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Remember the “Key?”

Language Testing as a Career Development Tool: Lessons Learned from the Language Proficiency Examination for German Military Air Traffic Controllers in Accordance with ICAO Proficiency Levels Dr. Dugald Sturges, Federal Office of Languages Hürth, Germany

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Remember the “Key?”

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  1. Language Testing as a Career Development Tool: Lessons Learned from the Language Proficiency Examination for German Military Air Traffic Controllers in Accordance with ICAO Proficiency Levels Dr. Dugald Sturges, Federal Office of Languages Hürth, Germany Dr. Christopher Hüllen, Federal Ministry of Defence Bonn, Germany BILC Conference, Prague, May 2012

  2. Remember the “Key?”

  3. 2011: The Key to ICAO: First Experiences with a New Language Proficiency Examination for Military Air Traffic Controllers and its Implications Our questions then: • Can SLP testing replace ICAO Certification for Military Aviators? • Is testing military Air Traffic controllers according to ICAO proficiency levels legally necessary? • Does testing military Air Traffic controllers according to ICAO proficiency levels make sense as a means of maintaining and improving quality?

  4. 2011: The Key to ICAO: First Experiences with a New Language Proficiency Examination for Military Air Traffic Controllers and its Implications Our answers then: • Despite considerable agreement between the • results of the two types of examination, SLP testing • alone cannot entirely replace ICAO Certification. • Testing military Air Traffic controllers according to ICAO (civil) proficiency levels is not legally necessary. • Testing military Air Traffic controllers according toICAO proficiency levels does make a great deal of sense as a means of maintaining and improving quality.

  5. How to build an ICAO test DRAKEN

  6. Update: BSprA “ICAO Test” 2010 – Commissioned by the Air Force Office of Flight Safety (AFSBw),the Federal Office of Languages at the Air Force Officer School, Fürstenfeldbrück,developed testing material in Listening Comprehension and Oral Proficiency in accordance with ICAO Level 4. Late 2010: Approbation of Level 4 testing material in Hürth and Fürstenfeldbrück. December 2010: Train the Trainer at the Air Force Officer School, Fürstenfeldbrück. January 2011: Testing commenced.

  7. Update: BSprA “ICAO Test” • Test Delivery: • Teams of examiners at Fürstenfeldbrück, Hürth, and • Bückeburg. • Examinations delivered regionally • At BSprA schools (Fürstenfeldbrück/ South, Hürth/West, • Bückeburg/ North & East) • Where number of examinees warrant - on location • Test Population: • Approximately 300 Military Air Traffic Controllers • Testing Progress so far (May, 2012): • Since January 2011 210 ATCs have been tested

  8. Current Procedure Excerpts from: BesAnMilFS 5-100, English Language Competence: The goal of certifying “ English Language Competence“ in accordance with ICAO Level 4 is to enable the AT officer to effectively and efficiently communicate both in specialist (e.g. radio terminology) and in general language use. The language testing will be conducted by the Federal Office of Languages (BSprA). The language examination consists of a listening comprehension test in multiple choice format and a test of oral expression in the form of an interview. Both parts must be passed. (…)

  9. Upon passing the language examination the AT Officer receives a language certificate valid for 3 years.

  10. In case of failure of either or both parts of the language examination, all ratings are to be suspended and the examination is to be repeated after 3 months at the latest. During this period the AT officer is to refresh his or her language skills in self study. (…) • “In the case of a repeat failure it is necessary to obtain a new valid 3332 SLP” before the suspension of the rating can be lifted.

  11. 180 ATCs passed Level 4 on first try The results so far: • 13 passed Level 5 on first try • 3 passed Level 6 on first try • 6 failed Level 4 listening and oral on first try • 7 failed Level 4 just listening on first try • 1 failed Level 4 just oral on first try • 6 passed Level 4 on second try • 1 failed Level 4 repeat test (listening) • 7 remain to be retested Total: 202 Certified

  12. In 2011 ICAO Language Proficiency Level exams were only conducted at Level 4. • SinceJanuary 2012, ICAO Language Proficiency • Levels 5 and 6 exams have been conducted at Fürstenfeldbrückonly. • SLP testing i.a.w. STANAG 6001 and ICAO Language Proficiency Level testing do not replace one another, but rather are coordinated.

