I seem to remember, perhaps back in my days as a boy scout?? that a means of estimating angles was using finger widths. By holding ones arm outstretched the width of one finger represented one degree (or thereabouts) angular displacement between two points on the horizon (or above the horizon).
If one considers that most modern attitude indicators depict angular displacement in five-degree increments then one is able to interpret the logic in the method. After all in visual flight are we not teaching the student that the windshield replaces the AH (and being larger permits much more accurate adjustment of pitch).
On the subject of simulators I believe they teach early students to rely too much on instruments and therefore both lookout and accuracy suffer. Students who spend hours on ‘flight-sim’ games are the worst offenders. A clip-board over the basic panel is one approach I have used during circuit training to force offenders to look outside. There is a need for instructors to watch where students are looking to determine problems. This is an important tool (sorry Chuck) in the instructors bag to visualise the information that the student is using. If he is looking in the wrong place then fix it up and the problem will be solved!