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Training for Proficiency or Training for success in a test? Philip Shawcross ICAEA

Training for Proficiency or Training for success in a test? Philip Shawcross ICAEA ICAO LPRI workshop, ENAC, Rome, 4 th March 2010. Proficiency or success?. Training for Proficiency or Training for success in a test? What are the concerns? Forms of negative washback

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Training for Proficiency or Training for success in a test? Philip Shawcross ICAEA

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  1. Training for Proficiency or Training for success in a test? Philip Shawcross ICAEA ICAO LPRI workshop, ENAC, Rome, 4th March 2010

  2. Proficiency or success? Training for Proficiency or Training for success in a test? • What are the concerns? • Forms of negative washback • Different types of assessment • How can proficiency be trained for? • How do we know we are getting it right? • Conclusion

  3. What are the concerns? (1) • Wide variety of test types and quality • No international test accreditation process • A test may have too narrow a focus • A test may not adequately assess all skills • A test may not sufficiently simulate operational conditions • Many tests have well-defined & well known tasks • Encourages use of “easiest” test

  4. What are the concerns? (2) • Training to a test does not necessarily prepare for the real world • “Taking our eye off the ball” • Detrimental to learners long-term view of language • Targeted proficiency has wider scope than any test • Proficiency to be defined in operational terms • Need for sustainable levels of proficiency

  5. Forms of negative washback (1) • Communication content may be limited by test content • Communication functions may be limited by test format • Particular skills (e.g. interaction) may not be sufficiently trained • Tendency to train to narrow focus • Excessively modular approach to language

  6. Forms of negative washback (2) • Tendency to train only to minimum level • Training may “ape” test rather than prepare for real world • Tendency to learn “parrot-fashion” • Lack of separation between training and testing processes and staff • Publication of a bank of test questions

  7. Different types of assessment • Benchmark / prognostic tests • Placement tests • Entry tests • Progress tests • Exit tests • Proficiency tests (licensing)

  8. How can proficiency be trained for? (1) Training should have its eye on: • The “big” picture • The long term • Operational realities • Whole range of communicative functions • The acid test of communicating safely • Ability to manage the unexpected • A safety margin • Sustainability

  9. How can proficiency be trained for? (2) How can this be put into practice? Aviation English training should: • Be modelled on operations, not testing • Provide sufficient practice to achieve a solid level of proficiency • Be approved by SMEs • Explore a wide range of situations • Be applicable to operational situations (lexis) and communicative functions (structure)

  10. How can proficiency be trained for? (3) • Take students beyond minimum Level 4 • Prioritize expression, fluency & interactions (classroom) • Adopt a holistic approach to language • Make language training a corporate project • Incorporate language maintenance strategies & recurrent training • Receive feedback from operations for adjustment

  11. How can proficiency be trained for? (4) … and more generally • Foster operational effectiveness rather than linguistic correctness • Develop appropriate cognitive processes • Encourage flexibility & adaptability in language use • Respect the students’ different learning styles & speeds • Build self-confidence & self-esteem

  12. How do we know we are getting it right?(1) • Integrate language training as a core institutional activity, not a peripheral activity ---> a closed loop for greater awareness & visibility • Do not only rely on progress & exit tests • -- more holistic assessment • Develop students’ own pedagogical self-awareness • Consult SMEs on students’ performance

  13. How do we know we are getting it right?(2) • Use feedback from operational monitoring • Pay particular attention to holistic skills (fluency, interactions & discourse management) as criteria of proficiency • Ask “Would I entrust my life to this person in an emergency?”

  14. Conclusions Training • High stakes • Operations-driven • Integrated set of skills • Targets sustainable proficiency • Part of life-long learning

  15. Training for Proficiency orTraining for success in a test? Thank you very much for listening philip.shawcross@icaea.net ICAO LPRI workshop, ENAC, Rome, 4th March 2010

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