Aviation instructors from Indonesia visit RMIT English Worldwide

Aviation instructors from Indonesia visit RMIT English Worldwide

During May, 16 Aviation instructors from Sekolah Tinggi Penerbangan Indonesia (STPI) visited Melbourne to complete their Altitude, Aviation English course.

The STPI group, was comprised of personnel from air traffic control, safety, management and maintenance, instruct trainee cadets and other professionals that are starting a career in aviation. STPI is part of the Indonesian Civil Aviation Institute, which sits under the Ministry of Transportation.  

Participants completed units 5 and 6 from the RMIT Training course after commencing Altitude in 2017 in Indonesia. The earlier units were delivered by two other language educators who travelled to Indonesia to deliver the course. 

One of the key benefits of the course is that it can be delivered anywhere and in units to fit with the professional development schedule of the organisation. It is also relevant to different fields within aviation and delivers practical communication skills that can be applied on the job immediately.  

This final part of the course was delivered by Chrisoula Simos, an RMIT Training Language Educator based in Melbourne. Ms Simos commented how highly motivated the instructors were and how responsive they were to group work.  

“They contributed to discussions with their own specialised knowledge of their respective subjects, enriching the overall classroom experience,” Ms Simos said.  

“There was a wonderful sense of camaraderie from the group. I’m sure the knowledge and experience gained will reap long term benefits in their careers and when training other aviation personnel.” 

Unlike other aviation courses, Altitude is not only set in relevant work-related contexts but also includes highly interactive learning activities. Each unit has four themes and each theme has three one-hour lessons.  

The lessons covered in these units focussed on services and facilities, conflict resolution, flight training, safety procedures, aviation communication, workplace conditions, extreme weather and career goals.   

Course participants commented on how much they enjoyed learning about teaching methodology as well as the course content. Emilia Rahajeng Larasati, an Air Traffic Controller Instructor, shared her experience.  

“The course has been very useful for me as an international lecturer because we learnt almost everything, like teaching methods and techniques—even public speaking,” she said. 

“The important thing for me was learning how to deliver our teaching content and materials to students in a more interesting way. I loved it, it’s been very worthwhile.”  

As well as focussing on English language, the course also provides opportunities for participants to practise their teaching. 

On the last day of the course, participants delivered a 20-minute practice session to their peers, where they readily demonstrated the communicative methodology they had been taught and confirmed how easy it is to transfer these skills into their own teaching. 

During their time in Melbourne, the group visited industry sites including Aeronautical Engineering at RMIT’s Bundoora campus, the RMIT Flight Training Centre in Point Cook and Air Services Australia Air Traffic Control at Tullamarine Airport. 

STPI aims to have an English speaking campus with an internationalised curriculum that attracts students from outside Indonesia in the future.  

RMIT Training helps organisations meet their English language professional development needs through Altitude and other aviation-specific training products.  

RMIT flight school students with a large airplane
18 June 2018

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RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.