TY - JOUR
T1 - Enhancing aviation English competency
T2 - A simulation-based approach for aspiring pilots
AU - Demirdöken, Gökhan
AU - Atay, Derin
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2024/10
Y1 - 2024/10
N2 - Aviation English (AE) represents a noteworthy area of investigation within the realm of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), aimed at fostering English language competency among aspiring pilots. In this study, a simulation-based aviation English course was designed and implemented for improved learning gains. The present study took place at a tertiary educational institution, focusing on the analysis of AE vocabulary development, the readback performance of student pilots, and the examination of participants' perceptions of simulation-based training. Employing a mixed-methods sequential explanatory research design, data were gathered from 21 ab-initio pilots enrolled in the Pilotage Training program. The quantitative results showed that participants significantly improved their readback performance and AE vocabulary knowledge over the course of a semester. With regard to the qualitative results, student pilots overall perceived the simulation-based training as an innovative and effective method. The present study, therefore, constitutes a notable advancement in the AE research domain by documenting, for the first time, the application of simulation-based training in the aviation context. Moreover, the study offers insights into the implications for ESP practitioners and stakeholders in the aviation sector, along with recommendations for future research, which are delineated in the study's conclusion.
AB - Aviation English (AE) represents a noteworthy area of investigation within the realm of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), aimed at fostering English language competency among aspiring pilots. In this study, a simulation-based aviation English course was designed and implemented for improved learning gains. The present study took place at a tertiary educational institution, focusing on the analysis of AE vocabulary development, the readback performance of student pilots, and the examination of participants' perceptions of simulation-based training. Employing a mixed-methods sequential explanatory research design, data were gathered from 21 ab-initio pilots enrolled in the Pilotage Training program. The quantitative results showed that participants significantly improved their readback performance and AE vocabulary knowledge over the course of a semester. With regard to the qualitative results, student pilots overall perceived the simulation-based training as an innovative and effective method. The present study, therefore, constitutes a notable advancement in the AE research domain by documenting, for the first time, the application of simulation-based training in the aviation context. Moreover, the study offers insights into the implications for ESP practitioners and stakeholders in the aviation sector, along with recommendations for future research, which are delineated in the study's conclusion.
KW - Aviation English
KW - English for specific purposes
KW - Readback performance
KW - Simulation
KW - Vocabulary knowledge
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85202929281&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.esp.2024.08.001
DO - 10.1016/j.esp.2024.08.001
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85202929281
SN - 0889-4906
VL - 76
SP - 106
EP - 121
JO - English for Specific Purposes
JF - English for Specific Purposes
ER -