Welcome to the 12th GEIA Seminar!
The Organizing Committee welcomes all GEIA members, researchers, and Aviation English professionals from all over the world to the 12th GEIA Seminar.
Hosted by the Department of Airspace Control – DECEA - in the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the in-person event offers an inspiring environment to exchange insights, experiences, and research findings across a wide range of aviation-related themes. What stands this edition apart is its strong emphasis on the synergy between technological innovation and the human dimension of aviation. Discussions will span critical areas—from cases of course and test design to the integration of AI and EdTech tools to aeronautical English teaching and assessment; from aviation language analysis to training and motivating for safety.
Our keynote speaker, Elizabeth Mathews from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, will open the seminar with an essential reminder: language is more than a medium—it is a human factor with direct implications for aviation safety.
From Monday to Wednesday, the event is open to the international community, all GEIA members and other interested parties. The program comprises 07workshops that promote hands-on activities to dig into relevant topics and skills. Additionally, there will be 09 oral presentations divided into 03 sessions, running through language awareness, case studies, motivational aspects, and interpersonal communication. The speakers, who come not only from Brazil but from all over the world (Asia, Europa, North and South America), invite us to reflect on how technology can enrich – not override – the irreplaceable value of human knowledge.
Thursday and Friday are reserved exclusively for the teacher development of aeronautical English instructors that serve the Brazilian Air Force. There will be 05 workshops tailored to their unique needs: practical activities for teaching pronunciation and grammar, game-based activities, error correction and actionable feedback. They will also receive some guidance on their important roles as Aeronautical English instructors. In the closing lecture, Valeria Silva de Oliveira will talk about teaching English for Navy professionals and discuss the similarities, differences and challenges of this military context in Brazil.
We are proud to promote this landmark event for the 12th year in a row, where global collaboration reinforces the shared goal of making aviation safer. Join us!
We are thankful to:
- DECEA (Brazilian Department of Airspace Control) and ICEA (Airspace Control Institute), for promoting the event.
- GEIA Organizing Committee for taking care of the countless tasks that made this event so special.
- All presenters who kindly shared their research and meaningful practices with us.
- GEIA members who are always so engaged and enthusiastic about our Seminar.
- The attendees: air traffic controllers, pilots, teachers, raters, researchers and all those who share the same love for English and Aviation.
Places are limited.
Registration closes on October, 3rd.
If you are not Brazilian and would like to attend the Seminar, please contact us as soon as possible. The Santos Dumont Complex is located in a military campus that requires some information to issue the permit that grants access to the premises.
Please fill in the form below and send it and a copy of the passport to 2S Stephanie (SDAD) stephaniesfr@decea.mil.br and geia.icea@fab.mil.br by October 3rd.
Alexandre Ribeiro Deliberador
Brazil
Aline Pacheco
Brazil
Amber Wang
Hong Kong
Ana Graziela T. de Mendonça
Brazil
Andy Mattingly
USA
Angela C. M. Garcia
Brazil
Beatriz Faria Aragão
Brazil
Chris Etwistle
England
Daniela Terenzi
Brazil
Danielle Sales
Brazil
Edelvais Caldeira
Brazil
Edy Gamarra
Peru
Eliane Nowinski
Brazil
Elida Maria Rodrigues
Brazil
Elizabeth Mathews
USA
Eric Friginal
Hong Kong
Fernanda Harrisberger
Brazil
Frederick Cheung
Hong Kong
Jennifer Roberts
USA
Juliana Santana
Brazil
Lucas Telles Gonçalves
Brazil
Mackarena Villarroel
Chile
Marcia Ferreira de Souza
Brazil
Marcos Rocha
Brazil
Marja Martins
Brazil
Natalia de Andrade
Brazil
Natália de Castro Guerreiro
Brazil
Neil Bullock
England
Patricia Tosqui Lucks
Brazil
Patrícia Tupinambá
Brazil
Paula Ribeiro e Souza
Brazil
Rafaela Araújo Jordão Rigaud Peixoto
Brazil
Rodrigo N. Campos
Brazil
Thiago Silva
Brazil
Valeria Silva de Oliveira
Brazil
Yanet Díaz
Chile
Book of Abstracts
Activity | Speakers | Room | |
---|---|---|---|
