Job Discussion Forums

[DirtGuy]

I just got told I will have one or two conversation classes made up entirely of aviation majors in the fall. My boss thinks one class may be all freshmen and the other class all seniors. The sum total of my instructions is to get them talking! No books or other materials at this time but the boss told me to see what was available. Not happy with such an unfocused approach and I'd like them to get more aviation-oriented English from the course.

My question to everyone is have you ever taught such a course? If so, can you give me some direction and suggest possible materials to use? I plan to buy the new Patrick Smith book, "Cockpit Confidential" but I don't think this will be enough.

If you want a great blog, check out askthepilot.com.

Thanks.

DirtGuy

[Harbin]

[DirtGuy]

I asked my boss to talk to the director of the aviation program as to what he would like his students to be able to do. His response was to thank me for my concern and enthusiasm and then told me to just get them speaking English. Wow. I guess I will put together my own program and just wing it. No pun intended.

DG

[Harbin]

I currently work from Aviation English for ICAO Compliance by Henry Emery and Andy Roberts. The book has plenty of activities that will be right up your alley. The activities include communicative activities were ATC helps a lost pilot use visual navigation to find a nearby air strip, conversation topics about flight control systems, etc.

If your students are a decent intermediate level, you could make a good conversation course from this book, but you will need to pre-teach them the aviation specific vocabulary.