Language proficiency training
The challenge for air traffic controllers
Jairo Roberto da Silva
Patrícia Tosqui Lucks
ICAEA International Conference
Brasília, November 12th 2012
Challenge
To provide the ATCos with linguistic tools to ensure a
more accurate performance in situations in which there
is the need to extend the use of standard phraseology,
taking into account the characteristics of our country,
with a contingent of approximately 4000 professionals
distributed all over our vast territory.
Who is who in the Brazilian Airspace
Control System
Ministry of Defense
Aeronautical Command
Department of Airspace Control
Airspace Control Institute
Ministry of Defense
Aeronautical Command
Department of Airspace Control
PCA 37-9
Implementation Plan Of
English Proficiency Requirements
for 2011-2013
Airspace Control Institute
Department of Airspace Control (DECEA)
Manages and controls the air traffic in the Brazilian airspace
as well as guarantees its defense.
Brazilian Airspace Control System (SISCEAB).
Coverage area
4 CINDACTAs
22 million Km²
5 ACCs
47 APPs
59 TWRs
13 INTERNATIONAL FIRs
ATC TRAINING
ATC TRAINING CENTRES
Aeronautical Experts School
(Guaratinguetá – São Paulo )
Airspace Control Institute
(São José dos Campos – São Paulo)
Airspace Control Institute (ICEA)
Trains human resources and conducts research and
improvements within the Brazilian Airspace Control System
(SISCEAB).
PCA 37-9
Implementation Plan Of
English Proficiency
Requirements
for 2011-2013
Language Proficiency Solutions
General English
courses
•Training in General English for Air
Traffic Controllers at various language
training centers, comprising distance
learning and/or regular classes.
Language Proficiency Solutions
General English
courses
•Training in General English for Air
Traffic Controllers at various language
training centers, comprising distance
learning and/or regular classes.
Aviation English
courses
developed at
ICEA
• CTP-010- Intensive training in specific English
for ATCo’s and ASO’s.
• CTP-004 – Course on phraseology for
emergency situations.
• CTP-011 - Training in methodology and material
development for Air Traffic Controllers with an
advanced level of proficiency in the English
Language.
Language Proficiency Solutions
General English
courses
•Training in General English for Air
Traffic Controllers at various language
training centers, comprising distance
learning and/or regular classes.
Aviation English
courses
developed at
ICEA
• CTP-010- Intensive training in specific English
for ATCo’s and ASO’s.
• CTP-004 – Course on phraseology for
emergency situations.
• CTP-011 - Training in methodology and material
development for Air Traffic Controllers with an
advanced level of proficiency in the English
Language.
EPLIS
(assessment)
• A team of subject matter experts and language
professionals with experience in aviation have
designed and elaborated the test.
Training Solutions
Ab-initio Air
Traffic Controllers
• EEAR – General &
Aviation English
courses.
• ICEA – English for
ATC (course and
material
developed by the
Language
professionals at
ICEA).
On the Job
Training
• General English
courses
• CTP-004 –
phraseology for
emergency
situations
• CTP-010 –
English for ATC
Subject Matter
Expert (Level 5 or 6)
• CTP-011
• CELTA
• TEFL
• Workshops on
Aviation English
teaching
• Workshops on
material
development
CTP010
 Three-week intensive course, with 120 hours
 Two teachers: a qualified EFL teacher (Language
Expert) and an operational expert (SME) in tandem
 Groups of 8 to 12 students from different ATC facilities
(ACC, APP and TWR) in the same course
 Location: 4 CINDACTAS (Brasilia, Curitiba, Recife and
Manaus), São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro
 Courses offered in other locations upon demand
Courses offered in 2011/2012
Course material
 Material developed by ICEA staff – language experts and
operational experts (English instructors trained at ICEA)
 Syllabus consists of 11 units. Each unit deals with all
ICAO descriptors (vocabulary, pronunciation, structure,
comprehension, interactions and fluency)
 Focus on listening and speaking
 CLT and ESP
Syllabus – until 2011
 Job-related activities
 Air communication
 Airport structures and services
 Phases of flight
 Weather
 Parts of the Aircraft
 Types of Aircraft
 Cargo problems
 Emergency
 Health problems
 Landmarks
Material
Evaluation and
Needs Analysis
Outline of a learningcentered approach
to ESP
Adapted from: English for Specific
Purposes:
a
learning-centred
approach. Tom Hutchinson and
Alan Waters (1987)
Material Evaluation and Needs Analysis
Process developed throughout 2011
4 steps:
 Units Evaluation
 Questionnaire SME
 Questionnaire all CTP010 Students in 2011
 Material Redesign
Step 01 - Unit Evaluation
 Work Groups: discuss theoretical and practical aspects about
teaching, Aviation English and CTP010.
 Work Group March 2011 – analyse the material and propose
changes and improvements.
 Procedure: Units were divided into small groups formed by SME
from different facilities and language professionals. Each group was
responsible for analysing a different unit, so that all units were
revised and all instructors had the opportunity to share their ideas
and experience.
Step 01 - Unit Evaluation
Step 01 - Unit Evaluation
Step 01 – Unit Evaluation
Step 01 - Unit Evaluation
Step 2 – Questionnaire for SME
Step 2 – Questionnaire for SME
 SME from different ATC facilities and different regions of the country
 Quantitative and qualitative data
 Quantitative part: personal information
Step 2 – Questionnaire for SME
Step 2 – Questionnaire for SME
Step 3 –
Questionnaire for
CTP10 Students
 Questions in Portuguese
 Part A – quantitative data
 Personal information about
work experience, facilities, level
of English knowledge, English
courses taken, frequency of
use of English on the job, use
of phraseology and if it was or
was not enough.
