English for Aviation Specific Purposes: Needs Analysis for English Proficiency Requirements.

Abstract

Exploring English for specific purposes is still new in Korea, especially testing for job specific purposes. Korean aviation personnel are now facing a critical issue on screening tests of English language proficiency which will be executed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) after March 5th, 2008. Through this study, an extensive needs analysis was undertaken to find out what perceptions Korean airline pilots, air traffic controllers, and aeronautical radio operators have of the ICAO English language proficiency requirements, and what issues are involved. The source of data in this study was questionnaires completed by 530 pilots, 240 controllers, and 22 operators. These responses cover 24% of the total number of pilots, 56% of the total controllers, and 37% of the total operators in Korea. In this study, all results were discussed in the following categories: role of phraseologies and plain English, English use situations, difficulty level of assessment component, test format and task type, qualification of testers, English learning and test preparation, and other issues in test development. It was suggested that, to meet aviation personnel's needs and prepare them for the ICAO requirements, the Korean government, related organizations, language tester groups, and content specialists in aviation should pay attention to these urgent matters. Developing a high-stake test of ESP requires the collaboration of all stake-holders.