Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech Republic, May 2012 LTCOL Giles Gorman Defence Force School of Languages
Jan 19, 2016
Defence Force School of Languages
Maintaining Language Skills:The Australian approach to supporting
Defence language capability
BILC Conference
Czech Republic, May 2012
LTCOL Giles Gorman
Defence Force School of Languages
Defence Force School of Languages
Scope
• Policy responses– Requalification
Requirements
– Language Proficiency Allowance
– Refresher Training
• Computer Mediated Learning
• Service Enhancement Programs– Language Study Tours
– Advanced Language Study Tours
– Long Term Schooling
Defence Force School of Languages
Policy Responses
• Language is an adjunct Skill– ‘Just in time’ training
– ‘Just in case’ training
– Skills maintenance: an individual responsibility
• Incentive– Language Proficiency Allowance
• Quality Assurance– 2 year time limit on qualification
Defence Force School of Languages
Requalification Testing
• Purpose: Defence linguists are required to requalify every two years to retain formal recognition of skills in LOTE
• Method: Biennial testing of Speaking, Listening, Reading and Translating
• Endstate: ‘On-call’ linguists are job ready
Defence Force School of Languages
Language Proficiency Allowance• Purpose: to encourage and assist members to maintain
proficiency in an approved foreign language
• Method: Annual cash payment
• Endstate: Maximise number of ‘on-call’ linguistsLevel of Language Proficiency
Degree of Language Difficulty
Lower Intermediate Higher Advanced
$ $ $ $
Group 1 995 1,993 2,989 3,988
Group 2 1,496 2,989 4,982 6,968
Group 3 1,993 3,988 6,968 9,956
Defence Force School of Languages
Refresher Training
• Purpose: to refresh and requalify language-qualified personnel at Intermediate level (2+)
• Method: 2 week residential course including biennial testing serials
• Endstate: maximum number of trained linguists available
26 Courses in 201215 languages
Defence Force School of Languages
Service Enhancement Programs
• Independent of DFSL– Service designed and administered
• Substantial investment– Both time and money
Defence Force School of Languages
Language Study Tours• Purpose: to enhance, maintain, and strengthen existing
language skills of qualified linguists• Method: 21 day country visit incorporating 7 days one-on-one
language tuition and 14 day in-country cultural travel component.
• Endstate: Linguists with colloquial language skills and enhanced knowledge and appreciation of the target country language and culture.
55 Serials in 2012
Defence Force School of Languages
Advanced Language Study Tours• Purpose: to substantially strengthen existing language skills
of qualified linguists
• Method: 20 weeks in-country intensive language training and 2 week travel component.
• Endstate: Linguists with formal and colloquial language skills and enhanced knowledge of the culture, society, geography, political and military environment.
13 Serials in 2012 : Farsi (Dubai), Pashtu (Dubai),
Chinese (Beijing), Arabic (Amman),
Thai (Khon Kaen) and Indonesian (Bandung)
Defence Force School of Languages
Long Term Schooling
• Purpose: to prepare senior linguists for professional employment
• Method: 12 months in-country language tuition at university.
• Endstate: Linguists with very high formal and colloquial language skills able to attempt national certification for professional interpreting and translating.
4 serials in 2012 : Arabic (Amman), Chinese (Beijing),
Indonesian (Bandung), Vietnamese (Hanoi)
Defence Force School of Languages
Computer Mediated Learning (CML)
• New area of interest– CML is limited by student learning network capability
• Blending DFSL Course Materials– Make available to Alumni for skills maintenance
• Advanced Level– Monitoring developments at Australian Education Institutions
• Integration of virtual environments such as ‘Second Life’ into curriculum
• Basic level – Interactive speaking / listening 3D game
Defence Force School of Languages
Interactive speaking / listening 3D game
The TI Simulator is designed to supplement DFSL’s task-based LOTE Tactical Interaction courses. It incorporates cutting edge learning technologies including: virtual training environments, speech understanding, artificial intelligence, dialog modeling, and game-based learning.
Within the DFSL program, the TI Simulator will prepare students for live role-plays, provide valuable training between deployments, and sustain their skills while overseas.
DFSL and the Army Simulation Wing have partnered with US-based Alelo Inc. to develop a Tactical Interaction Simulator.
Defence Force School of Languages
Conclusion
• DFSL response to Life Long Learning
1. Policy responses
• Requalification Requirements
• Language Proficiency Allowance
• Refresher Training
2. Computer Mediated Learning
3. Service Enhancement Programs
• Language Study Tours
• Advanced Language Study Tours
• Long Term Schooling
Defence Force School of Languages
Questions?