BILC CONFERENCE 2012 BILC Prague Czech Republic Designing
BILC CONFERENCE 2012 BILC Prague, Czech Republic Designing and Assessing ESP F for orward Air Controllers Maj F. Gratton - MJ Di Biase Italian Army Language School MJDB 2009 2012
BILC SUMMARY • ‘THE PROBLEM’ • MILITARY OPERATIONAL ENGLISH • IMPLICATIONS FOR ESP TESTING MJDB 2009 2012
BILC THE PROBLEM: INCREASED LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS 3333 and how we addressed it: • 3797 vs 6001 COMPARATIVE STUDY • NEEDS ANALYSIS • SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS MJDB 2009 2012
BILC Who is a FAC and what does he do? MJDB 2009 2012
BILC Mission statement A soldier from a forward position can deliver joint indirect fires and direct the actions of joint combat aircraft engaged in operations in close proximity to friendly fires MJDB 2009 2012
BILC COMMUNICATIVE EVENT BETWEEN: Pilot and FAC sometimes FAC and FAC In which they: • Acknowledge message • Ask and/or provide information • Ask pilot or FAC to…… • Check, confirm and clarify • Give and/or ask for approval MJDB 2009 2012
BILC LINGUISTIC REQUIREMENTS STANAG 3797 “ English is the language to be used when controlling NATO aircraft. Therefore FACs need adequate knowledge of and proficiency in the English language to the EQUIVALENT OF NATO STANAG 6001 Level 3. The competency examination should be biased towards military, particularly FAC, terminology ” MJDB 2009 2012
BILC ‘Infinite Proficiency number of unique instances…. with negotiation of meaning’ (Bachman) MJDB 2009 2012
BILC FAC tasks • Plan CAS mission • Build and maintain Situation Awareness • Maintain personal safety MJDB 2009 2012
BILC In doing these tasks, FACs… P l a n e s i v A d naly A z e t s e u q e R Dete c t e b i r c s De Provide MJDB 2009 2012
BILC Stanag vs Stanag MJDB 2009 2012
BILC STANAG 3797 vs. 6001 3797 Can name parts, tools, and simple facts Can determine step-by-step procedures Can identify why and when the task can be done and why each step is needed Can predict and resolve problems Can identify relationships of basic facts and state general principles 6001 liv rehearsed speech 1 state facts 2 instructions and directions 2 narration 2 handle non-routine situations 2 state facts 2 MJDB 2009 2012
BILC STANAG 3797 vs. 6001 3797 Can analyze facts and draw conclusions Can evaluate conditions and make proper conditions 6001 liv state facts 2 handle non routine situations 2 past narration 2 effective communication 3 Can evaluate Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) and Mission Reporting (MISREP) in terms of activity, location, time, munitions, number of tanks destroyed Effective (flexible and responsive) communication MJDB 2009 2012
BILC Needs analysis • Questionnaire • Visits to FAC schools • Assistance from Ramstein • Interviews with Subject Matter Experts MJDB 2009 2012
NEEDS ANALYSIS QUESTIONNAIRE BILC • Technical terminology • Strategic competence • reference material • Players involved • Physical setting • Human context • Linguistic setting • Hierarchy of skills MJDB 2009 2012
BILC NEEDS ANALYSIS QUESTIONNAIRE MJDB 2009 2012
BILC FCS Mission “Improve quality and quantity of NATO Forward Air Controllers” Remember …. . “the problem”? ? ? MJDB 2009 2012
BILC HQ AC RAMSTEIN TV Francesco “Spike” SPINOSA FAC Capability Section NATO FAC Standardisation Team Leader HQ AC Ramstein - DEU FAC Capability Section Mission & Update Briefing 06 -07 Jul 11 18 MJDB 2009 2012
BILC Stakeholders meeting JULY 2011 • AGREEMENT REACHED • TIMELINE MJDB 2009 2012
BILC IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS NEW NEEDS NEW COURSE ACADEMIC NEW SYLLABUS NEW TEST PRACTICAL MJDB 2009 2012
BILCSpecific purpose language ability “…results from Interaction btwn specific purpose background knowledge and language ability by means of strategic competence engaged by specific purpose input in the form of test method characteristics…” (Douglas) MJDB 2009 2012
BILCLINGUISTIC REQUIREMENTS IMMEDIATE COMMUNICATION CLEAR EFFECTIVE CONFIDENT MJDB 2009 2012
BILC CONTENT: TASKS: WEATHER, TERRAIN FEATURES ETC DESCRIBE, GIVE INSTRUCTIONS AND DIRECTIONS READILY, EFFECTIVELY, ACCURACY: WITH EASE AND CONFIDENCE MJDB 2009 2012
