The CAA International ICAO ELSA

English for Aviation language assessment for native or near-native speakers

Where appropriate, ICAO requires the appropriate and documented demonstration of Expert Level 6 language proficiency as an element of the formal process that leads toward the issuance of a pilot or an air traffic controller licence of native or near-native speakers of English. 1

The CAAi ICAO Expert Level Six Assessment (ICAO ELSA) is an ICAO compliant means of evaluating and confirming ICAO Expert Level 6 native or near-native English speaker language proficiency.

The ICAO ELSA allows trained and certified language evaluators to assess aviation operational personnel and trainees against the criteria contained in the ICAO Language Proficiency Rating Scale and ICAO Holistic Descriptors of operational language proficiency in compliance with the ICAO SARPs. These language evaluators can be drawn from within an organisation (regulator, aircraft operator, air navigation service provider, flight training academy, ATC training academy) or from outside an organisation (language training institution). 2

With the language proficiency of these native or near-native speakers relatively assured (i.e. safely beyond that of ICAO Operational Level 4) the ICAO ELSA has been designed as a non-intrusive assessment of language proficiency that does not require participants to undertake a formal examination. The ICAO ELSA is more a language assessment event than a test and allows for the assessment of language proficiency while participants interact in the typical communications required in their normal aviation-related tasks or training activities, making it only minimally disruptive to work or training schedules.

ICAO ELSA evaluators observe participants and determine if proficiency elements contained in an ICAO compliant language proficiency checklist have been satisfied to allow confirmation of ICAO Expert Level 6 competency. Supplementary tasks are provided in circumstances where additional evidence of language performance may be required.

The outcome of a successful ICAO Expert Level 6 evaluation is that no further demonstration of language proficiency will be required throughout a career. In cases where the ELSA is unable to confirm a candidate’s proficiency at ICAO Expert Level 6, that candidate may either be referred for remedial training prior to a second application of the ICAO ELSA, or referred to the CAAi EALT. 3

1 c.f. ICAO Doc 9835 Ch.5 Compliance with Language Proficiency Requirements 5.3

2 c.f. ICAO Cir 318-AN/180 Ch.1 Aviation-Specific Language Testing Issues (4.2.2): Monolingual native (L1) speakers of the language should be considered as “probable expert speakers.” However, probable expert speakers may also include multilingual speakers who include the language as one of their “native” languages, and foreign-language speakers who have acquired a high level proficiency. A test-taker who is tentatively considered to be a Level 6 speaker of the language may be evaluated through informal assessments.

3 Further information on the CAA International ICAO ELSA, is available through the EALTS website.