Aviation English Teachers
English Language tuition for Aviation Professionals and Students
Aviation English Teachers can provide high quality, tailor-made courses for students aiming for a future in aviation as well as aviation professionals who wish to improve their English language abilities.
Aviation English Teachers will help you to achieve your goals by developing your English language skills in an aviation context. Communication skills will be key.
For Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers the focus will be on the ICAO descriptors.
For all other students the focus will be on receptive and productive skills: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing.
Why is English used in Aviation?
Aviation English is a type of English for specific purposes, in this case English used by aviation professionals such as pilots and air traffic controllers.
The need for English to be standardised amongst the Aviation community lead to the proposal of an ICAO ( International Civil Aviation Organisation) Language Proficiency Rating Scale and tests have been developed to ensure that aviation professionals working internationally can achieve at least ICAO Level 4.
ICAO grades English Language performance on a scale of 1 to 6:
Level 1: Pre-elementary
Level 2: Elementary
Level 3: Pre-Operational
Level 4: Operational
Level 5: Extended
Level 6: Expert
Find out more about our courses for pilots and air traffic controllers.
What is ICAO?
The International Civil Aviation Organization was established in 1944 by the Chicago Convention and is a specialized agency of the United Nations. Its headquarters is located in Montreal, Canada.
There are 193 members of ICAO made up of nations from around the world. ICAO works with the Member States and industry groups to reach consensus on international civil aviation Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and policies in support of a safe, efficient, secure, economically sustainable and environmentally responsible civil aviation sector.
Find out more about ICAO.
What is the ICAO Level 4?
In order to be fully licensed internationally, all Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers must demonstrate a minimum English language proficiency at ICAO Level 4 (Operational).
Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers will be required to take a test to determine their English language proficiency according to the ICAO proficiency scale.
To achieve ICAO Level 4, candidates must demonstrate that they can:
-
communicate effectively in voice-only (telephone/radio) and in face-to-face situations;
-
communicate on common, work-related topics with accuracy and clarity;
-
use appropriate communicative strategies to exchange messages and to recognize and resolve misunderstandings (e.g. to check, confirm, or clarify information) in a general or work related context;
-
handle successfully the linguistic challenges presented by a complication or unexpected turn of events that occurs within the context of a routine work situation or communicative task with which they are otherwise familiar;
-
use a dialect or accent which can be understood by the aeronautical community.
Find out more about the ICAO rating scale.
What is the ICAO Test?
Appendix A (Annex 1) of ICAO Doc 9835, which sets out the language proficiency requirements, states that pilots, air traffic controllers and aeronautical station operators shall demonstrate the ability to speak and understand the language used for radiotelephony communications to the level specified in the Appendix. The six descriptors are:
-
Pronunciation
-
Structure
-
Vocabulary
-
Fluency
-
Comprehension
-
Interaction
It is important that any test you take is recognized by the Aviation Authority where you wish to operate.
Tests can vary in their format but the candidates are assessed against the ICAO Language Proficiency Rating Scale.
Tests will include listening and speaking exercises and you should be prepared to answer questions related to aviation topics. However, it is not a test of your aviation knowledge or Standard Operating procedures (SOP), but rather a test of your ability to use plain, everyday English.
Examples of ICAO English Tests:
TEAP - Anglo-Continental, U.K.