RADA Regional Language Proficiency Training and Assessment Programme

1. RADA Regional Language Proficiency Training and Assessment Programme Special ICAO Workshop on LP for the States from the Eastern Part of the ICAO EUR Region Baku, Azerbaijan, 7-9 December, 2005 Dr. Olena Petrashchuk, Co-Head of the RADA EL Work Group, Director of AEROLINGUA Training Center

2. RADA – Regional Air Navigation Services Development AssociationArmenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine

3. Proceeding from the objectives and powers of RADA set forth in the Agreement on the co-operation between ANS Providers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, the RADA Council approved (April, 2004) the establishment of the RADA English Language Working(REL-WG) Mission: The improvement of Air Navigation Services, safety performance and system’s efficiency at the regional level with specific reference to language training and proficiency assessment in accordance with ICAO SARPs.

4. Composition • Two co-Heads (English and Russian native speakers) • A Chairperson elected for each meeting • Representatives of the RADA Member States /2 from each/ • Representatives of the RADA associated members • Representatives of international aviation organisations, ANS providers, entities and agencies, experts (by invitation of the Executive Committee of RADA)

5. Objectives: • To define a regional English Language Development and Testing Plan • To harmonise regional language training through the provision of a language training framework • To harmonise regional language testing • To harmonise regional standards for language instructors, test developers and test raters • To implement an integrated system of project co-ordination and communication

6. Tasks • discuss issues relevant to the development of a regional approach to language training and assessment; • prepare proposals concerning the development of a regional approach to language training and assessment; • submit its proposals to the RADA Council.

7. Working Arrangements Regular meetings twice a year /a minimum/ 2005/03/14-16 Kiev 2005/11/9-11 Kiev

8. Main agenda of the 1-st meeting • Development and agreement of the REL WG Terms of Reference • Design and discussion of the Regional Concept for Language Training Development and Assessment • Development of Action Plan • Development of a Proposal (forwarded by UkSATSE and the RADA Council) for a combined trial training programme:two personnel from each RADA Member State to be trained together for a three week period at a location (in the Crimea, Ukraine) • The EL proficiency assessment of all the operational ATCOs in the RADA Member States according to a common language proficiency placement test produced by Aerolingua and the collation of the results of the assessments

9. GENERAL PROVISIONS The Concept for the English language training of our RADA experts constitutes a system of views on the organizational principles for the training of RADA staff in general and professionally oriented English.

10. CONCEPTON THE EL TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONAL STAFF OF RADA MEMBER STATES CONTENT: General provisions The objective of the Concept The training requirement The training objective The specialisation of training according to three areas of professional activity The organization of general and professionally oriented English training The assessment of English language proficiency levels The introduction of amendments and supplements to job descriptions The criteria for the selection of contractors for the provision of training Measures for the realisation of the Concept Conclusions Annexes

11. Main agenda of the 2-nd meeting • Discussion on the Regional Approach to Testing and Examiners/Raters training and certification to meet the ICAO and RADA requirements • Developing a regional test development, test administration and language certification procedure to meet ICAO and RADA requirements • Developing Certification best practice in testing towards a common regional approach • Certification of RADA Member State Language Service Providers • The 2006 ICAO Language Proficiency Audit

12. Benefits • To develop a mechanism/model of ICAO requirements implementation in one country to be used by others • To provide services in training and testing on a shared base • To identify best practices emerged individually to be applied on the regional level • To set up regional mechanism/procedure of certification (training sets, tests, raters/examiners, services providers, etc.) and to compensate the lack of the internationally recommended • ???

13. Challenges • Support of the REL WG • Lack of communication and information sharing (beyond the meetings) • Lack of motivation • Recommendations or products? • Practical tool for implementation regionally • ???

14. Ukraine: EXPERIENCE • Needs: about 2000 of personnel • Scale: 22-24 cities and towns • Development of strategic documents (Concept, Rules of Attendance) • Design and expertise of training and testing materials • Consultancy support for trainers/testers • Management of training and testing on the work places

15. 1) Placement testing 2) Forming groups 3) Design of the schedule 4) Providing with TM available on the market 5) Providing with TM for SP of the personnel 6) Providing with TS based on the strong regulations of attendance TC: Feb-March 2005 – 625 Sept-Oct 2005 – 197 TC+UkSATSE: 2005 -92 TC+UkSATSE: 3 types (all day) TC+UkSATSE (Power Base, Cutting Edge) TC AE modules (UkSATSE expertise) TC+UkSATSE (Rules of Attendance) AEROLINGUA TC-UkSATSE model of implementation of ICAO requirements

16. 7) Progressive testing (within the course) 8) Monitoring quality of training 9) Achievement testing (end of course) 10) Proficiency testing TC TC+UkSATSE (independently) TC UkSATSE+TC (expertise) AEROLINGUA-UkSATSE model of implementation of ICAO requirements (cont.)