Step 3 –
Questionnaire for
CTP10 Students
Part B – Qualitative Data
Questions about course content
1) Relevance of topics/units
2) For each unit, what could be
added and/or removed
Step 3 – Questionnaire for CTP010 students
 Part
3 - Open questions
 Does
the part of Brazil where you work have any special
conditions (weather or geography influence, specific flight
rules, etc.) that could be emphasized in CTP010 courses
managed in your region in relation to the use of English?
Could you explain that?
Sudden change of weather along
the final in Maceió, and other
The Amazon rain
has several
weather
conditions that are
the
pilots
about
peculiarities. Inform
Because
ofreport
the
sudden
difficult to
to the pilot, such
“wind
corridor”
near
changes
of weather
the due
ascliffs
badhere,
weather
to relief
There
are
in the
Weather
lesson
should
be more
Belém
aerodrome.
features
(e.g.
mountain wave).
region,
and
they
specific
toand
thesmoke.
Amazon.
Bush
fires
As a in
generate
crosswinds
The
weather influences
our job at
consequence,
airport operating
Parachuting
activities
could be
of
runway
under the
instrument
rules.
ACC-CW
athreshold
lot. In flight
the summer,
there
as vocabulary, since it’s
(Cindacta
1included
area)
28 in
Porto Seguro.
are
many
deviations,
and in the
really important for people who
winter the aircraft have to hold due
work here in Rio de Janeiro.
to the airport
being
Authorization
problems
in closed. I believe
holdings
could be better
Foz dothe
Iguaçu,
a city
explored.
which deals
with two
foreign countries.
Step 3 – Questionnaire for CTP010 students
 Part
 Are
3 – Open questions
there any peculiarities that often occur at the
operational position you work? Do you think it would be
important if this was dealt with in our course? How (as part
of our syllabus or as an extra activity)? Would the target
audience be ATCOs who work at any Brazilian facility or at
a specific facility? Could you describe that briefly?
Students’ suggestions
 “Explain the reasons why the acft will have to hold; for example, because
the aircraft is not authorized to enter the country.”
 “Military maneuvers performed with other Latin American countries.”
 “International war games, such as CRUZEX, in which we have the
opportunity to use the English Language”.
 “In some places, there are launches [of balloons, rockets, etc. for scientific
purposes] and general English courses do not teach how to say this.”
 “ I don’t think it’s necessary to go into all the aircraft parts; only the most
important ones, such as wings, cockpit, landing gear, etc. Only pilots need
to know all the parts”.
 “Remove terms for weather phenomena that do not occur in Brazil.”
 “Special use airspace (for instance, Army firing area)”
 “(APP) AFIL plan.”
Step 3 – Questionnaire for CTP010 students
 Part 3 – Open questions
Have you been through or heard of any situation
involving the use of the English language which was
neither listed in the phraseology manual, nor taught in the
CTP010 course?
Students’ suggestions
“RVSM airspace.” (focus on reduced vertical separation terminology)
“TWR needs to say things which are not in the phraseology to inform pilots
of situations related to their flight plans and NOTAMs.”
“Coordination with the Atlantic Center because they use corridors rather
than airways.”
 “There are areas with high concentration of traffic in which a more dynamic
English phraseology would help solve conflicts.”
 “Questions to pilots about the flight plan (call sign, take off time) –
sometimes the pilot calls the TWR and asks about this kind of information.”
 “Reports on volcanic ashes from Chile to pilots during flights.”
“Add content on depressurization.”
Step 04 - Data Triangulation and Analysis
 Data tabulation and analysis
 SME instructors’ profile
 Students’ profile
 Triangulation of data
 Redesign of material
 Unit redesign by EFL teachers at ICEA
 Work Group with language and operational experts to
analyse the new units
 New CTP10 syllabus and material
Results
 Changes in content – more functional syllabus
 Changes in unit structure (ICAO
emergency situations in every unit)
descriptors
+
 More R/T for listening and role-plays based on real
situations (authenticity)
 More flexible content organized in modules, so that parts
can be changed and substituted by others in order to meet
local and regional specificities.
New syllabus
 Core syllabus with some changes in content and task types
Jobs in Aviation
Air communication
Weather impacts on Aviation
Parts of the Aircraft
Aircraft performance
Cargo problems
Aircraft breakdown
Medical emergencies
Phases of flight
Airport installations (TWR )
En-route events (ACC)
Instrument flying - Navigation Systems (APP)
Visual flights and Landmarks
Flight plan
Special / extra activities designed for specific locations / situations.
Conclusion
Challenge:
 to reach all the controllers in our system - a large number of
professionals with different characteristics and needs spread throughout
a country of continental dimensions.
 Solution:
 Courses: opportunities through various courses along their carreers;
 CTP010: a specific course, tailored by our staff and SME solely to meet
the needs of our ATC personnel.
Reflective practice:
 hear our students’ voices (wishes, expectations and experience) and the
voices of all instructors involved in this process.
Understand their job profile and provide linguistics tools for that.
 Meet ICAO's LPR.
Next steps
 Needs analysis and material evaluation are on-going
processes.
 New questionnaires / interviews with students to evaluate
new material and feed students’ profile database.
 Course redesign whenever needed.
 New course(s) for proficiency maintenance.
 Develop e-learning and blended learning to reach every
ATCo in Brazil.
Thank you!
jairojrs@icea.gov.br
patriciaptl@icea.gov.br