English Language Proficiency – Key to Effective Communication in Aviation

Communication is a vital part of flying. In fact, it’s an important part of life for pilots. It’s vital for a pilot to know how to effectively communicate with other Pilots, Cabin Crew, Air Traffic Controllers, Ground Staff and even passengers sometimes.

There are several types of communication used in aviation. The most common form is verbal communication. It involves the use of radio, telephones, and other electronic equipment for exchange of information, passing instructions, seeking advises. 

In aviation, we use many different languages to communicate, including English, French, German, and Spanish. However, there is a special language that we use in aviation to communicate effectively.

English as Aviation Language

English is the most widely spoken language in the world, and aviation is no exception. Aviation is a global industry, and it is imperative that all pilots and flight attendants speak English in order to ensure safe and effective operation of aircraft.

English has an extensive vocabulary and a structure that is logical and easy to learn. The advantage of learning English is that it is the most widely spoken language in the world.

English is the language used for flight communications, radio and data transmissions, It is also used in a majority of the world’s major air routes, which is why it is so important for pilots to to learn to communicate effectively in English.

Learning English can be difficult if you’re not from a country where the majority speak English. Most of us already know some English, but it can be challenging to speak the language fluently and even harder to understand it.

The advantage with Aviation English is we do not need Reading and Writing Skills to be able to effectively communicate in English.  Aviation communication focuses on Listening and Speaking Skills only which makes is easier for anyone to improve their English language skills from aviation communication point of view

Language Proficiency

Language proficiency is not merely knowledge of a set of grammar rules, vocabulary and ways of pronouncing sounds. It is a complex interaction of that knowledge with a number of skills and abilities.

Linguistic competence refers to the knowledge and meaningful use of the linguistic features of a given language or languages. When it comes to Listening and Speaking, the linguistic competence requires lexical (using single words or mixed expressions), grammatical (following rules of syntax and morphology), semantic (meanings and relationships of meanings) and phonological (sounds, syllable structure, sentence stress,rhythm and intonation) skills.

They language competence can be inferred in individuals only by observing the language performance of those individuals. The factors that may impact language proficiency, are, levels of attention, mood, stress, memory and processing abilities. These factors will, in turn, influence levels of performance in the areas of fluency, comprehension and interaction. 

ICAO ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY DESCRIPTORS

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is responsible for the international standardization of aeronautical communications.

The language descriptors defined by ICAO provides detailed guidelines on how aviation personnel’s language proficiency is assessed based on their performance in each of those descriptors.

• PRONUNCIATION
• STRUCTURE
• VOCOBULARY
• FLUENCY
• COMPREHENSION
• INTERACTION

PRONUNCIATION

Recognition of the importance of language and its variants has stimulated a great deal of research in applied linguistics and phonetics. The results of this research have been applied in a number of ways in the development of speech recognition systems.

The basic elements of pronunciation are the individual sounds (phonemes) of the language, the patterns for stressing and un-stressing syllables and words, and the patterns governing the rhythm and intonation of sentences or utterances. Pronunciation is particularly susceptible to the influence of a first language or regional variations and plays a very important role in the intelligibility of messages.

One of the most common methods for improving speech recognition is to provide a set of phonetic models which represent different sounds or phonemes. These models are used to train a speech recognizer, either as part of the speech recognizer, or by using the models to transform an input string into a phonetic representation which can then be recognized by the speech recognizer.

STRUCTURE

The use of basic and complex syntactic structures is important for any variety of communicative purposes, including the following: Expressing oneself in clear and intelligible speech. Communicating one’s thoughts in writing. Receiving and processing information. Producing ideas and concepts. Using language to convey and understand emotions.

While some languages have relatively few types of basic and complex syntactic structures, others have many more (or even infinite) types. This is because every language has its own set of rules regarding how these structures can be combined into larger units, how they are combined in different orders, and how they can be modified. In addition, some languages have structures that have no corresponding structures in other languages.

This skill addresses the accurate and appropriate use of basic and complex syntactic structures and grammatical features of the language, such as tenses and modality. Grammar and syntax are fundamental to conveying meanings and intentions. The accuracy of their use is a strong indicator of proficiency.