17. AEROLINGUA RADA EL WG WG on developing of TM WG on provision of testing services G of local LT providers on trialing TM/TeM in the field UkSATSE For ICAO Rs implementation: Deputy General director 3 personnel responsible for training and testing of 3 categories of professionals Group of examiners/ examining board on LP assessment TASKFORCES

18. Testing System in AEROLINGUA ESP Course for AT controllers, Managers, Engineers GE/AE course ATCOs Placement Test Proficiency Tests for M&En personnel Achievement Tests (end of module)

19. HOW? Draft model of ICAO requirements implementation TeM development Training services through intensive/standard courses TM development Testing services for training/benchmarking purposes TOT Testing services for licensing purposes High-stake test adopted by the State Accredited country testing services provider Test provider/ICAO supervision/ maintenance

20. Sample Format for Placement Test • This is a pencil-end-paper test • The total number of items – 130 • The total time – 1 hour 40 min

21. Sample Format for Placement Test • Part 1 - Listening Comprehension: short exchanges /10 items: multiple choice/, longer dialogue /5 items: open completion/ - 15 min. • Part 2 - Vocabulary and Grammar: multiple choice, open completion /60 items/ - 60 min. • Part 3 – Reading: two texts (1800 and 2600 prints) of different levels of difficulty /10 items, 5 for each text: labeling paragraph, true-false/ - 20 min

22. According to Placement/Achievement Test results Pre-elementary Elementary Pre-intermediate GENERAL ENGLISH GENERAL BUSINESS ENGLISH with elements of Aviation/Technical English Sample Scheme of the training course

23. According to Placement/Achievement Test results Intermediate Upper Intermediate AVIATION ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES on the work place of ATCOs, management staff, engineers Sample Scheme of the training course

24. Sample Formats of Training Course • Intensive Course (full time) 4 weeks – 30 h/wk, total 120 classroom hours • Standard Course (part time) 16 weeks – 6 h/wk, total 96 hours Trial Arrangements depending on a trainee’s LP level: IC I + SC I + SC 2 + IC 2 or other combinations

25. MODULE 2-4 UNITS A UNIT (6 hours) Warming up /3 points/Initial Listening /2 tasks/Listening and Vocabulary /3 tasks/Drilling Vocabulary /3 tasks/Follow up /2 tasks/Grammar /1 task/Grammar drilling /1 task/Grammar in Use /2 tasks/ Listening for Grammar /1 task/ Pronunciation /1 task/ Listening and Speaking /1 task/ Reading and Speaking /3 tasks/ Listening and Speaking /2 tasks/ Home Task /7 tasks/ STRUCTUREOF THE TRAINING MODULE IN AVIATION ENGLISH

26. SUPPLEMENTARY OPTIONS • Reading on Aviation • Listening Comprehension in Aviation • Writing skills for Aviation managers • Interaction skills for Aviation personnel

27. Consultancy support for teachers/testers • Instructors’ Guidelines for AE Training Modules • Workshop for teachers of AE (for AEROLINGUA teachers and teachers of its field partners in 22 cities of Ukraine) • Workshop for examiners/interlocutors (for UkSATSE testing group)

28. PROFICIENCY TESTS • Proficiency test for AT controllers aims at getting a speech sample gradable against the ICAO descriptors (not a phraseology test, test evolution) • Format: Tasks to assess Aural + Oral language proficiency Two sections: • 15 min (comprehension of recorded short exchanges/short texts, completion of 10 items) • 15 min (face-to-face/back structured interview, 3 blocks of questions)

29. PROFICIENCY TESTS • Proficiency test for management and engineering staff aims at getting a speech sample gradable against the UkSATSE language proficiency levels scale • Format: Tasks to assess language proficiency in 4 major skills Four traditional sections