itaf foreign language school – s.l.e
DESCRIPTION
BILC 2009 STRIVING FOR LEVEL 3 ITAF’S LINGUISTIC PERESTROJKA. ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E. Part i: - Col. Mauro Sabbione - Commandant. ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E. LOCATION: Loreto (Italy). Loreto Cathedral. The Madonna of Loreto The Patron saint of aviators. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
BILC 2009
STRIVING FOR LEVEL 3 ITAF’S LINGUISTIC
PERESTROJKA
Part i: - Col. Mauro Sabbione - Commandant
ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
LOCATION: Loreto (Italy)
Loreto Cathedral
The Madonna of Loreto
The Patron saint of aviators
ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
S.L.E.’s HISTORY• 1956 – 2006 located in Ciampino (Rome)
• 2006 – transfered to Loreto (Ancona)
The History of Loreto Airbase• 1930 – 1983 O.N.F.A. aviators’ orphanage;
• 1988 – 2006 S.P.S.A.M. (IT.A.F. Warrant officers School);
• 2006 – 2009 S.P.S.A.M. + S.L.E.
• 2010 – S.L.E.
ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
LOGISTICS• OVER 34,000 SQUARE METRES OF OFFICE SPACE
•OVER 180 ROOMS WITH IN-ROOM FACILITIES + 35 ROOMS AND BARRACKS AT PORTO POTENZA (TESTING CENTER) ;
• N° 35 CLASSROOMS AND N° 12 VIRTUAL CLASSROOMS
• N°3 MULTIMEDIA LABS
• N°2 LABS FOR E-TUTORS
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
MISSION– Conduct intensive and specialized language
courses.
– Advise and monitor language courses to personnel by private schools around Italy.
– Certify language proficiency for Air Force IAW NATO STANAG 6001 – Joint Forces Language Test (JFLT)
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
BILC 2009
STRIVING FOR LEVEL 3 ITAF’S LINGUISTIC
PERESTROJKA
Part II - Joe Maddock –
Senior program Coordinator
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
Overview• Once upon a time…• SLE’s Results 2006-2008• Mission 2009• “Pathway to Professional Proficiency.”• Perestrojka (Restructuring of Courses & Facilities)• What the future holds • Conclusions• Q & A
ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
Once upon a time…
AF Personnel
Dept. (DIPMA)
Intensive course
Refresher course
HEAVEN
HELLDuration: 3 months – 10 months
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
Results 2006-2008
Proficiency Testing
JFLT2006 2007 2008
Level 0 / N.Q. 27.33% 29.56% 17.37%
1° Level 3.73% 9.56% 19.70%
2° Level 55.90% 43.11% 47.54%
3° Level 13.04%
(42)
17.77%
(223)
15.39%
(243)
4° Level 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Tot. tested 322 1,384 1,580
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.Mission 2009
+ 10% increase in level 3s
15.39% - 25%
ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
DIPMAOnline Test
Refresher course
HEAVEN
HELL
Duration:
3 -10 months
eLearning Course
Intensive course
The Pathway to Professional Proficiency
ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
Perestrojka: Step by step
Strolling from the Web to the Ground
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
Step 1 Online Test
• Initial screening assessment
• Intensive courses – “best return” - SLP 2/3
• eLearning courses – “slow bloomers”
• More space for higher levels
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
• Started Jan 2008• For beginners/false
Beginners • Lays groundwork for
future training• Objective: SLP 1
Step 2eLearning Program 3 months
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
Steps 3-5
On base coursesGeneral conditions
Class sizes (8 -10 students) Content (ILR & STANAG-based) Teaching – intensive (7 hrs/day) Facilities (Labs, Internet, SAT TV, etc.)
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
Step 3 Intensive Courses 3 months
• UPGRADES– New programs with weekly diagnostic tests.– More interaction between teachers-supervisors.
– 2 observations per course for new teachers – 2 observations per year for “senior” teachers– coordination on diagnostic testing
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
Step 4
Refresher Courses 1 month• UPGRADES
– Latest version of English for Staff Officer’s book – Use of ICT (Information & Communication Technology )- recorders for Speak. exercises.”– Specialist Trainers (ITAF personnel with 3/+ SLP).”
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
Step 5 Proposed upgrades to facilities
– LANGUAGE LABS –Software for remedial work– Ideally manned by teacher
– LIBRARY – For quiet study/research– Equipped with 3-5 internet points
- INTERNAL LAN FOR SCHOOL
– eLearning content (TEACHERS’ ZONE)– Internal communication
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
What does the future hold?
LIFELONG LEARNING
How?
• eLearning Refresher Modules which focus on individual language skills (L/R/S/W);
• eLearning courses on L3 acquisition, e.g. Spanish, German, French (level 1-1-1-1)
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
ConclusionsWe’ve come a long way, but there’s always room for improvement.
The changes;
• Improve quality of lessons;
• Many cost little to nothing.
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ITAF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SCHOOL – S.L.E.
QUESTIONS?