Hello Everyone, Today APA presents you ICAO English Proficiency, and requirements.. Firstly, You have to be aware of the vitality of English in every line of aviation life…So, “English is the primary element of Aviation, even important rather than skill…
ICAO sets international standards and regulations in aviation, and to promote its safe growth and development. ICAO (The International Civil Aviation Organisation) has decided that ….. • all airline and helicopter pilots who fly internationally, and • all air traffic controllers who provide services to international flights ….. must have a minimum level of English. This level of English must be at least operational levl. ICAO has developed a rating scale with level 4 considered the minimum acceptable level (“Operational Level”)
So, English language assessment is a must to those who r flying in international air space. This was in recognition of the vital importance of having an international standard in Aviation English to ensure clear communication, a holistic understanding as integral to safe international air travel. In doing so, ICAO has recognized the importance of English as the global language of the aviation industry since 2011. (The ICAO framework came fully into effect in March 2011)
Students who will take this test have two options, either online or onsite instructor-led test by the way of approved ICAO Level Test Centers.
You can find the nearest test centers to you and call or you may visit
www.TEA-test.com and email info@tea-test.com
Candidates are awarded a score from 1 to 6 for each of the 6 skills: pronunciation, structure, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, interactions.
In accordance with ICAO Document 9835 TEA (Test of English for Aviation) is:
designed to assess a candidate’s spoken and listening ability according to the ICAO descriptors.
An English communication test.
A test of plain English in an aviation context conducted in the form of a one-to-one interview between the candidate and the examiner.
A test comprising 3 sections and lasting approximately 20 minutes.
Every CAE certified some flight training organizations as test center for the Aviation English Language Proficiency Test .
Let me give some info about the content of exam..
Part 1 In this part of the test you will be asked a series of set, simple questions relating to your aviation background. There are no right or wrong answers – you should show you understand the questions by talking about your role in aviation. Listen to this TEA candidate answering questions on Part 1. Think how you would have answered these same questions: Questions 1. Could you tell me about your job? 2. Can you describe what you do at work? 3. Is a pilot’s job important? 4. What’s the difference between a pilot’s role today, compared with the past? 5. How much training is necessary to be a pilot?
Part One Tips! 1. Give full answers. Try to show you can connect ideas and explain your opinions. 2. Listen to the tense of the question. Should you answer in the past tense, present tense, or future tense? 3. If you do not understand the question, it is much better to ask! Do not give irrelevant answers. 4. If you are not sure about something, tell the examiner what you do know and also what you are not sure about. You are being assessed by the English you demonstrate during the test. The worst thing is to be silent.
Part 2 – Interactive Comprehension There are three parts to this section. In each section, you will listen to a series of recordings presented by international speakers of English. Recordings will be played once unless you ask for repetition. You cannot hear recordings a third time. In the first part (Part 2A) there are 10 recordings in which a pilot or controller is talking in a non-routine aviation situation. After each recording, the examiner will ask: “What was the message?”. You need to tell the examiner what you understand about the situation. All the information is important
Here is the tape script – do you think he demonstrated his understanding well?
- I cannot hear what you are saying. Please say each word twice. (Yes – it is clear
that the candidate understood the meaning here).
- We can smell smoke from the toilets. We think a passenger has a cigarette. (Yes
– he passed on all the information correctly.)
- We’ve just gone through some bad turbulence. We need to check if the
passengers are OK. (Half right – he understood that they had passed through
turbulence, but he didn’t understand the second part.)
- The first officer has a severe head injury. Request diversion to the nearest
aerodrome. (Yes, he demonstrated understanding of both parts of the message.)
- There are vehicles close to the runway. Stand by for instructions. (Yes, almost
perfect read-back.)
Part 2A Tips! 1. Ask for repetition if you do not understand well. The meaning is often clearer the second time you hear something. The examiner will not play it a second time unless you ask! 2. Do not panic if you miss a recording, or do not understand. You do not need to understand all 10 recordings! Relax, forget about it, and focus on the next recording. 3. Give all the information that you can (from the recording). Do not fail to say something, just because it seems obvious. The examiner needs to know that you heard it and understood it!
In the second part (Part 2B), there are 3 recordings in more general, non-routine situations. After each recording, you have 20 seconds to ask the speaker questions to find out more about the situation. There are no right answers, but you should show you understand the situation by asking relevant questions. The third part (Part 2C) is similar to the second part – there are 3 recordings in general, non-routine situations. After each recording, you have 20 seconds to give the speaker some advice. There are no right answers, but you should show you understand the situation by giving relevant advice. Listen to these examples, and think about what questions you would ask and what advice you would give (listen to the examiner’s instructions!).
Here are the transcripts:Part 2B:
- We have a problem, we cannot move. (ask questions)
- We have a situation, there is a man shouting at me. (ask questions)
Part 2C:
- We need some help, we can’t hear anything. (give advice)
- We need some help, the computer system has gone down. (give advice)
- Yes – he asks if they need a towing machine. 2. Yes – he asks why he is shouting, and if it is possible to calm him. 1. No – his answer is vague and general. It is not clear that he understood completely. 2. Maybe – he advises to follow procedures and also suggests looking at the circuit breakers, showing that he understands there is an electrical fault somewhere.
Part 2B and 2C Tips! 1. Do not pretend to understand if you do not. It is much better interaction to explain that you do not understand a particular word or recording. 2. Try to ask 2 or 3 relevant questions or give 2 or 3 pieces of useful, relevant advice. Make sure that they are appropriate and demonstrate that you understand the recordings.
Part 3 – Describe, Compare and Discuss You will be given 2 connected pictures to describe and compare. You will be shown the first picture and asked to describe it with 30 seconds to speak. You will then be shown a second picture and asked some questions about it. You will then be asked some questions about both pictures. Finally, you will take part in a discussion of general aviation topics related to the pictures.
Section 3 Tips! 1. Try to describe as much as possible… talk about what is in the background, foreground, what is happening now, what has happened before now, what will happen next. 2. You will not receive preparation time—so, be ready to begin speaking, and respond to the examiners questions promptly
Part 3 – Discussion
You will then take part in a discussion of general aviation topics. Listen to the questions first:
Think how you would have answered these questions.
Section 3 Discussion Tips 1. Try to connect your ideas and explain yourself. When you do not expand on opinions or statements, the examiner may ask you to explain what you mean. Be prepared to interact with the examiner. 2. Long, confusing answers are not as good as short, informative ones! 3. If you do not understand something, demonstrate that you can clearly ask for help—and the examiner will explain anything you ask about.
SCORING and NOTIFICATION of RESULT:
The test is scored according to the ICAO Language Proficiency Rating Scale. You will be given a score from 1 to 6 for your performance in Pronunciation, Structure, Vocabulary, Fluency, Comprehension and Interactions. The overall mark will be the lowest of these scores. All of this information is recorded on your certificate.
After your test is checked for interlocution and rating standards, your certificate will be printed and posted from the UK to the TEA Centre within 10 working days of your test date.