09:00 10:00 | Registration confirmation / Participants Identification
|
STD | |
10:00 10:30 | Opening and Proceedings GEIA 11 Launch
DECEA Authorities Cel Carlos Zica Patricia Tosqui Lucks
|
DECEA Authorities Cel Carlos Zica Patricia Tosqui Lucks | STD |
10:30 11:20 | Keynote Speaker Language as a Human Factor in Aviation - a new paradigm Elizabeth Mathews
|
Elizabeth Mathews | STD |
11:20 11:40 | Special Recognition to Elizabeth Mathews
Elizabeth Mathews Patricia Tosqui Lucks Aline Pacheco
|
Elizabeth Mathews Patricia Tosqui Lucks Aline Pacheco | STD |
11:40 11:50 | GEIA 12 Official Photo
|
STD | |
11:50 13:00 | Lunch Break
|
||
13:00 14:15 | Workshop 1 A Language as a Human Factor in Aviation (LHUFT): Applications in Aviation English Training Jennifer Roberts
|
Jennifer Roberts | STD |
13:00 14:15 | Workshop 2 B What are we really assessing? A practical approach to Aeronautical English Assessment Literacy Natalia de Andrade Natália de Castro Guerreiro Paula Ribeiro e Souza Beatriz Faria Aragão
|
Natalia de Andrade Natália de Castro Guerreiro Paula Ribeiro e Souza Beatriz Faria Aragão | I |
14:15 14:45 | Coffee Break
|
||
14:45 16:00 | Workshop 1 B Language as a Human Factor in Aviation (LHUFT): Applications in Aviation English Training Jennifer Roberts
|
Jennifer Roberts | STD |
14:45 16:00 | Workshop 2 A What are we really assessing? A practical approach to Aeronautical English Assessment Literacy Natalia de Andrade Natália de Castro Guerreiro Paula Ribeiro e Souza Beatriz Faria Aragão
|
Natalia de Andrade Natália de Castro Guerreiro Paula Ribeiro e Souza Beatriz Faria Aragão | I |
16:30 18:30 | Sunset Cocktail
|
I |
Activity | Speakers | Room | |
---|---|---|---|
08:00 11:45 | Session 1 - Aviation English Teaching: Course Design and New Technologies
|
||
08:00 08:30 | From Cockpit to Communication: Teaching Aviation English Through Immersive Flight Simulation
Alexandre Ribeiro Deliberador
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Alexandre Ribeiro Deliberador | STD |
08:30 09:00 | When “birds” need virtual air traffic control
Marcos Rocha
|
Marcos Rocha | STD |
09:00 09:30 | Aviation English Education in Hong Kong's Secondary Schools and University-Based Cadet Pilot Programs
Eric Friginal Frederick Cheung Chris Etwistle
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Eric Friginal Frederick Cheung Chris Etwistle | STD |
09:30 10:00 | Q&A Panel
|
STD | |
10:00 10:30 | Coffee Break
|
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10:30 11:45 | Workshop 3 A | B Exploring EdTech Tools for Aviation English Teaching Daniela Terenzi
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Daniela Terenzi | STD |
11:45 13:00 | Lunch Break
|
||
13:00 14:15 | Workshop 4 A Autopilot On? Teaching Students When to Rely on AI — and When Not To Thiago Silva Andy Mattingly
|
Thiago Silva Andy Mattingly | I |
13:00 14:15 | Workshop 5 B Aeronautical English listening tests: How could authenticity be increased? Angela C. M. Garcia Ana Graziela T. de Mendonça Rodrigo N. Campos
|
Angela C. M. Garcia Ana Graziela T. de Mendonça Rodrigo N. Campos | STD |
14:15 14:45 | Coffee Break
|
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14:45 16:00 | Workshop 4 B Autopilot On? Teaching Students When to Rely on AI — and When Not To Thiago Silva Andy Mattingly
|
Thiago Silva Andy Mattingly | I |
14:45 16:00 | Workshop 5 A Aeronautical English listening tests: How could authenticity be increased? Angela C. M. Garcia Ana Graziela T. de Mendonça Rodrigo N. Campos
|
Angela C. M. Garcia Ana Graziela T. de Mendonça Rodrigo N. Campos | STD |
19:00 22:00 | Gala Dinner
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Activity | Speakers | Room | |
---|---|---|---|
08:00 09:30 | Workshop 6 A Learning to listen – unwrapping appropriate listening activities for aviation English learners Neil Bullock
|
Neil Bullock | I |
08:00 09:30 | Workshop 7 B Tech-Enhanced Vocabulary Instruction: AI Tools for Aviation English Training Mackarena Villarroel Yanet Díaz
|
Mackarena Villarroel Yanet Díaz | STD |
09:30 10:00 | Coffee Break
|
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10:00 11:30 | Workshop 6 B Learning to listen – unwrapping appropriate listening activities for aviation English learners Neil Bullock
|
Neil Bullock | I |
10:00 11:30 | Workshop 7 A Tech-Enhanced Vocabulary Instruction: AI Tools for Aviation English Training Mackarena Villarroel Yanet Díaz
|
Mackarena Villarroel Yanet Díaz | STD |
11:30 13:00 | Lunch Break
|
