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Emilija Nesheva, State expert on foreign languages teaching and testing, Education and Qualification Department, Human Resources Management Directorate, Bulgarian MoD BILC Conference, May 2015, Madrid

1. Introduction to E 1101 N requirements. 2. How Bulgaria has managed (so far) in fulfilling these requirements? 3. Bulgarian English language training system for the militaries. 4. Brief report of the system for Bulgarian STANAG 6001 certificates for English language competence. 6. Problems to be solved. 3

 Continuity: Е 0356 E 1101 N.  Goal: Ensure that all NATO Command Structure (NCS) staff and other national personnel who are routinely involved in NATO issues or deployed on NATO operations are able to communicate effectively in the English language.  Capabilities that could be attained? Enhanced interoperability among NATO forces. 4

1. For personnel earmarked for participation in the NCS and national staffs who are routinely involved with NATO issues : a. Officers: SLP 3333; b. NCOs: SLP For personnel subject to deployment on NATO operations, exercises or training: a. Officers in command positions/principal staff officers: SLP ; b. All other officers: SLP 2222; c. NCOs, OR-5 and above likely to have frequent contacts with personnel from other nations: SLP 2222; d. Enlisted personnel of all services planned to operate on tactical communication/NATO communications networks/members of tactical air control elements: SLP Conduct general proficiency language testing IAW STANAG 6001 Ed 4, using testing methodology as recommended by BILC and the ACT sponsored language testing seminars. 4. By the beginning of 2016 – three-level approach of integrating English language training into the curricula of officer and NCO education establishments and in career development and unit training programs. 5

% of the personnel, appointed for taking positions in NATO structures, multinational staffs, and national staffs working with NATO are selected in accordance with the language requirements (though sometimes quite different from the levels in part 1 of E 1101 N). 2. As of , 52% of the personnel in the NATO declared forces have the proper SLP in English. 3. Out of the 6 members of the STANAG team – 5 have attended the LTS in Garmisch-Partenkirhen and 3 - the ALTS + 1 is planned for June 2015; only 1 member of the team hasn’t attended neither of the seminars due to maternity leave. 4. Since the beginning of 2015 – a new model of EL qualification courses as well as SLP 2222 is required for enrolling the Rakovski National Defense College in Sofia.

Documents that we have developed and that we follow:  Strategy for the development of the English language training system for the Bulgarian Armed Forces (MO № ОH– 130/ );  МO № ОH-724/ about the military positions in the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence, in the structures directly under the command of the Minister, and in the Bulgarian Armed Forces that should have English language competence requirements according to NATO STANAG 6001;  МO № ОH-753/ about ordering additional money to the monthly payment to all Bulgarian militaries who have STANAG 6001 SLP 2222 and above in English and French;  МO № ОH–218/ about the introduction of a new system of English language courses in the Bulgarian military educational institutions;  MO № OH-219/ about the development and administration of STANAG 6001 tests in Bulgaria 7

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National Military University Foreign Languages Department Shumen Shumen FIRST STEPS, DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES COL Petko Petkov Madrid, May 2015

11  The Foreign Languages Department (FLD) is a successor of the Center for English Language Training and Information Technologies (CELTIT) established in 2005 as a Bulgarian-American joint venture. - the Bulgarian MOD has invested more than € 1,000,000 in it. - the US Government has allocated more than $ 1,000,000 along the FMF and IMET programs for books, labs, mobile training team, and teachers’ training.  The CELTIT was officially inaugurated on October 16, 2007 by the Minister of Defense Vesselin Bliznakov and by His Excellency Mr. John R. Beyrle – the US Ambassador in Bulgaria at that time.  In 2010 the FLD was declared a PfP Education and Training Center on English language training.  In 2012 the FLD has been included in the Individual Training and Education Programme – ITEP, Project 1.7, Tier 1, NATO Smart Defence Initiative.  In September 2015 the FLD expects a visit by the QA team of NATO HQ SACT JFT as we are in a process of NATO certification.

