7 Renewal of SLP Certificates BILC Conference Istanbul 26 May

7 2 Loose ends Background Principles Aims and Objectives Concept Implementation Presentation

7 Now available!

7 English language training is part of career training for  Officer candidates – SLP 3332  Army NCOs („Feldwebel“) – SLP 2121  civil defense administration personnel – SLP 3332/2221 Loose ends The setting (Oct 2009)

7 English language training is part of career training for  Officer candidates – SLP 3332  NCOs („Feldwebel“) – SLP 2221  civil defense administration personnel – SLP 3332/2221 The setting (Apr 2010) Loose ends

7 Grundsätze für die Fremdsprachenausbildung in den Streitkräften – GenInsp – 22 Apr 2010 (Principles of Language Training in the German Armed Forces – CHOD – 22 Apr 2010) The setting (Apr 2010) Loose ends

7 7 Bundeswehr missions are generally embedded in multinational structures of NATO, the EU and the UN Language skills are a prerequisite for the ability to fulfil tasks in a multinational environment and, increasingly, also in national settings Background

7 8 Language teaching takes time SLP-language examinations take time After the completion of career training, there is often no further systematic testing of language skills Language skills often need to be proven, i.e. certified, at short notice Background

7 9 SLP language examinations are based on the STANAG 6001 Definitions of Proficiency Levels examine communicative competence; they do not test achievement based on course content can certify language skills only for a limited period of time test each skill separately Principles

7 10 The development of a testing method to facilitate a permanently up-to-date proof of language skills to reduce testing time and effort for examiners and candidates without reducing face value which does justice to the limited period of validity of the SLP certification Aims and Objectives

7 Separate tests for each of the 4 skills several appointments personnel-intensive travel-intensive 11 SLP Examinations L: 1 hr 1 superv. S: 15 mins.1 superv., +15 mins.3 examiners R: max. 1 hr 1 superv. W: 1 hr1 superv., 2 correctors Complete SLP exam Facultative (2x/year) Obligatory on-demand End-of-course exams Pre-test200 point pre-testPre-test : 2 hrs 1 superv. Examination System 11

7 Separate tests for each of the 4 skills several appointments personnel-intensive travel-intensive 12 SLP Examinations L: 1 hr 1 superv. S: 15 mins.1 superv., +15 mins.3 examiners R: max. 1 hr 1 superv. W: 1 hr1 superv., 2 correctors Complete SLP exam Facultative (2x/year) Obligatory on demand End-of-course exams Pre-test200 point pre-testPre-test : 2 hrs 1 superv. Concept SLP renewal (Recertification examination) 3 separate tests one appointment one place L: 30 mins. R: 30 mins. MC C:40 mins. 1 super- visor 12

7 Recertific. exam c. 1 hr (online) without supervision max. 2 hrs supervised Voluntary preliminary test Complete SLP exam (End of course, Obligatory on-demand, Facultative 2x/year) valid for 3 years year-old SLP 3332 Recertified SLP 13 Renewal of SLP Certificates (Recertification) Concept valid for 3 years

7 Recertific. exam c. 1 hr (online) without supervision max. 2 hrs supervised Voluntary preliminary test Complete SLP exam (End of course, Obligatory on demand, Facultative 2x/year) valid for 3 years year old SLP 3332 Recertified SLP 14 Renewal of SLP Certificates (Recertification) Concept Self study program “Brush up your English” too weak? valid for 3 years

: Online preliminary test I.III.II. Self study program “Brush up your English" last week: Recertification examination JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJune Examination Cycles last week: Recertification examination : Online preliminary test

7 Service area teletutors ext. sources, Internet exercise generator auto- matic glossaries definitions grammar structure help, program R – Reading Comprehension L – Listening Comprehension O– Oral Production W– Written Production G– Grammar V – Vocabulary Exercise area 16 Project “Brush up your English”

7 17 All processes are technology assisted -Administration (Registration, Admission, Certification) -Production processes of the examinations -Evaluation/Assessment Concept

7 Intranet / Internet Database Concept Examination Procedures: 18

7 Intranet / Internet 3332 Recertified SLP Database Concept Evaluation/Assessment: 19

7 Can-Do Statements = Self assessment based on questions/statements taken from the definitions of SLP-Proficiency Levels measures both objectively and exactly has become one of the most widely used language test procedures in Germany 20 C-Test = usually 4 texts with 20 gaps each; the second half of nearly every other word needs to be completed (free text) Voluntary Preliminary Self Assessment: One attempt after registration –only possible online Concept

7 Elements of the Recertification Examination: MC C-Test (40 mins.) MC C-Test MC C-Test = 4 authentic texts with 20 gaps each and 4 options per gap MC-Test = Multiple Choice (3 options per task/question) MC-Test Listening Comprehension (30 mins.) MC-Test Reading Comprehension (30 mins.) 21 Concept

7 Beispiel C-Test-Item Ergänzen Sie bitte die fehlenden 20 Wortteile. U. K.: One-fifth of infantry not fit for fighting RAF MILDENHALL, England - One-fifth of the British army’s infantry soldiers are unfit to fight on the front lines, according to Ministry of Defence figures released Tuesday. Some a_ re ___1) not deplo_______2) due t_______3) physical o_______4) mental inju_______5), lack o_______6) fitness o_______7) other nonme_______8) reasons, acco_______9) to a BBC report. Wi_______10) roughly 9,500 tro_______11) deployed, mo_______12) to sout_______13) Afghanistan, Bri_______14) is t_______15) second-largest contr_______16) to NA_______17)’s Intern_______18) Security Assis_______19) Force th_______20) Ministry of Defence spokesman Alastair McCrea-Steele called the statistics "misleading" in an Tuesday, saying that all units deploy at the required strength to fulfill their missions. 22 U. K.: One-fifth of infantry not fit for fighting RAF MILDENHALL, England - One-fifth of the British army’s infantry soldiers are unfit to fight on the front lines, according to Ministry of Defence figures released Tuesday. Some a_______ 1) not deplo_______ 2) due t_______ 3) physical o_______ 4) mental inju_______ 5), lack o_______ 6) fitness o_______ 7) other nonme_______ 8) reasons, acco_______ 9) to a BBC report. Wi_______ 10) roughly 9,500 tro_______ 11) deployed, mo_______ 12) to sout_______ 13) Afghanistan, Bri_______ 14) is t_______ 15) second-largest contr_______ 16) to NA_______ 17) ’s Intern_______ 18) Security Assis_______ 19) Force th_______ 20) Ministry of Defence spokesman Alastair McCrea-Steele called the statistics "misleading" in an Tuesday, saying that all units deploy at the required strength to fulfill their missions. re ries r hern ops stth rding dical f ro yable tain he tance ational TO ibutor ere Sample C-Test Item

7 Sample MC-C-Test Item 23 Sample MC C-Test (Solution)

7 Current Status / Plan: 24 Examination items have been produced MC C-Test-Items:validated on 1,500 candidates Limited implementation from mid 2010 C-Test online from mid 2011 Technology assisted implementation from mid 2011 Concept

7 25 The recertification process is economical and efficient retains a high level of validity as a certification of language skills in a system of alternating between complete SLP and recertification exams facilitates a permanently up-to-date proof of language skills Conclusion

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