1 LT Estela Magalhães ParreiraMAY14 BUREAU FOR INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE CO-ORDINATION BILC Conference Bruges, Belgium May 2014 ”Forging effective partnerships to optimize operational success” Advantages and disadvantages of contracting language training/testing services

2  Introduction  Weaknesses  Strengths  Conclusions AGENDA

3 INTRODUCTION

4 Due to our commitments within NATO, UN, and EU, we teach English to our military. INTRODUCTION

5 We will soon begin to teach French. (Portuguese Air Force) For this language, we will contract external services to teach and test. INTRODUCTION

6 To teach and test English, we have in-house capabilities but also contracted services. INTRODUCTION

7 Throughout the years we have been: Downsizing the contracted services Developing in-house capabilities INTRODUCTION

8 WEAKNESSES/STRENGTHS

9 WEAKNESSES

10 Poor awareness of STANAG 6001 Testing NOT IAW STANAG 6001 WEAKNESSES

11 Difficulties in adjusting to military environment Difficulties in adjusting to military teaching methodologies WEAKNESSES

12 Difficulty in teaching military terminology Difficulty in teaching for the mission WEAKNESSES

13 Virtual impossibility of teaching classified material WEAKNESSES

14 Lack of military experience to teach communicative skills within the field of military operations WEAKNESSES

15 Costly No permanent ties to the Military WEAKNESSES

16 STRENGTHS

17 In case of shortage of “in-house” teachers STRENGTHS

18 Valuable asset because we usually contract English native teachers STRENGTHS

19 Valuable asset for: Academic English General English Higher Levels STRENGTHS

20 Different teaching methodologies Value added provided by these partnerships STRENGTHS

21 No permanent ties to the Military STRENGTHS

22 CONCLUSIONS

23 As everything in life, contracting teaching/testing services has weaknesses and strengths CONCLUSIONS

24 EGARDLESS TEACH NG LANGUAG S MIL TARY OBJECIVE EFFECTIVEL COMMUNIC TE CMBINED MULTNATIONAL THEATR OPEATIONS STRENG HS GUARATEE EST SKI LS

25 LT Estela Magalhães ParreiraMAY14 BUREAU FOR INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE CO-ORDINATION BILC Conference Bruges, Belgium May 2014 ”Forging effective partnerships to optimize operational success” Advantages and disadvantages of contracting language training/testing services