English Language Proficiency Training and testing of atm personnel in France

English Language Proficiency

• Training and testing of ATM personnel in France

• ENAC - DGAC

Current regulatory context

• ICAO SARPs

• Annex 1
• Annex 10
• Annex 11

• Eurocontrol

• ESARR5

• EU Directive (late 2005)

• ATC Licence

Objectives

• Acquire ICAO level 4

• develop general language skills
• focus on specific topics/functions/skills for aviation R/T
• teach specific aviation language

• Develop learner autonomy

• strategies
• resources

• Maintain ICAO level 4

• regular practice
• refresher training

Recruitment

• National competitive entrance exams

• annual
• academic

• 2 populations trained exclusively at ENAC:

• TSEEAC (ATC in small aerodromes)
• high-school diploma (baccalauréat) + 1 year ENAC
• minimum level (oral): 3,5
• ICNA (ATC in 79 large aerodromes and 5 ACC)
• high-school diploma + 2 years advanced maths
• minimum level (oral): 3,5

ENAC Language Department

• 14,000 hours of training per year (2004)

• Teaching staff

• 50 teachers, mixed nationalities
• aviation specialisation

• Facilities

• dedicated rooms (multimedia, discussion, self-access)
• books, audio, video, satellite TV/radio

Historical background

• 1948: ENAC founded, Paris

• English training

• 1968: ENAC moves to Toulouse

• aviation English materials (Y Rengade)

• 1990: new ATC basic course

• 3 years, 520 hours of ELT, alternate school/OJT, 6 weeks immersion UK/USA

• 1990 - present:

• introduction of national rating scale (8 levels)
• development of continuation training provisions on local basis
• publication of “syllabus checklist” (reprinted in ICAO Doc 9835)
• development (with Eurocontrol) and implementation of PELA test
• member of PRICESG (ICAO language proficiency SARPs)

Initial training - general

• Phraseology (ATC staff)

• bilingual (French/English)
• DGAC standard
• computer-based training
• simulation training

Initial training (ICNA)

Training strategies

• Direct

• Language training
• extensive/intensive
• immersion
• class groups
• tutorials
• self-study
• school intranet
• multi-media rooms
• course documents

Continuation training

• a national policy (DGAC)

• regular working groups
• regional linguistic co-ordinators

• language trainers at each facility

• ACC
• TWR/APP

• minimum national requirement

• individual English training plans (PIFA)

Language Testing

• initial

• progress/achievement testing (in-house)
• proficiency testing (PELA)

• continuation

• benchmarking/diagnostic testing (TNP)
• proficiency testing (???)

Problems encountered

• initial

• learner attitudes conditioned by previous schooling
• motivation of students with levels higher than 4
• resources for development of specific training materials

• continuation

• training for all on a voluntary basis
• older populations
• test acceptance for benchmarking

Future perspectives

• initial

• multimedia technologies facilitate learning outside the classroom
• increase overall training effort (knowledge, listening skills)
• focus classroom activities on speaking
• content instruction in English (human factors,…)
• closer collaboration between language and ATC instructors

• continuation

• stronger requirements to undergo training
• national coordination