Bridging the gap between ICAO level 4 and 5 in Aviation English: expectations and results
Abstract
The Authors investigated the Aviation English proficiency levels of Vilnius Tech Aircraft Piloting and Air Traffic Control (ATC) students by considering general English examination scores, marks for Aviation English modules and proficiency levels of a specialised speaking task. The aim was to assess how well students acquire the skills and abilities not only to pass an Aviation English proficiency examination (level 4), but also to obtain a higher level 5 necessary for a longer endorsement of their language certificate. Finally, it was determined which areas of language are the easiest and most difficult to master with regards to either a level 4 or 5 according to the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) Rating scale. It was found that four out of five students have the background skills to reach at least an ICAO level 4 upon graduating, however only a fifth are able to achieve a higher level 5. The proportion of level 5 students does not match the proportion of students with good initial general English results, so there should be a greater focus on improving the language training programme by making it more challenging and broadening its scope in terms of vocabulary and grammar in particular.
Keyword : language proficiency, Aviation English, ICAO Rating scale, language proficiency assessment, English for Specific Purposes
How to Cite
Masiulionienė, G., & Tupčiauskaitė, G. (2023). Bridging the gap between ICAO level 4 and 5 in Aviation English: expectations and results . Aviation, 27(3), 197–211. https://doi.org/10.3846/aviation.2023.19763
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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Mazzolini, M. (2019). A perceived needs assessment in the Italian Aviation Context: Attitudes towards ICAO language proficiency requirements, testing and training with regard to job security of pilots and air traffic controllers [Unpublished Master’s thesis, Universita Ca’Foscari of Venice, Italy].
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Whyte, Sh. (2019). Revisiting communicative competence in the teaching and assessment of language for specific purposes. Language Education & Assessment, 2(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.29140/lea.v2n1.33
Yan, P. (2022). The mixed teaching mode of Civil Aviation English in the era of big data. In J. C. Hung, J. W. Chang, Y. Pei, & W. C. Wu (Eds), Innovative computing: Lecture notes in electrical engineering (vol. 791, pp. 1245–1252). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-4258-6_152
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Alderson, C. (2010). A survey of aviation English tests. Language Testing, 27(1), 51–72. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265532209347196
Almeida, P. V. A., & Gutierrez S. M. E. (2018). Enhancement of the English for Specific Purposes methodology applied at an Aviation Military School in Salinas [Unpublished Master’s thesis, Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil]. Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Breul, C. (2013). Language in Aviation: The relevance of linguistics and relevance theory. LSP Journal, 4(1), 71–86.
Bullock, N. (2015). Defining meaningful material for the teaching of English for aeronautical communications. In A. Borowska & A. Enright (Eds.), Changing perspectives on Aviation English training (pp. 35–46). Uniwersytet Warszawski.
Coertze, S., Conradie, S., Burger, C., & Huddlestone, K. (2013). Aviation English in South African airspace. Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus, 42, 41–62. https://doi.org/10.5842/42-0-167
Council of Europe. (2020). Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning, teaching, assessment – Companion volume. Council of Europe Publishing. www.coe.int/lang-cefr
Cushing, S. (1997). Fatal words: Communication clashes and aircraft crashes. University of Chicago Press.
Dinçer, N., & Dinçer, R. (2021). The effect of a serious game on aviation vocabulary acquisition. International Journal of Serious Games, 8(4), 49–63. https://doi.org/10.17083/ijsg.v8i4.464
Doty, S., Shila, J., & Ducar, C. (2021). Aviation English in a bilingual context. Collegiate Aviation Review International, 39(2), 318–328. https://doi.org/10.22488/okstate.22.100250
Douglas, D. (2014). Nobody seems to speak English here today: Enhancing assessment and training in Aviation English. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research 2(2), 1–12.
Dusenbury, M., & Bjerke, E. (2013). Predictive power of English testing: Training international flight students. Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research, 23(1), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.15394/jaaer.2013.1601
Er, M., & Kırkgöz, Y. (2018). Introducing innovation into an ESP Program: Aviation English for cadets. In Y. Kırkgöz & K. Dikilitaş (Eds.), English Language Education: Vol. 11. Key issues in English for specific purposes in higher education. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70214-8_11
Elder, C., McNamara, T., Kim, H., Pill, J., & Sato, T. (2017). Interrogating the construct of communicative competence in language assessment contexts: What the non-language specialist can tell us. Language & Communication, 57, 14–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2016.12.005
Emery, H. (2015). Aviation English for the next generation. In A. Borowska & A. Enright (Eds.), Changing perspectives on Aviation English training (pp. 8–34). Warsaw University.
Emery, H. (2017). Commercial aviation language testing: Barriers to success? A case study. In International Civil Aviation English Association Workshop (ICAEA), 4. https://commons.erau.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=icaea-workshop
Emery, H. (2020, 9 September). Should ICAO level 6 be removed. Latitude. https://www.latitude-aes.aero/blog/should-icao-level-6-be-removed
Emery, H. (2021a, 30 June). Teaching aviation English to student pilots – some challenges. Latitude. https://www.latitude-aes.aero/blog/teaching-aviation-english-to-student-pilots-some-challenges
Emery, H. (2021b, 24 June). Understanding idiomatic vocabulary for ICAO L5 or L6. Latitude. https://www.latitude-aes.aero/blog/understanding-idiomatic-vocabulary-for-icao-l5-or-l6
Emery, H. (2021c, 30 June). The value of aviation English rater training. Latitude. https://www.latitude-aes.aero/blog/the-value-of-aviation-english-rater-training-1
European Commission. (2011). Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 Flight Crew Licencing (FCL) and Medical (MED) Requirements. EC.
