So now that I'm kind of starting to look around for a CFI job, I've been freaking out about getting international students who don't speak good english. I couldn't imagine spending hours and hours with someone trying to teach them how to fly if you can't even understand each other.

For those of you who have taught non-english speaking students, is it really that bad?

If so, what kind of schools are more apt to have those kind of students, and which ones aren't?

 

Certain schools, usually the ones which serve numerous foriegn students, may push the envelope on english-as-a-second language. Unfortunately the legal determination on english proficiency is made by the AME! Schools which want to push the issue know which Docs to send their students to

I worked at school which did mostly JAA (European) students...they had no problem with english because JAA standards are high and europeans tend to study english in school anyway.

The few students I had (non-european) who had english troubles could usually understand what I was trying to say...the real problem was understanding ATC, and trying to talk on the radio.

The spanish speakers need to watch ENGLISH television, not Telemundo. It's to easy to be in the US but still be immersed in a spanish-language environment. Once you get that point across their english picks up nicely.

 

But the girls at telemundo are so fun to watch ...

Normally the big pilot factories have the highest amount of foreign students, than your local fbo. rickair is correct with europeans being more exposed to english than any other continent, normally I see asians then hispanics having a hard time at first. Is not that they dont understand, Is them trying to get the message across that is problematic for a non-native and ATC doesnt help either, they talk at the speed of light... English is not my first language, I learned it when I was 12 and being spanish I took me about a year to fully master it, and 3 to get rid of my accent to fully blend in, but it sometimes comes up on certain words ... But mcartier isnt that part of being a CFI having Patience.

 

... don't get all moral on me here... lol... yeah i know i just think it would be so frustrating.

 

I've taught many students who didn't speak good English. One of my students who was from Saudi Arabia was really really bad. I asked him what his name was and his response was, "I'm here to be a pilot". He probably knew English but never spoke it, so naturally it took about 80 hours to get his Private Pilot certificate. Instrument training was fun especially when training around Orlando during peak hours.

As for students, it hurts them to form groups that speak their native language and not English. The best way to get over the language barrier is to be around English, i.e. TV, news, music, friends who speak English or a handheld aviation scanner.

I speak 5 languages, and have trained over 30 students who spoke German, French, Hindi, Italian, Spanish and Arabic. It was an interesting experience, but nothing that I'd worry about while getting a job as a CFI. Teaching students who speak English is easy, when you add the language barrier teching becomes a challenge. Good luck with your job hunt!

 

I have had instructors who have taught international students (from China specifically) who said that being concise, not using slang and being ready to jump on the radio (at least intially) are the ways to deal with them.

 

I had a student from China, and it was a struggle to say the least. I was using very simplified English, but I always felt as though I were not getting through to him. For example, I would ask "what's the difference between Vx and Vy" and he would say "yes." I tried very hard, and so did he, but he really needed to learn English better before starting flight training. It is just like the fact that although I took 4 years of Spanish, I wouldn't go to Spain to learn how to fly an airplane before I learned the language better.

This is pretty much the worst case scenario. He realized he needed to learn English, and he left the school to do so.

 

People from Asia are culturally taught to say "yes" to just about anything, at least initially. They are acknowledging that you are speaking to them and not answering your question. I went to college, graduate school and law school with many non-English speakers or LEPs (limited English proficiency) or people whose first language is not English. They all said "yes" whenever I spoke to them. After we got over this, then we had real conversations. I recall an incident when I took an elderly Chinese client to immigration. The security guard asked her if she had a gun or knife on her. She said "yes." So the guard, being rather stupid, frisked her and rooted around her handbag. I was infuriated. How asinine can he be?

A good teacher, whether you are teaching someone to fly or teaching them law, recognizes his own limitations and those of his students. If it's obvious that the student's English abilities are not up to par, the best thing is to tell him so and suggest he improve them before coming back to flight lessons. Many of them actually do quite well when it comes to "technical" stuff; they just have difficulty with conversation.

Understanding all this, a little empathy and putting yourself in their shoes can go a long way. We all know learning to fly is not easy and not cheap. For someone to come halfway around the world to do this says something about his motivation and passion.

 

I agree, most of the Japanese students I have worked with always say "yes" to every question you ask them. Its kinda funny when you ask them something you know they won't have the answer to.

Still, it takes a great deal of patience, pointing, drawing and empathy. If you are lucky the flight school will send them to ESL class before training.

 

I taught only Chinese students. The students sent over by the companies had "Good" English. Some were very good and others were awful!!! Repeated ESL classes and still didn't understand anything.
As others have said, You will hear Yes too many times.
Also flying with these students is mentally draining.Saying things 3 different ways so they would understand. After 6 hours in a plane with primary students, all I did was go home and go to sleep. Always watch them. I saw more crap happen with bad landings in Instrument and Multi.
Lots of hours is the plus. They have ground schools and ESL. I didn't have to teach those, just fly.