THE BACKGROUND
ICAO (The International Civil Aviation Organisation)
demands 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 is known as ICAO Operational Level 4.
ICAO has developed a rating scale with Level 4
considered the minimum acceptable level (’Operational
Level’)
ICAO LEVEL 4
Pronunciation:
(Assumes a dialect and/or accent intelligible to the
aeronautical community)
Pronunciation, stress, rhythm, and intonation are influenced
by the first language or regional variation but only sometimes
interfere with ease of understanding.
Pronunciation, stress, rhythm, and intonation are influenced
by the first language or regional variation but only sometimes
interfere with ease of understanding.
Structure:
(Relevant grammatical structures and sentence patterns are
determined by language functions appropriate to the task)
Basic grammatical structures and sentence patterns are
used creatively and are usually well controlled. Errors may
occur, particularly in unusual or unexpected circumstances,
but rarely interfere with meaning.
Vocabulary:
Vocabulary range and accuracy are usually sufficient to
communicate effectively on common, concrete, and work-
related topics. Can often paraphrase successfully when
lacking vocabulary in unusual or unexpected circumstances.
Fluency:
Produces stretches of language at an appropriate tempo.
There may be occasional loss of fluency on transition from
rehearsed or formulaic speech to spontaneous interaction,
but this does not prevent effective communication. Can make
limited use of discourse markers or connectors. Fillers are
not distracting.
Comprehension:
Comprehension is mostly accurate on common, concrete,
and work-related topics when the accent or variety used is
sufficiently intelligible for an international community of users.
When the speaker is confronted with a linguistic or situational
complication or an unexpected turn of events,
comprehension may be slower or require clarification
strategies.
Interactions:
Responses are usually immediate, appropriate, and
informative. Initiates and maintains exchanges even when
dealing with an unexpected turn of events. Deals adequately
with apparent misunderstandings by checking, confirming, or
clarifying.
ICAO has developed the following “Holistic Descriptors”.
Proficient speakers shall:
•
communicate effectively in voice-only
(telephone/radiotelephone) and in face-to-face
situations
•
communicate on common, concrete and work-related
topics with accuracy and clarity
•
use appropriate communicative strategies to exchange
messages and to recognize and resolve
misunderstandings (e.g. to check, confirm, or clarify
information) in a general or work-related context
•
handle successfully and with relative ease the linguistic
challenges presented by a complication or unexpected
turn of events that occurs within the context of a routine
work situation or communicative task with which they
are otherwise familiar
•
use a dialect or accent which is intelligible to the
aeronautical community
The full ICAO language proficiency descriptors can be found
here.