BILC Interpretation of level needed … n Level 3 accuracy: tio a s r ) ? t e n e v d y l i y s f l a n e r n a o e l s o c a c e ( d i e c g … … a e k e a u ) r m s. g ? e … n a …. occasionalltiah errors in e a t e l a h i e e b l d t l b e y a … e m r …. conveys meaning correctly s r e. u m i ( i d e e ( v i n i t a f s. a n a f c e n. … e … ithecrostanrdeaarbedlpnielymatyoabllyctive? r ) s u o i k t …uwn. d pronunciation, grammar, or t a a y a n e i p c s n ely effectively…. u …. prdorneelatsivland …an ners…. … n k g i spteca ly fare e vocabulary not serious enough r o s u u o i b v. b o … to distort meaning …. . MJDB 2009 2012
BILC SUMMARY • ‘THE PROBLEM’ • MOE • IMPLICATIONS FOR ESP TEACHING AND TESTING MJDB 2009 2012
BILC TEACHING & TESTING (JOB-RELATED, TASK-BASED) Mixed skills to simulate authentic communicative event and tasks The result is proficiency accuracy requirements? MJDB 2009 2012
BILCSKILLS-BASED SYLLABUS • HIERARCHY OF SKILLS • ADAPT EXISTING TEXTS • DEVISE ACTIVITIES TO TEACH SKILLS • FOCUS ON PRONUNCIATION MJDB 2009 2012
BILC SYLLABUS • Corpus of specific terminology/phraseology • Emphasis on Pronunciation and listening • No procedures MJDB 2009 2012
MOE BILCMilitary Operational English • ESP Syllabus • Compilation of material • Authentic unclassified videos • Authentic unclassified documents (SPINS, 9 liners etc) MJDB 2009 2012
BILC SCREENING • ENTRY TEST AT LEVEL 2 ALL FOUR SKILLS • PROFICIENCY TESTING TO DETERMINE BASELINE MJDB 2009 2012
BILC MOE Military Operational English • TWO INSTRUCTORS • 6 STUDENTS PER CLASS • TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM (Ipads, PCs, etc. ) MJDB 2009 2012
BILC 5 WEEK COURSE 1. Teach 2. Test Morning Lexical domains & Early afternoon language functions Putting the morning Teaching style: Listening & Speaking traditional-frontal 3. Teach (consolidate) - Late afternoon Feedback on activity Points on where and how to improve (language focus on activity into practice Teaching style: “native speaker” (teacher speak to be avoided). Peer collaboration. errors). Teaching style: peer-learning/ correction. Teacher monitors MJDB 2009 2012
BILC task, language and content are drawn from input (video, simulation etc) input language task content MJDB 2009 2012
LEXICAL / TASK BASED SYLLABUS BILC • Terrain / Structures • Weather / Visibility L A • Urban / Non-Urban Areas N S O I S • Target Identification T E A N • Friendly / Enemy Forces E U R T I • Threats / Obstacles S WA • Aircraft / Ordnance A • Vehicles / Equipment MJDB 2009 2012
BILC CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES COURSE BOOK: Compiled material FOCUS : Listening - Speaking • VIDEOS • SIMULATIONS • MAP READING (Authentic / Google Maps) • MISSION REPORT / BDA (Filling in forms) • Job Manuals MJDB 2009 2012
BILC RADIO COMMUNICATION UNDERSTAND EXPRESS • Pronunciation • Clear, concise communications • Variety of accents • Unpredictable situations • Speed of delivery • Acronyms and Brevity Terms • Colloquial/Established Protocol • Background Interference MJDB 2009 2012
PRACTICE: BILC • Describe FACE TO FACE CLASSROOM TALK ONS • Request • Direct • Clarify • Confirm RADIO SIMULATED TALK ONS • w/out background interference • w/ background interference (battle sounds MJDB 2009 2012
BILC SUMMARY • ‘THE PROBLEM’ • MOE • IMPLICATIONS FOR ESP TESTING MJDB 2009 2012
BILC IMPLICATIONS FOR TESTING • ESP (CONTINUUM SPECIFICITY) • TASK-BASED • PERFORMANCE-BASED • LEVEL 3 ACCURACY, LEVEL 2 CONTENT AND TASKS MJDB 2009 2012
TEST SPECIFICATIONS BILCSPEAKING USING GOOGLE EARTH • Task: guide pilot to pre-defined target unknown to the pilot • Emphasis on description of places and things (terrain, weather, coordinates, directions) • FAC phraseology MJDB 2009 2012
BILC TEST SPECIFICATIONS: LISTENING • Direct testing of discrete phonological elements • Gap-filling – tapescript or summary • MCQ to assess understanding of authentic communicative events MJDB 2009 2012
BILC TEST SPECIFICATIONS: READING • AUTHENTIC MATERIAL • MCQS TO ASSESS UNDERSTANDING OF SPINS MJDB 2009 2012
BILC SPECIFICATIONS Dear Abby… TEST SPECIFICATIONS WRITING: MJDB 2009 2012
FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE BILC MJDB 2009 2012
BILC Limitations/challenges • Classified material? • Train the trainer? • Informants as FAC experts and have language awareness • Authentic tasks (and responses) MJDB 2009 2012
BILC THANK YOU francesco. gratton@gmail. com maryjo. dibiase@gmail. com MJDB 2009 2012
BILC • Canadian FAC info • Douglas, D (2005) Assess. Lang. for Spec. Purp. • Hutchington, E (2005) Eng. for Spec. Purp. • JTAC MOA 2007 • Pub. 3093 – Tatt. , tecn. e proc. per supp. aereo • STANAG 3797 • STANAG 6001 ed. 4 R E F E S E C N MJDB 2009 2012
- Slides: 47
