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5 Test Purpose
There are a number of different purposes for administering a test. Test ‘purpose’
influences the test development process. Some common language test types, related
to test purpose, include the following, with brief descriptions:
• Diagnostic............ To identify strengths and weaknesses; assess gaps.
• Placement ........... For placement into a tiered training program
• Progress .............. To measure learning progress
• Achievement........ To measure overall learning
• Aptitude ............... To assess ability to learn a new skill or knowledge set
• Proficiency ......... To evaluate overall ability against a set of criteria
The ICAO Language Proficiency SARPS require proficiency testing. Proficiency
testing is different from progress or achievement tests in that proficiency tests do not
correspond directly to a learning curriculum. That is, it should not be possible to
directly prepare, or study, (by memorizing information, for example) for a
proficiency test. Proficiency tests require the test candidate to demonstrate their
ability to do something, rather than simply measure how much of a quantifiable set
of curriculum learning objectives
Proficiency testing is used to establish the competence of a candidate to exercise
language skills in operational conditions. A working definition of a proficiency test,
in our context, then, can be described as
• a set of structure events or procedures designed to elicit performances
• as samples of a candidate’s language skills in a standardized way,
• to enable reliable inferences to be made concerning his or her level of
competence,
• with the possibility of reproducing those skills at that level of competence
consistently over time. i
6 Test Characteristics
After determining the testing purpose, there are a number of test development
decisions which can be established, concerning focus, delivery, method, task, and
content.
AES Draft Detailed Outline
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• Focus
Speaking and Listening
Reading or Writing
• Test Delivery Method
Direct
Semi-direct
• Test Task
Interview/Discussion
Role-play
Simulation
Questions/Answers
Discrete point items
• Test Content
Radiotelephony
Plain aviation language
6.1 Language Focus
Language proficiency testing evaluates a candidates ability to use the language, to either
speak it, understand it, write it, or read it. In the case of the ICAO Standards, candidates are
required to demonstrate their speaking and listening proficiency.
6.2 Delivery
Speaking and listening proficiency can be assessed directly—through a direct interaction
between the candidate and the assessor—or through semi-direct testing, in which test
questions, or prompts, are pre-recorded and candidates record their responses individually,
via a simple recording or computer-assisted.
Research shows that both direct and semi-direct test methods produce reliable results.
However, the ICAO SARPS require the assessment of Interactions, which until now seems
to require live, direct candidate-to-tester interaction.
Outside of the issue of Interactions, each test delivery method has a unique set of advantages
and disadvantages.
Advantages Disadvantages
Direct • Ease of development
• Provides direct interactions
• Difficult to administer
Semi-direct • Easier to administer (able to administer
to large numbers simultaneously)
• More difficult to develop
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6.3 Test tasks and Content
There are any number of test tasks or prompt types which can be used to elicit speech
samples. In general, tasks which resemble real-life activities are most suitable. In the case of
aviation English testing, however, the ICAO SARPS require not only proficiency in the use
of the English (phraseology and plain language) used for radiotelephony communications,
but also plain (aviation-related) English. It is important that any test elicit a range of speech
sample, not limited to radiotelephony communication tasks.
6.4 The Context II: ICAO Rating Scale and Holistic Descriptors
Many features of language tests for the aviation industry are bound by constraints imposed
by the ICAO Rating Scale and Holistic Descriptors. ‘
A description of some of those is found in Appendix B, an ICAO informational paper related
to language testing. A summary of key points, related to test content is summarized here.
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