![Page 1: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
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
![Page 2: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
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
![Page 3: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
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
![Page 4: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
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
![Page 5: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
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
![Page 6: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
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
![Page 7: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Defence Force School of Languages
Service Enhancement Programs
• Independent of DFSL– Service designed and administered
• Substantial investment– Both time and money
![Page 8: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
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
![Page 9: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
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)
![Page 10: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
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)
![Page 11: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
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
![Page 12: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
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.
![Page 13: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
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
![Page 14: Defence Force School of Languages Maintaining Language Skills: The Australian approach to supporting Defence language capability BILC Conference Czech](https://reader035.vdocuments.site/reader035/viewer/2022081503/56649f0e5503460f94c22cc5/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Defence Force School of Languages
Questions?