Amendments to the Audio CD-ROM

ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements — Rated Speech Samples (AUD001)

Please note that the section on "Radiotelephony content" has been amended. The amendment was needed to clarify and accurately reflect the Organization's policy concerning language testing in line with the Note in the Appendix to Annex 1 — Personnel Licensing. Please note the amended text below and refer to it in your language testing activities. This amendment has been incorporated in Version 1.1 of the CD.

Because of the high stakes involved, pilots and air traffic controllers deserve to be tested in a context similar to that in which they work and test content should therefore be relevant to their roles in the work-place. The descriptors for Vocabulary and Comprehension for ICAO Operational Level 4 refer to "work-related topics". Tests should provide test takers with sufficient and varied opportunities to use plain language in aviation work-related contexts in order to demonstrate their ability with respect to each descriptor in the Language Proficiency Rating Scale and the Holistic Descriptors. To achieve this, the design of tests should be undertaken by a team of linguistic and operational subject matter experts to ensure validity, reliability and operational relevance. See the Task List and Qualifications for Test Development Management, Design and Administration Teams.

The Note found in the Appendix to Annex 1 indicates that the Holistic Descriptors and Rating Scale apply to the use of phraseology as well as plain language. Just as testing of ICAO phraseology cannot be used to assess plain language proficiency, neither can English language proficiency tests be used to test ICAO standardized phraseology.

It is acceptable that a test contain a scripted test task in which phraseology is included in a prompt. The test task may be used as a warm up or an ice-breaker and elicit a plain language response from the test taker. Test prompts should not be intended to evaluate specific technical knowledge concerning operations. For example, prompts such as "What is the separation minima for aircraft being vectored for an ILS approach?", or "Describe the different flight modes of the A320 flight control system" are not acceptable.

Please note that the two sections "Checklist for test development" and "Tasks and qualifications for testing personnel" (including two checklists) and a glossary have been added to the CD. Please note the new text below and refer to it in your language testing activities. This amendment has been incorporated in Version 1.2 of the CD.

The participants of the Fifth Meeting of the Proficiency Requirements in Common English Study Group (PRICESG/05) developed a Checklist on the Development and Implementation of Testing for ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements. This document lists the basic steps that any organization should follow for procuring or developing licensing tests or testing services.

The development of a high stake language proficiency tests involves the input of experts from a variety of fields. To assist organizations in their effort to develop or procure quality tests or testing services, the participants of the Fifth Meeting of the Proficiency Requirements in Common English Study Group (PRICESG/05) developed a document entitled Task List and Qualifications for Test Development Management, Design and Administration Teams.