Aviation English Rater/Tester Training
This course is aimed at experienced non-native and native English language teaching professionals who are currently teaching Aviation English and who want to be able to rate pilots, air traffic controllers and other aviation professionals according to the ICAO Language Proficiency Scale (ICAO Doc.9835) and holistic descriptors.
Course Duration:
2 Weeks – (50 Hours of Instruction)
Course Content – Outline:
The course is primarily divided into two parts:
- Proficiency Rating & Assessment Practice -The first week focuses on understanding the measures of the ICAO proficiency Rating Scale and applying them to test samples of non-native speaker aviation professionals.
- Test Production & Delivery – The second week emphasizes on obtaining, customizing and constructing appropriate materials for use in an proficiency assessment test.
Weekly Break-down of Course Syllabus:
The two week course will be a practical classroom based course and contains a series of workshops focusing on:
- Understanding and applying the ICAO English language rating scale and holistic descriptors
- Developing skills in assessing spoken language
- Practical exercises in rating speech samples
- Describes test design, development and endorsement
Week 1 – Proficiency Rating and Assessment Practice
The following areas shall be covered:
- Compare and Contrast of different test types.
- Identifying the criteria for ICAO levels in: Listening (general comprehension, interpretation) Speaking (accuracy and communicative competence)
- Practical exercises in rating trainees’ performance at various levels of the ICAO Rating Scale, with emphasis on Levels 2 to 5
- Identifying areas for development in failed candidates’ performance, and guiding them towards improving their language proficiency.
Week 2 – Test Production and Delivery
The following areas shall be covered:
- Sourcing and selecting materials, creating appropriate tasks for tests,
- Production of materials to test their candidates’ knowledge of communication skills in plain English and aviation phraseology in standard and non-standard situations.
- Creating keys and marking guides for assessors
- Marking and weighting
- Test Ethics