An evaluation of ESP textbook “Aviation English for ICAO compliance” for air traffic controller students at Vietnam Aviation Academy

This research aims to evaluate an ESP textbook entitled Aviation English for ICAO Compliance published by Macmillan 2008. It is designed based on the ESP approach for ATC students who will become air traffic controllers in the future. The textbook takes learners to level 4 of the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), which is approximately A2-B1 level and minimum language standard for all pilots and air traffic controllers from March 2008.
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An evaluation of ESP textbook “Aviation English for ICAO compliance” for air traffic controller students at Vietnam Aviation AcademyAN EVALUATION OF ESP TEXTBOOK “AVIATION ENGLISH FOR ICAO COMPLIANCE” FOR AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER STUDENTS AT VIETNAM AVIATION ACADEMY Do Thi Thanh Truc1,2*, Nguyen Thi Kieu Thu3 1 Institute of Postgraduate Studies, HUTECH University. 2 Faculty of Business Administration, Vietnam Aviation Academy. 3 Faculty of English Language, HUTECH University. *Corresponding author, Email: trucdtt@vaa.edu.vn. ABSTRACTThe importance of textbooks in language teaching and language learning is undeniable. Due tothe significance of English language teaching to Vietnam air traffic controllers, the present studyis to shed more light on the importance of an ESP (English for Specific Purposes) textbook. Itspurpose is to evaluate the textbook in the field of aviation currently in use at Vietnam AviationAcademy called Aviation English for ICAO Compliance (International Civil AviationOrganization). To collect data about the students perspectives toward the textbook, the studyemploys a questionnaire which is based on Bardi’s criteria (2013) in evaluating the textbook.The questionnaire asks about (1) the students’ needs, (2) the learning process, (3) thecommunication skills and strategies, (4) grammar; (5) tasks and activities, (6) the authenticity ofthe texts, and (7) the authenticity of tasks and learning strategies. Results show that “Type ofSyllabus‖ and ―Identification of Students’ Needs‖, ―Integrating Meaning and Form in the Studyof Grammar‖, and ―Authenticity of Texts, Authenticity of Tasks, Development of LearningStrategies‖ are variables that are highly appreciated by the participants for their effectiveness forlearners. Participants have not highly appreciated the following variables: Participation in thelearning process, Communication Skills and Strategies, and Types and Range of Learning Tasksand Activities. Despite some weaknesses, the textbook can satisfy the objectives of studentsstudying to be air traffic controllers.Keywords: air traffic controllers; Aviation English for ICAO; English for specific purposes(ESP); textbook evaluation.1. Introduction The impetus of ICAO English language proficiency requirements stemmed from the factthat many aircraft incidents and accidents have occurred due to language inaccuracies andmisunderstandings between pilots and ATCOs (Barbieri, 2015). Textbooks have become one ofthe obligatory materials supporting the teaching and learning of the language. It is believed thatEnglish plays a paramount role in society, so the number of English-teaching textbooks for salehas been increasing to meet the users’ needs. This makes it a challenge to select a good textbook.Besides, textbooks are designed for different contexts or different audiences, like English as aSecond Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) situations. This has made itdifficult for teachers to choose an appropriate textbook. These textbooks are consumed by lots oflearners, but to know if their quality is suitable and good for the learners or not. In particular,teachers who have little or no teaching experience in language teaching or even experiencedteachers might find selecting a suitable textbook challenging. According to Ellis (1997), atextbook evaluation would assist teachers in honing their skills and advancing their careers.582Additionally, he contends that textbook evaluation aids educators in moving beyondimpressionistic assessments and in gaining practical, precise, systematic, and contextualunderstandings of the general character of the textbook and subject matter. Therefore, howeducators and teachers select a good textbook for students drives a trend known as textbookevaluation. Tomlinson (2005) argues that textbook evaluation has become a new trend in theprocess of language learning and teaching. It is worth spending much time taking into account thequality of the textbook in a procedural way so that teachers can choose an appropriate textbookfor students. Thus, Litz (2005) draws the conclusion that textbook evaluation is a particularlyvaluable way to perform action research as well as a way to empower and improve professionals.To have the expected results is evaluating a textbook, the evaluators will survey the users’perspectives. In the field of aviation, effective communication is paramount in ensuring the safety andefficiency of air traffic control operations. The development and implementation of an Englishfor Specific Purposes (ESP) textbook tailored to the unique needs of air traffic controller (ATC)trainees at the Vietnam Aviation Academy (VAA) is a critical undertaking. However, there existsa significant gap in understanding the specific linguistic and communicative requirements ofthese trainees within the context of their future roles as air traffic controllers. The core problem is the absence of a well-defined and systematically designed ESPtextbook that takes into account the linguistic, communicative, and domain-specific needs ofATC students at the VAA. This gap not only hampers the overall effectiveness of languageinstruction but also has the potential to compromise the safety and efficiency of future air trafficcontrol operations. This research aims to evaluate an ESP textbook entitled Aviation English for ICAOCompliance published by Macmillan 2008. It is designed based on the ESP approach for ATCstudents who will become air traffic controllers in the future. The textbook takes learners to level4 of the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), which is approximately A2 - B1 le ...