted, "ABN" has been the standard abbreviation for well over 20 years for "abnormal", with "ABNRM" as an acceptable alternative. You will never get away from abbreviations and all I can suggest is greater familiaristaion with the systems/warning messages on the aircraft. Not much help on that one.
One of the major advantages in how the brain perceives the control-display connection with O-I compared to I-O ADIs is with an O-I (Russian) ADI, the movement of the control column to level the aircraft, is relative to the movement of the aircraft symbol being rotated. For example a left column movement in a right bank rotates the aircraft symbol left (CCW). In an I-O ADI (western), this same left column movement rotates the horizon in a right direction (CW). This is maybe highlighted by some of your students initially saying "oh, the controls work backwards", even though this may not be a prevalent in your full motion sim, it indicates a simple confusion in perception.
Thanks for the feedback.