A BLENDED LEARNING COURSE TO DEVELOP ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION FOR ICAO LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TEST
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Abstract
English communication plays a crucial role in aviation safety, particularly in interactions between pilots and air traffic controllers, where English serves as the international lingua franca. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has established English language proficiency requirements for aviation personnel, in which accurate pronunciation is a key component. However, Thai learners often encounter difficulties in English pronunciation due to differences between the Thai and English sound systems. These difficulties may affect speech intelligibility and potentially impact communication safety in aviation contexts. The purpose of this study was to develop a Blended Learning course aimed at improving English pronunciation in an aviation context. The learning model integrated classroom instruction with self-directed online learning activities. The sample group consisted of 20 students from the Air Traffic Control (ATC) program. Research instruments included pre-test and post-test assessments based on ICAO pronunciation evaluation criteria and a learning behavior observation form. Quantitative data were analyzed using a paired-samples t-test, while qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The results indicated that students’ English pronunciation scores after the intervention were significantly higher than their pre-test scores at the .05 level of significance. The mean post-test score showed a clear improvement compared to the pre-test score. In addition, students demonstrated more active learning behaviors, such as practicing pronunciation and actively participating in communication-based activities. The findings suggest that the blended learning approach can effectively enhance pronunciation accuracy and speech intelligibility in aviation communication contexts. The developed course may also be applied to support English language development for aviation students and professionals.
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References
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