EALT Test of Listening

General description

The EALT Test of Listening is an adaptive, internet-mediated test of aural comprehension in the context of aeronautical communications.

The EALT Test of Listening assesses a candidate’s comprehension across a range of aeronautical communications in both routine and non-routine situations. There are versions for flight crew and air traffic controllers, with further distinct adaptations: pilots of fixed-wing heavy aircraft; pilots of fixed-wing light aircraft; pilots of rotary-wing heavy aircraft; pilots of rotary-wing light aircraft; ground and tower controllers; approach controllers; and, en route controllers. These should be seen as adaptations in the interest of the comfort of the test-taker, not as specialised tests of distinct varieties of language proficiency. 1

The recordings used in the EALT Test of Listening range from short standard transmissions to longer communications and are a combination of simulated and authentic radio-telephone and telephone communications concerning routine and non-routine events (both emergency and non-emergency). As is appropriate in the concise use of language within these contexts, the communications contain a considered balance of phraseology and plain English, a high information content and little verbal redundancy.

Candidates are assessed on the demonstration of their comprehension of the communications they hear.

Duration and format

The EALT Test of Listening lasts approximately 40 minutes. The candidates hear a total of 25 recordings in a maximum of 5 sections.

The EALT Test of Listening is delivered via a secure web-server through headphones with a computer screen interface. The test instructions and details of airspace references are presented to the candidates in writing before the start of the test.

The recordings are of aeronautical communications. 2 The communications (monologues and exchanges) range in their linguistic complexity and feature a variety of English accents (both native and non-native speaker). Consistent with the requirements for comprehension proficiency as described in the ICAO Language Proficiency Rating Scale, the comprehension proficiency requirements of the test items become progressively more complex until a consistent level of ability is identified and recorded. The recordings and the language they contain have been prepared for a specialist audience. 3

The test is an adaptive test of comprehension, where the order of recordings heard by the candidate is randomised by the inclusion of a complex series of branching scenarios that enable the assessment to adapt, presenting recordings to the candidates based on that candidate’s comprehension of previous recordings.

Dependent upon an individual candidate’s performance, that candidate may be presented with up to a maximum of five sections during of the test. Each consecutive section contains recordings requiring the candidate to understand language of increasing complexity and respond to an increasing number of comprehension check statements. The recordings and statements in each of the different sections assess the candidate’s aural comprehension at a specific level in accordance with the ICAO Language Proficiency Rating Scale allowing the assessment of comprehension to be made across the six levels of the Scale.

A candidate’s progress through the test is dependent upon the responses given to the comprehension check statements.

This adaptive testing system ensures that not two candidates will receive the same test and that no candidate will receive the same test twice. Additionally, candidates will at no time be presented with communications that are far in advance their level of comprehension. The candidates remain engaged in the listening test and continue being assessed up to the upper limits of their aural comprehension for the full duration of the test.

Task type

The single task type is the identification of factual details or information contained in the communication.

Candidates are required to indicate their understanding of details and information contained in the communication by the selection of the appropriate on-screen radio button from a range of multi-choice options provided following an aural prompt in the form of a comprehension check statement. The range provided is the same for every statement: AFFIRM, NEGATIVE and NOT STATED. Additionally, the candidates may select a SAY AGAIN option. Candidates select their response by the movement of an on-screen cursor. The comprehension check statements are not presented to the candidate in written form at any time and typing is required of the candidate.

Marking and assessment

Credit is awarded for each correct response to the comprehension check statements.

A candidate’s final rating in the EALT Test of Listening is based on the number of recordings for which all the comprehension check statements for the identification of details or information have been responded to correctly. Care should be taken by candidates when selecting the intended response.

Although the EALT Test of Listening is a specific listening activity with individual test items, the assessment of comprehension to which it contributes is not to the detriment of the assessment of interaction. The EALT Test of Listening measures the candidate’s ability to understand but not to respond; the communication is ‘one-way’, and the candidate is not required to ‘participate’ in as may normally be required in a conversation or exchange. Hence, a candidate’s performance in the EALT Test of Listening is only one of two assessments of comprehension made during the EALT. A further assessment of the candidate’s ability to understand as demonstrated by the appropriateness of subsequent interaction (the speak and understand requirement), is made by a minimum of four assessors in the EALT Test of Speaking. The final rating achieved by a candidate for comprehension may be seen as a combination of these multiple complementary assessments. 4

1 c.f. ICAO Cir 318-AN/180 Ch.2 Test Administration and Security 4.2.2

2 The EALT Test of Listening replicates radiotelephony communications in order to elicit evidence of aural comprehension in relation to topics that may occur in such communications. These topics are of a general piloting or controlling nature.

3 c.f. ICAO Cir 318-AN/180 Ch.1 Introduction to Language Testing 3.6-3.9

4 C.f. ICAO Doc 9835 Ch.2 ICAO SARPs concerning Language Proficiency Requirements 2.8 and ICAO Cir 318-AN/180 Ch.2 Test Design and Construct 1.1.5