ADR.OPS.B.029 Language proficiency

RATING SCALE The following table describes the different levels of language proficiency:

Note: Operational level (Level 4) is the minimum required proficiency level for radiotelephony communication. Levels 1 through 3 describe pre-elementary, elementary and pre-operational levels of language proficiency respectively, all of which describe a level below the language proficiency requirement. Levels 5 and 6 describe extended and expert levels at levels of proficiency more advanced than the minimum required standard.

GENERAL

(a)The language competence assessment should be designed to reflect a range of tasks undertaken by vehicle drivers but with special focus on the knowledge of the language rather than knowledge of the operational procedures.

(b)The assessment should determine the applicant’s ability to:

(1)communicate effectively using standard radiotelephony phraseology;

(2)deliver and understand messages in plain language in both usual and unusual situations that necessitate departure from standard radiotelephony phraseology; and

(3)deal with an unexpected turn of events and solve apparent misunderstandings.

ASSESSMENT

(a)The assessment should comprise the following three elements:

(1)listening: assessment of comprehension;

(2)speaking: assessment of pronunciation, fluency, structure and vocabulary; and

(3)interaction.

(b)The switch between phraseology and plain language should be assessed in relation to listening and speaking proficiency.

(c)When the assessment is not conducted in a face-to-face situation, appropriate technologies should be used for the assessment of the person’s abilities to listen and speak, and to enable interactions.

(d)The assessment may also be conducted during training activities or during proficiency checks, with prior notification given to the person concerned.

(e)The assessment should be conducted using the rating scale in AMC1 ADR.OPS.B.029(b).

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ASSESSORS

(a)Persons responsible for language competency assessment (‘assessors’) should be suitably trained, including in the requirements specific to the language proficiency assessment, and qualified. They should be either aviation specialists or language specialists with additional aviation-related training.

(b)Language proficiency assessors should undergo regular refresher training on language assessment skills.

(c)The assessors should not conduct language proficiency assessments of persons to whom they have provided language training, or whenever, for any other reason, their objectivity may be affected.

CRITERIA FOR THE ACCEPTABILITY OF LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT ORGANISATIONS

(a)If the language assessment organisation also provides language training, there should be a clear and documented separation between the two activities.

(b)The language assessment organisation should employ a sufficient number of qualified interlocutors and language proficiency assessors to administer the tests.

(c)The assessment documentation should include at least the following:

(1)assessment objectives;

(2)assessment layout, timescale, technologies used, assessment samples, voice samples;

(3)assessment criteria and standards (at least for the operational, extended and expert level of the rating scale mentioned in AMC1 ADR.OPS.B.029(b);

(4)documentation demonstrating the assessment validity, relevance and reliability for the operational, extended and expert level;

(5)procedures to ensure that language assessments are standardised within the organisation and across the aerodrome organisations;

(6)assessment procedures and responsibilities:

(i)preparation of individual assessment;

(ii)administration: location(s), identity check and invigilation, assessment discipline, confidentiality/security;

(iii)reporting and documentation provided to the aerodrome operator or to the applicant, including sample certificate; and

(iv)retention of documents and records.

(d)The assessment documentation and records should be kept for a period of time determined by the Competent Authority and made available to the Competent Authority upon request.

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT The aim of the assessment is to determine the ability of a person to speak and understand the language(s) used for radiotelephony communications.

(a)The assessment includes:

(1)voice-only or face-to-face situations;

(2)common, concrete and work-related topics for vehicle drivers.

(b)The assessment determines the applicant’s speaking and listening abilities. A mere assessment of the grammatical knowledge, reading and writing is not appropriate.

(c)The assessment determines the language skills of the applicant in the following areas:

(1)pronunciation:

(i)the extent to which the pronunciation, stress, rhythm and intonation are influenced by the applicant’s first language or national variations;

(ii)how much they interfere with ease of understanding.

(2)structure:

(i)the ability of the applicant to use both basic and complex grammatical structures;

(ii)the extent to which the applicant’s errors interfere with the meaning.

(3)vocabulary:

(i)the range and accuracy of the vocabulary used;

(ii)the ability of the applicant to paraphrase successfully when lacking vocabulary.

(4)fluency:

(i)tempo;

(ii)hesitancy;

(iii)rehearsed versus spontaneous speech;

(iv)use of discourse markers and connectors.

(5)comprehension:

(i)on common, concrete and work-related topics;

(ii)when confronted with a linguistic or situational complication or an unexpected turn of events.

(6)interactions:

(i)quality of response (immediate, appropriate, and informative);

(ii)the ability to initiate and maintain exchanges:

(A)on common, concrete and work-related topics;

(B)when dealing with an unexpected turn of events;

(iii)the ability to deal with apparent misunderstandings by checking, confirming or clarifying. The accent or variety of accents used in the test material should be sufficiently intelligible for an international community of users.

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ASSESSORS

(a)The preferred approach for an assessment would be to form an assessment team consisting of an operational expert and a language expert.

(b)The language proficiency assessors need to be trained in the requirements specific to the language proficiency assessment, and assessment and interlocution techniques.

Further guidance on the assessment of language proficiency may be found in ICAO Doc 9835 ‘Manual on the Implementation of ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements’.

LANGUAGE TRAINING

(a)Language training should contain communication in a job-related context particularly to handle abnormal and emergency situations and conduct non-routine coordination with air traffic controllers, colleagues and other technical staff.

(b)Emphasis should be placed on listening comprehension, speaking interaction and vocabulary building.

LANGUAGE TRAINING A purely routine use of the language through phraseology, standard procedures and limited social contact only maintains a restricted core usage of the language which might be inadequate for managing unexpected and abnormal situations. Language proficiency erosion (language attrition) occurs rapidly over time; the lower the initial level, the faster the rate of erosion unless systematic strategies and a high degree of motivation counteract this trend. It is documented that one’s language and communicative proficiency, even in one’s native language, deteriorates sharply under stress; therefore, participation in available language training is recommended.

SAFETY ASSESSMENT WHEN PROFFICIENCY IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS NOT DEMONSTRATED The safety assessment required by point (g) of ADR.OPS.B.029 should be conducted prior to the issuance of a formal decision of a Member State not to require the demonstration of language proficiency in the English language by vehicle drivers. The safety assessment of the impact of not demonstrating language proficiency in the English language should be conducted in an independent, impartial and comprehensive manner and should, in particular, take into account the following:

(a)the opinion of the competent authorities for aerodromes and the air navigation services providers in the Member State, including results of relevant oversight activities, for each aerodrome concerned;

(b)the opinion of the aerodrome operators and the air navigation services providers concerned, including the results of relevant safety assessments conducted by the organisations concerned in the context of their management systems with regard to runway incursion prevention;

(c)the opinion of the local runway safety team established at each aerodrome;

(d)the aerodrome design, and operating conditions of each aerodrome concerned, including the number of frequencies used in the manoeuvring area;

(e)the traffic structure (national, international) of each individual aerodrome, including seasonal traffic peaks;

(f)any relevant occurrence reports, at least at EU level. For this purpose, the European Central Repository referred to in Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 should also be consulted; and The assessment should be made publicly available and should be reviewed regularly.