  13. As observed in 2011,examinees with a “good” STANAG Level 2 GENERAL language competency pass according to the ICAO Level 4 descriptors However, knowledge of specialist aviation terminology and usage is also essential to successfully deal with the oral proficiency exam i.a.w. ICAO Proficiency Level 4. ICAO Level 4 = “SLP Level 2+” PLUS specialist knowledge Consequence: for newly trained flight personnel, a combination of a Level 3 SLPPLUS specialist courses in Aviation English and the “US Qualification Course” are mandatory.

  14. Procedure approved as of 01/01/2012 • Now contain listening comprehension and oral proficiency items which explicitly cover the testing format, skills and topic areas required i.a.w. ICAO Language Proficiency Levels. • Students who successfully complete the LFE und USQC courses can now be certified as having ICAO Language Proficiency Levels 4, 5 and 6. • In this way, the specialist language skills required by the ICAO standard but not part of the profile according to STANAG 6001 can be assessed and certified. New conception of the final exams of the Aviation English (LFE) and US Qualification Course (USQC) at FFB 14

  15. But what about the “older generation?”

  16. The ICAO Test as Quality Management Tool Only one student leaving the USQ course at FFB did not pass at least ICAO Level 4. All other failures wereOLDER (age 36+) ATCs WITHOUT recent SLPs or language training. Reason: Most of the time, ATCs can get by with a limited corpus of standardized terminology. Personnel with long years of service may settle into a routine “Tower speak“, which restricts the ability to communicate in unexpected situations. Consequence: for personnel already in service, RECURRENT certification of ATCs according to ICAO Level 4 has been implemented as a quality management tool (every 3 years).

  17. The ICAO Test as Quality Management Tool Most ATCs interviewed have had no formal language training since completing ATC training – in some cases over 20 years ago! They use English on a daily basis – but only routine, formulaic language (“Tower-Speak”): REAL language competence deteriorates with time. Perceived lack of leadership support in maintaining language skills. Most examinees stated that the ICAO certification requirement motivated them to refresh their English language skills – if only as a preparation for the exam. Many examinees expressed desire for more SLP based training as preparation for ICAO certification.

  18. The ICAO Test as Quality Management Tool Summary: Recurrent testing is useful both as a quality management tool and as motivation to stakeholders to support further language instruction of ATCs. Our ATCs are good – but could be better The certification requirement increases awareness of non-specialist professional language needs (SLP!) Testing i.a.w ICAO Proficiency Levels gives us data to evaluate and improve training In the interest of life-long learning, In the interest of career-long certification AND In the interest of improved air traffic safety.

  19. “Which way now???”

  20. The Way Ahead • Enable examiners outside of FFB to test ATCs at Levels 5 & 6. - Testing material has been developed which will be implemented after Level 5 & 6 Train the Trainer has been conducted. - Benefit: Enable lifelong certification of those ATCs with Level 6 proficiency, thus reducingrecurrent testing load. • Continuing two prong certification process: New personnel will be certified through completion of LFE and USQC final exams; existing personnel through recurrent testing throughout their careers. • Both examination variants are conducted under the full authority and supervision of the BSprA, ensuring compliance with ICAO AND STANAG 6001 standards.

  21. Over to you…

  22. 2011: The Key to ICAO: First Experiences with a New Language Proficiency Examination for Military Air Traffic Controllers and its Implications • Civil Aviation Authorities accept language tests developed and administered by the Bundes- sprachenamt. • There is no need for an “ICAO Test” as such. • Military pilots and air traffic controllers leaving the military do not have to take ICAO tests. • The German Air Force wants a combination of SLP and Aviation English tests. That’s what we said last year. Well, let me add a few things…

  23. The Key to ICAO: Lessons Learned • Civil Aviation Authorities accept language tests developed and administered by the Bundes- sprachenamt. – Not really… • There is no need for an “ICAO Test” as such.Well, yes and no… • Military pilots and air traffic controllers leaving the military do not have to take ICAO tests.True, but… • The German Air Force wants a combination of SLP and Aviation English tests. Not sure…

  24. The Key to ICAO: Lessons Learned T S T E S L P P

  25. The Key to ICAO: Lessons Learned T S T E S L P P

  26. The Key to ICAO: Lessons Learned • Standardized Language Profile • SLP • Specialized Language Profile • ESP does not work without SLP.

  27. And don’t forget www.guy-sports.com/months/jokes_aircraft.htm 27

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