International House Newcastle

ICAO (The International Civil Aviation Organisation) has decided 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 must be demonstrated by 2010

Who are the courses for?

 •  The intensive courses are suitable for groups (minimum 5) of both pilots and ATCOs whose level of English is at present approximately level 3 on the ICAO scale.

• The courses for individual aviation workers combine general English skills and professional English classes with an aviation study programme.

•  The objective of the courses is to raise the level of English towards level 4 and above:

How long are they?

•  8 weeks (200 hours tuition - cost 1600 pounds) or

•  4 weeks (100 hours tuition - cost 800 pounds)

Each course can conclude with the Test of English for Aviation (T.E.A.) at a cost of £100

The focus of the courses is on speaking and listening skills, especially in “plain” English in an aviation context.  The content of the course reflects the requirements of the 6 areas covered by the following ICAO descriptors:

Proficient speakers shall:

a. communicate effectively in voice-only (telephone/radiotelephone) and in face-to-face situations

b. communicate on common, concrete and work-related topics with accuracy and clarity

c. 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;

d. 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; and

e. use a dialect or accent which is intelligible to the aeronautical community

 

On-Line Course in English for Aviation

In addition to our intensive courses, we have an online supplementary course –

Study English Online.

This is a 100-hour course that can be worked on before, during and after the TEA preparation course. It is ideal for all participants on the face-to-face course and can be used to consolidate and build on their existing knowledge. It can be done over 12 months. Cost £150.

The Test of English for Aviation (TEA):

  • is designed to assess a candidate's spoken and listening ability according to the ICAO band descriptors.
  • is conducted in the form of a one-to-one interview between the candidate and the examiner

  • comprises three sections and lasts between 14 and 17 minutes.

     

Throughout the three sections of the test the examiner will be assessing the candidate’s ability based on the following six ICAO language proficiency requirements: pronunciation, structure, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and interaction. The candidate will be awarded a grade for each of the six assessment areas.

Section One Introduction (4 minutes)

The candidate is asked a series of questions on common, concrete and work-related topics relating to his/her aviation background.

 

Section Two Interactive Comprehension (8 minutes)

Part A: Candidates listen to aviation-specific recordings of non-routine and emergency situations. Candidates are required to explain what is happening.

Part B: Candidates are presented with a series of problem solving role-play scenarios. The candidate is required to ask questions and give advice.

Section Three Description and Discussion (8 minutes)

Candidates are presented with a series of aviation-related images and are required to describe what they see. The examiner will then ask further questions related to the images.

For more information about these courses contact: International House Newcastle, 14-18 Stowell St, Newcastle upon Tyne, England NE1 4XQ Tel: +44 (0)191 2329551 Fax: +44 (0)191 2321126

Email - info@ihnewcastle.com