DOLSU

UK MOD Language Assessment

Lt Col JD Lewis RESO1 DOLSU

Maj CED Burrows AGC (ETS)SO2 Requirements & Evaluation, DOLSU

MODLEB

DOLSU

Definitions

MODLEB – Ministry of Defence Languages

Examinations Board EBP – English Base Paper MCQ – Multiple Choice Question MLA – Multi-Level Assessment Operational languages:

– Pashto, Dari– Arabic, Farsi, Somali

Short Answer – length defined in rubric– Usually fewer than 10 words

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MODLEB 2011

Expiry of current MODLEB contract Evolved language requirement Comprehensive re-evaluation

– Job Analysis– Training Process

Financial climate General proficiency vs operational

requirements

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MODLEB 2011

OperationalRequirement

LanguageTraining

LanguageAssessment

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Applied Skills

Military use of language must have practical

application– Conducting business– Rapport building and general conversation– Task and linguist management– Gisting– Situational or liaison interpreting

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Contexts

Operational/Intelligence GeneralistPlanned operations

Work with indigenous forces

Instructing

Dealing with the public

Incident control

Information gathering

Life support

Social engagement

Office workplace

Public speaking

Special-to-role business

Common:

Telephone conversations Dealing with media

Announcements Word processing

Atmospherics (Media)

DOLSU

MODLEB 2011

SLP 1 (Short course output)– Threshold assessment retained– Focused proficiency based on operational experience

SLP 2 – 4 (SLP 0 – 4 output possible)– Multi-level assessment (MLA)– General proficiency with wide-ranging military focus– Concentration on accurate measurement of SLP 2 and

SLP 3

English base paper model retained

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SLP 1 – Threshold Assessment

ListeningMilitary Comprehension 1Multiple Choice Questions

Military Comprehension 2Multiple Choice Questions

ReadingMilitary Comprehension Short Answer Questions

Operational SignsShort Answer Questions

SpeakingGeneral

Conversation

Military Business 1 TransactionBack Brief

Military Business 2 TransactionBack Brief

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MLA – Listening

Section 1

Section 2Task 1

Briefing (SLP 2+/3)

Task 1Excerpts (SLP 2)

Task 2Excerpts (SLP 2)

Task 3Excerpts (SLP 2)

Section 4

Section 3Task 1

Broadcast – Military News & Comment (SLP 3/3+)

Task 1Staff Report (SLP 4)

Task 2Staff Report (SLP 4)

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MLA - Reading

Section 1

Section 2Task 1

Briefing (SLP 2+/3)

Task 1Excerpts (SLP 2)

Task 2Excerpts (SLP 2)

Task 3Excerpts (SLP 2)

Section 4Task 1

Article – Advanced Topic (SLP 4)

Section 3 Task 1Military Report (SLP 3/3+)

Task 2Military Report (SLP 3/3+)

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MLA – Productive Skills

Speaking– Section 1 – Guided Conversation– Section 2 – Information Retrieval– Section 3 – Present & Justify

Writing– Single piece of written work– 90 minutes– Six stimuli (two visual, four textual – in English)

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The Balance

Threshold Assessment Rigorous assessment at

a level Narrow range of lexis

testable Requires staging, or

profile may be

unuseable

Multi-Level Assessment Cumulative ‘snapshot’

assessments Number/breadth of

tasks Useable profile

– For candidate– For employer

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MODLEB 2011

Currently in first phase of Pilot– Second phase Jun/Jul 11– Roll-out for Oct 11

Positive indications on current Pilot format– Poor candidate perception of MCQ– Listening problematic

Other experience and contributions welcome!

DOLSU

Questions?

Contact details:JtCap-DOLSUSO2ReqtEval@mod.uk

+44 (0)1980 618112