International Cooperation  USA CULP Project – each year since 2012  UK Exercise Native Tongue - Bulgaria Project – 2 groups in 2014, 4 in 2015  Cooperation with PLTCE, Garmisch Partenkirhen, Germany, and all the PTECs  Cooperation with the Hellenic Multinational Peace Support Operations Training Center (MPSOTC)in Kilkis, Greece

Facilities  Language laboratories: ◦ 3 level II labs – 25 seats each – renovated June 2008 (FMF program); ◦ 2 level IV labs – 15 seats each - renovated June 2008 (FMF program);  Test storage room  Library – 9 tons (over pieces) of printed materials; last shipment – December 2012 (ALC), January 2015 (North Star) Foreign Languages Department, Shumen

◦ Dormitory with 128 rooms ◦ Dining facility ◦ Outdoor sport facilities ◦ Inside gym and swimming pool swimming pool Foreign Languages Department, Shumen

Trainees  More than 2000 Bulgarian militaries have been trained.  39 international students from 7 countries – Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia and FYROM. Foreign Languages Department, Shumen

 58 English language teachers in the military educational institutions;  6 English language teachers in the STANAG 6001 team;  16 English language instructors in the military units;  guest-teachers from DLI, San Antonio, sent for 6 months each in Bulgaria to enforce the English language training in the military units;  native speakers supporting the English language courses in the FLD, Shumen for enhancing the speaking skill of the trainees: – project “Exercise Native Tongue - Bulgaria”, UK MoD; - project „Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency“, US DoD;  unified and standardized teaching programs and textbooks for all;  tons of textbooks and teaching materials (paper, audio, video);  17 language labs in the military educational institutions;  15 language labs in the military units;  5 self-access centers in each military educational institution. 16

№nametypetextbookduration 1Preparatory levelnon-intensiveALC Book lessons/10 months 2Preparatory levelintensiveALC Book lessons/16 weeks 3Level 1intensiveALC Book 11-20; North Star 3480 lessons/16 weeks 4Level 2 intensive ALC Book 21-30; North Star 4480 lessons/16 weeks 5Level 3intensiveALC Book 31-34; North Star 5480 lessons/16 weeks 6Refresher preparatory levelintensiveHeadway Elementary120 lessons/4 weeks 7Refresher level 1intensiveHeadway Pre-Intermediate120 lessons/4 weeks 8Refresher level 2 intensive Headway Intermediate/Upper-Intermediate120 lessons/4 weeks 9Refresher level 3 intensive Headway Advanced120 lessons/4 weeks 10Course level 2distantmaterials developed for the course24 weeks 11Course level 3distantmaterials developed for the course24 weeks 12Course refresher level 1distantmaterials developed for the course6 weeks 13Course refresher level 2distantmaterials developed for the course6 weeks 14Course refresher level 3distantmaterials developed for the course6 weeks 15Military English coursesintensivetextbooks on military topics2/3 weeks 17

18  approx. 600 military and civilian personnel were included in English language courses in the military educational institutions;  approx. 300 militaries were included in English language courses in the military units;  approx. 600 students in the schools for sergeants, cadets in the National Military University and the Naval Academy, and officers - students at the Defence College studied English as part of their regular studies;  approx candidates sat for the STANAG 6001 exam.

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in order to enforce the fulfillment of E 1101 N:  Improve the work of the HR structures for better selection of the course participants.  Upgrade the equipment in the existing language labs.  Provide new language labs with computers for all military educational institutions.  Administer STANAG 6001 CATs only. No paper tests since  Enlarge the item bank for the STANAG 6001 CATs for reading, listening, and writing.  Advertise the distant-learning courses among our militaries and encourage them to enroll.  Ensure financing for sending more EL teachers and instructors to methodology courses in-country and abroad. 20

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