The LPE test.

(Language Proficiency Endorsement)

The exam covers the following items:

• Fluency

• Listening Comprehension

• Interaction

• Vocabulary

• Pronunciation

• Structure

The fluency item.

The core of the exam is the fluency item. Here the candidate’s ability to cope with a situation where standard RT procedures fall short is best put to the test. The candidate is confronted with 30 aviation related situations where he/she has to formulate accurate, precise and to the point sentences.

The listening comprehension item.

In a multiple choice setting the candidate has to choose the sentence he/she hears via the c.d. In total he/she hears 40 sentences. The sentences are not RT, but obviously they’re all aviation related. Each sentence has three possible answers. Not only listening skills are tested here, the candidate also has to comprehend the information to come up with the correct answer. All correct answers are in correct English and make sense in an aviation surrounding.

The interaction item.

Based on information in “NOTAMS”, selected for this purpose, the examiner and the candidate have a conversation whereby the candidate has to show that he/she understands the information and can explain appropriate action and/or the consequences for his/her flight.

The vocabulary/idioms item.

Based on 10 pictures and/or descriptions the candidate has to come up with the correct word, idiom or definition.

Background of the LPE test.

The Manual on the Implementation of ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements ( document 9835 ) states the need for the assessment of Aviation English complementary to Radiotelephony communications.
The Acklish TJJ LPE test has been developed to that effect.

General information on the exam

The four parts of the exam are not interrelated, i.e. that knowledge from one part is not needed to be able to perform another part; in other words never in one part can be referred to information from another part. Consequently there is no fixed order of examination parts.
A standard order does exist though: Listening / Fluency / Vocabulary / Interaction.
This order however is not compulsory.

Between the examination of the several parts there can be a pause of a few minutes. Visiting the toilet for instance is no problem since asking other candidates ( who might be in a waiting room ) for information is pointless. 

The items Fluency, Vocabulary and Interaction are directly recorded and stored in a computer file.
The assessment of the answers is immediate.

Pronunciation and Structure.

Although the appreciation of the items “Pronunciation” and “Structure” is also integrated in the Fluency, Vocabulary and Interaction items the candidate is also rewarded points following the A8 table as found in the ICAO document 9835.

At the end of the test a computer program instantly calculates the total score and the attained level is immediately presented.
This means that the candidate knows his/her result directly after the exam!

The total costs of the exam are € 165.

Although taking an exam is a serious business Acklish TJJ tries to create a relaxed atmosphere in which you can demonstrate your skills. Our first aim is not to find mistakes, nor to try to trick you, but to create a setting where you can show that you are able to express yourself in English.

A candidate can take a pre-test (€ 75).
In general people in The Netherlands immediately go up for the real exam.

Identification check of the candidates.

Legal Documents
In order to verify the identity of the candidate he/she has to produce an official document, be it a passport, an ID card or a driver’s license. A copy of this document is made before the exam and is afterwards enclosed with the other exam documents.

Fraud Prevention
The setting of the exam is such that telling ‘the next candidate’ some questions is pointless since that candidate will not get the same questions as the previous candidate nor the one before him. The vast majority of the exam is an oral exam. Holding on to exam material and handing it to a next person is therefore impossible. The only written part is the Listening Comprehension item and that material has to be handed in, in order to be assessed. Copying the possible answers is forbidden and moreover hardly feasible because of the limited time frame for the questions in this exam item. ( 11 seconds to read the answers and choose an answer does not leave sufficient time to copy the 3 sentences that make up the answer. ) On top of that also in the Listening Comprehension section the next candidate will not receive the same questions as the previous one.

The ICAO Language Proficiency Rating Scale
The Acklish TJJ LPE test is based on and complies with the `ICAO Language Proficiency Rating Scale`  ( Attachment to Annex 1 ) specifically the part ` Manual on the Implementation of ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements` part III, pages A-10, A-11, A-12, A-13 and A-14, as well as the information on the Expert, Extended and Operational Levels ( Appendix A-8 and A-9 ) whereas the Fluency and Listening Comprehension items focus on and are in accordance with Appendix B `Aviation Language` Part I, Communicative Language functions, Events, Domains and Tasks associated with Aviation, pages B-1, B-2, B-3 and B-4, next to Part II, Events and Domains, pages B-5, B-6, B-7, B-8 and B-9.

Restrictions for the candidate
• The candidate is not allowed to bring any copying devise – other than a pen - into the exam room
• The candidate is not allowed to bring a telephone into the exam room.
• The candidate is not allowed to use any means of external aid ( e.g. dictionaries, guides, laptop, notes, etc. )
• The candidate is not allowed to confer with other people who might be in the exam room, e.g. another examiner present because of monitor’s purposes