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13:00 14:20 | Session 2 - Aviation Language Description and Analysis
|
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13:00 13:20 | A spoken learner corpus-based study of Brazilian ab initio air traffic controllers’ English language production with focus on pronunciation
Elida Maria Rodrigues
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Elida Maria Rodrigues | STD |
13:20 13:40 | Radiotelephony conflicts: a comparative analysis of impoliteness metadiscourse in YouTube video comments
Edelvais Caldeira
|
Edelvais Caldeira | STD |
13:40 14:00 | Proposal of a revised REDEMET glossary as an institutional specialized terminographic product
Rafaela Araújo Jordão Rigaud Peixoto
|
Rafaela Araújo Jordão Rigaud Peixoto | STD |
14:00 14:20 | Q&A Panel
|
STD | |
14:20 14:40 | Coffee Break
|
||
14:40 16:00 | Session 3 - Effective Communication, Safety and Motivation
|
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14:40 15:00 | From Text to Training: Understanding and Teaching Safety Discourse in Aircraft Maintenance Manuals
Eric Friginal Amber Wang
|
Eric Friginal Amber Wang | STD |
15:00 15:20 | Enhancing Aviation English Proficiency: The Role of Motivation and Continuous Training in Aviation Safety
Edy Gamarra
|
Edy Gamarra | STD |
15:20 15:40 | Motivational Aspects regarding learning Aeronautical English: we need to talk about it
Marja Martins
|
Marja Martins | STD |
15:40 16:00 | Q&A Panel
|
STD | |
16:00 16:20 | Event closure
Patricia Tosqui Lucks
|
Patricia Tosqui Lucks |
Book of Abstracts
Activity | Speakers | Room | |
---|---|---|---|
08:00 09:00 | Workshop 8 A Vectoring learners through grammar Natália de Castro Guerreiro
|
Natália de Castro Guerreiro | STD |
08:00 09:00 | Workshop 9 B Games with a flight plan: using games smartly and with purpose Lucas Telles Gonçalves
|
Lucas Telles Gonçalves | I |
09:00 10:00 | Workshop 8 B Vectoring learners through grammar Natália de Castro Guerreiro
|
Natália de Castro Guerreiro | STD |
09:00 10:00 | Workshop 9 A Games with a flight plan: using games smartly and with purpose Lucas Telles Gonçalves
|
Lucas Telles Gonçalves | I |
10:00 10:30 | Coffee Break
|
||
10:30 11:45 | Workshop 10 B What, when and how to approach feedback in aeronautical English Classes Marcia Ferreira de Souza Patrícia Tupinambá
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Marcia Ferreira de Souza Patrícia Tupinambá | I |
10:30 11:45 | Workshop 10 A What, when and how to approach feedback in aeronautical English Classes Juliana Santana Fernanda Harrisberger
|
Juliana Santana Fernanda Harrisberger | STD |
11:45 13:00 | Lunch Break
|
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13:00 14:15 | Workshop 11 A Designing Effective Teaching Materials for Adult Learners Danielle Sales
|
Danielle Sales | STD |
13:00 14:15 | Workshop 12 B Integrating Pronunciation into Language Instruction Eliane Nowinski
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Eliane Nowinski | I |
14:15 14:45 | Coffee Break
|
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14:45 16:00 | Workshop 11 B Designing Effective Teaching Materials for Adult Learners Danielle Sales
|
Danielle Sales | STD |
14:45 16:00 | Workshop 12 A Integrating Pronunciation into Language Instruction Eliane Nowinski
|
Eliane Nowinski | I |
Activity | Speakers | Room | |
---|---|---|---|
08:00 09:00 | Orientações a Checadores / Guidance for the Brazilian Aeronautical English Checkers
Patrícia Tupinambá Marcia Ferreira de Souza Juliana Santana Fernanda Harrisberger
|
Patrícia Tupinambá Marcia Ferreira de Souza Juliana Santana Fernanda Harrisberger | STD |
09:00 10:00 | Orientações a Instrutores / Guidance for the Brazilian Aeronautical English Instructors
Patrícia Tupinambá Marcia Ferreira de Souza Juliana Santana Fernanda Harrisberger
|
Patrícia Tupinambá Marcia Ferreira de Souza Juliana Santana Fernanda Harrisberger | STD |
10:00 10:30 | Coffee Break
|
||
10:30 11:30 | Closing lecture: The Brazilian Merchant Navy and the Teaching of English for Specific Purposes
Valeria Silva de Oliveira
|
Valeria Silva de Oliveira | STD |
11:30 12:00 | Seminar Closure
Patricia Tosqui Lucks
|
Patricia Tosqui Lucks |

DECEA
Av. General Justo, 160 - Downtown - Rio de Janeiro/RJ - Brazil
Closer to hotels in the area and for pedestrians crossing the overpass.
Praça Marechal Âncora, 77– Downtown - Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil
Closer to the event premises and easier for Uber or Taxi dropping.