Pedagogical Approaches to Aviation English in Higher Education: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This systematic review examines the pedagogical aspects of Aviation English in terms of how well teaching methods are assessed to meet real-world communication needs derived from the aviation industry. Seventy publications were identified using relevant databases following the PRISMA guidelines, of which 13 were selected for further detailed analysis. These content-based teachings included task-based, corpus-driven, simulation, and multimodal navigation. Almost unanimously, the theme was cultural skills, dealing with cognitive overload, and ensuring that learning is applicable to the real world of aviation. A large gap was also found between the way language skills are evaluated, as compiled in an ICAO standard, and the specific communicative demands of aviation industry professionals. While the implications of using technology in teaching and developing an inclusive cultural learning experience are encouraging, they have not been fully-explored. The findings point to a compromise between addressing variation and utilizing precise natural language to increase efficiency and safety. Educators, academics, and industry partners should work together to develop structured syllabi using applicable research in language learning and human cognition, along with applied knowledge in aviation training. The change will create a more realistic model of the type of communication challenges millennial aviation professionals are likely going to experience.