INVESTIGATING ENGLISH FOR AVIATION: AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF AVIATION ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS

Abstract

The purpose of this research study was to conduct an in-depth analysis and compare three popular aviation English textbooks that are used in the training of pilots and air traffic controllers. Additionally, it also aimed to investigate the pedagogical principles underpinning each of the three textbooks. The three selected textbooks were published by three internationally renowned publishers and were chosen because they are widely used in aviation training schools and made as main references. This research study adopted a content analysis method by employing a three-level analysis framework as suggested by (Littlejohn 2011). In addition, Ellis’s (2005) list of ten instructed language learning principles were referred to draw conclusions regarding the pedagogical principles underpinning of the three textbooks. The findings suggested that Textbook 3 was the most favourable, Textbook 1 was the second most favourable, and Textbook 2 was the least favourable. Textbook 3 was found to promote more language initiations, more higher order mental operations, more interactions, more authentic inputs, and more opportunities for output productions than Textbooks 1 and 2.