European Commission. (2015). Commission Regulation (EU) No 2015/340. EC.
Flight Safety Foundation. (2009). Pilot-controller communication. In Approach-and-accident Reduction Tool Kit Briefing note 2.3. https://skybrary.aero/sites/default/files/bookshelf/852.pdf
Friginal, E., Mathews, E., & Roberts, J. (2020). English in global aviation: Context, research, and pedagogy. Bloomsbury Academic. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350059344
Fowler, R., Matthews, E., Lynch, J., & Roberts, J. (2021). Aviation English assessment and training. Collegiate Aviation Review International, 39(2), 26–42. https://doi.org/10.22488/okstate.22.100231
Graddol, D. (2006). English next: Why global English may mean the end of ‘English as a Foreign Language’. British Council.
Hamzah, H. (2021). Clarity and pronunciation of ab-initio air traffic controller. Aviation, 25(4), 252–261. https://doi.org/10.3846/aviation.2021.15906
International Civil Aviation Organisation. (2007). Manual of Radiotelephony (Doc. 9432). Montreal, Canada.
International Civil Aviation Organisation. (2009). Guidelines for aviation English training programmes (ICAO Circular 323/AN185). https://www.icao.int/safety/lpr/Documents/323_en.pdf
International Civil Aviation Organisation. (2010). Manual on the implementation of ICAO language proficiency requirements (Doc. 9835/AN453). Montreal, Canada.
International Civil Aviation Organisation. (2016). Procedures for air navigation services: Air traffic management (Doc. 4444). Montreal, Canada.
Ishihara, N., & Prado, M. C. A. (2021). The negotiation of meaning in aviation English as a Lingua Franca: A corpus-informed discursive approach. Modern Language Journal, 105(3), 639–654. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12718
Kim, H. (2012). Exploring the construct of aviation communication: A critique of the ICAO language proficiency policy [Unpublished doctoral thesis, University of Melbourne], Melbourne, Australia.
Kirk, J. (2012). Limitations and dangers of the use of the English language in aviation communications. EMS Pilot Blog. https://emspilot.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/limitations-and-dangers-of-the-use-of-the-english-language-in-aviation-communications/
Kukovec, A. (2008). Teaching aviation English and radiotelephony communication in line with the newly established International Civil Aviation Organization language proficiency requirements for pilots. Inter Alia, 1, 127–137.
Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania. (2012). Amendment of Order No V-435 of the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania of 16 March 2011 “On the approval procedure for determining portability and correspondence between results of international foreign language proficiency examinations and State foreign language proficiency examinations”. Order No V-153 of the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania of 20 January 2012.
Mitsutomi, M., & O’Brien, K. (2003). The critical components of Aviation English. International Journal of Applied Aviation Studies, 3(2), 117–129.
Mazzolini, M. (2019). A perceived needs assessment in the Italian Aviation Context: Attitudes towards ICAO language proficiency requirements, testing and training with regard to job security of pilots and air traffic controllers [Unpublished Master’s thesis, Universita Ca’Foscari of Venice, Italy].
Mekkaoui, G., & Mouhadjer, N. (2019). Addressing air traffic controllers’ English language proficiency needs: Case of Zenata Airport. Global Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 9(3), 167–183. https://doi.org/10.18844/gjflt.v9i3.4245
Paul, S. (2021). Understanding aviation English: Challenges and opportunities in NLP applications for Indian Languages. In L. Li (Ed.), Air traffic management and control. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.99612
Prado, C. A., M., & Tosqui-Lucks, P. (2019). Designing the Radiotelephony Plain English Corpus (RTPEC): A specialized spoken English language corpus towards a description of aeronautical communications in non-routine situations. Research in Corpus Linguistics, 7, 113–128. https://doi.org/10.32714/ricl.07.06
Richards, J., & Rodgers, T. (2001). Approaches and methods in language teaching. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511667305.021
Shawcross, P. (2008). Social, safety and economic impacts of global language testing in aviation. In Proceedings of ALTE 3rd International Conference. Berlin, Germany.
Suryadi. (2020). The correlation between controllers’ aviation knowledge, listening comprehension, and IELP at JATSC. Journal of English Language Teaching and Cultural Studies, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.48181/jelts.v3i1.9102
Tiewtrakul, T., & Fletcher, S. (2010). The challenge of regional accents for aviation English language proficiency standards: A study of difficulties in understanding in air traffic control-pilot communications. Ergonomics, 53(2), 229–239. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140130903470033
Tosqui-Lucks, P., & Santana, J. (Eds.) (2022). Aviation English: A global perspective: Analysis, teaching, assessment. Bookerfield.
Tranter, G. (2017). The influence of ICAO Level 6 on stakeholders’ perceptions of and attitudes to quality of communications. In International Civil Aviation English Association Workshop, 4. https://commons.erau.edu/icaea-workshop/2017/tuesday/4
Wang, A. (2007). Teaching Aviation English in the Chinese context: Developing ESP theory in a non-English speaking country. English for Specific Purposes, 26(1), 121–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2005.09.003
Whyte, Sh. (2019). Revisiting communicative competence in the teaching and assessment of language for specific purposes. Language Education & Assessment, 2(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.29140/lea.v2n1.33
Yan, P. (2022). The mixed teaching mode of Civil Aviation English in the era of big data. In J. C. Hung, J. W. Chang, Y. Pei, & W. C. Wu (Eds), Innovative computing: Lecture notes in electrical engineering (vol. 791, pp. 1245–1252). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-4258-6_152
Zhao, K., Guo, X., & Gao, X. (2017). Learning English to fly: A study of Chinese cargo airline pilots’ learning engagement. English Today, 33(4), 5–11. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266078417000219