VOCABULARY

The elements of vocabulary are words and fixed expressions comprising several words. They are often separated into function words (usually fulfilling a grammatical role) and content words related to topics being discussed. The level of proficiency will be apparent in the accuracy, range and speed of access to the vocabulary required in a given situation. This skill also includes paraphrasing skills. 

In order to use vocabulary effectively, learners must have a good understanding of the meaning of the words they are using. This requires a high degree of familiarity with their meanings. To facilitate this, learners need to be able to quickly recall the meaning of words they do not know.

There are two ways to improve vocabulary skills: practice and exposure. Practice helps learners develop a strong foundation for vocabulary acquisition by increasing vocabulary knowledge and allowing them to build on what they already know. Exposure involves repeatedly encountering new words in various contexts.

In the first grade, learners begin to acquire a number of basic reading skills. As learners read more text, they become familiar with the basic vocabulary words that appear in the text. These words, which are called sight vocabulary, are words that appear in print and can be recognized without having to recall their meaning from memory.

When a word is encountered in print, it is automatically processed into long-term memory. It is important that learners use sight vocabulary as much as possible to help them learn the meanings of words. The best way to do this is to read a lot of text, because they will encounter sight vocabulary in most of the material they read. Phonological awareness is the ability to process the sounds of words and identify the syllables of spoken words.

FLUENCY

This skill addresses the ability to produce unrehearsed speech at an appropriate pace. Nonfunctional hesitations and fillers, due to language processing or excessive self-monitoring, gradually diminish as proficiency increases. Also speakers increase their ability to guide listeners through their discourse using lexical, structural and phonological resources of the language.

In this respect, this skill is similar to the higher level of the language skill of coherence. Coherence refers to the ability to maintain the logical development of a thought while following the rules of grammar and sentence structure. The skills of coherence are related to the more general ability to organize thoughts and actions. This skill addresses the ability to express oneself in a way that is grammatically correct and logically developed.

For example, if you have a conversation with your friend about what you did over the weekend and how things are going with your job, your friend might say: “I had a great time at the party last night. I met some new people.” When you ask him/her, “Did you have fun?,” he/she might answer: “Oh yeah, it was a lot of fun. We played pool and danced.” If you ask, “What did you do?,” your friend might answer: “We went to the party and then we stayed there until 2 a.m. Then we went to a club downtown and we danced.” If you ask, “How many people were there?” he/she might answer: “There were about 150 people there.”

Notice that in the above examples, your friend used fillers to give background information and to provide more detail. This shows that your friend is being careful to make sure that his/her thought is organized and that it makes sense.

This skill is similar to the higher level of language skills of coherence. In this example, the speaker used lexical resources to guide the listener through his/her discourse using both syntactic and semantic markers.

COMPREHENSION

The ability to analyze the context in which a speaker is speaking will facilitate understanding of the spoken word. The main purpose of this skill is to develop a basic knowledge of language skills and vocabulary for communication and learning purposes.

It will provide the student with the opportunity to expand their vocabulary and to improve their command of the language through listening and speaking. This skill will also help to develop oral expression and listening comprehension and increase the ability to understand and respond to oral instructions. This skill addresses the ability to identify and use the correct forms of the language.

The ability to use correct grammar forms will facilitate the acquisition of vocabulary and improve the student’s ability to communicate effectively.

INTERACTION

This skill addresses the ability to engage effectively in an interaction. It encompasses an awareness of social etiquette and cultural norms that influence the way people communicate. They include knowledge of the role and status of the other participants in the interaction, knowledge of and respect for gender roles, knowledge of time and place, and knowledge of the social context of the interaction.

This skill addresses the ability to engage in spontaneous spoken dialogue and to successfully achieve communicative goals. Increasing proficiency in this skill results in reduced allowance or effort on the part of an interlocutor to maintain a conversation. It is characterized by the rapidity and appropriateness of responses, the ability to volunteer new information, to take conversational initiatives, to be responsive to feedback from an interlocutor, and to detect and to resolve misunderstandings as they occur.