Washback in language for professional purposes testing: A case of pilot-air traffic controller radiotelephony communication

Washback studies on language tests for professional purposes (LPP) are surprisingly scarce. A notable exception is the small number of impact studies of the Occupational English Test (OET), which assesses the English proficiency of overseas-trained healthcare professionals. This chapter points to the fact that existing tests for professional purposes tend to focus on reflecting the construct of communicative settings in real life by drawing on the perceptions of domain experts and other stakeholders. It then moves on to the main focus of the chapter: tests for pilot and air traffic controller radiotelephony communication, mandated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) through its adopted proficiency testing policy. The main emphasis is on discussing the detrimental aspects – construct under-representation and construct irrelevant variance – that are inherent in the construct of the ICAO’s proficiency requirements, which could potentially hinder positive washback in learning and teaching. The chapter concludes with directions for achieving broader positive impact and, consequently, positive washback.