Welcome! - Current BILC activities. - Comments regarding the theme of this seminar. Dr. Ray T. Clifford BILC Seminar, Vienna 8 October 2007

BILC Update What is BILC? Topics from the June 07 JSSG/NTG Meeting –Force Goals (EG 0356). –STANAG 6001, Edition 3. Some BILC Announcements –Changes in the BILC Constitution and Procedures. –Dates of the June Conference. –Benchmark Advisory Test Development.

What is BILC? Bureau for International Language Co-ordination A consultative and advisory body for language training matters in NATO.

BILC Within NATO

NATO’s only language training organization –Independently chartered 1966 Conducts an annual Conference each Summer and a Professional Seminar in the Fall. Provides services to support the International Military Staff and the International Staff: –Language Training Assessments. –Language Testing Seminars. Secretariat staffing provided by NATO nations: –The UK ( ), –Germany ( ), –The US ( ), –Canada (2008-forward). Bureau for International Language Co-ordination

Topics from the June 07 JSSG/NTG Meeting

1.Force goals stated in EG 0356 “are not practically achievable by some nations within the Alliance.” –“[T]he Secretary and the SHAPE Representative were tasked with initiating a review of language requirements…” –BILC has prepared optional plus levels to indicate proficiency levels between the current STANAG 6001 levels.

Topics from the June 07 JSSG/NTG Meeting 2.“Version 3 of STANAG 6001 [should] be ready for staffing at the NSA by the start of 2008.” –Includes an Appendix of optional plus levels. –Still recognizes in paragraph 2 that STANAG 6001 “is for the purpose of…comparing national standards …while preserving each nation’s right to maintain its own internal proficiency standards. –Updates the labels for the proficiency levels.

STANAG 6001 Label Harmonization CURRENT 0 No Proficiency 1 Elementary 2 Limited Working 3 Minimum Professional 4 Full Professional 5 Native/Bilingual NEW 0 No Proficiency 1 Survival 2 Functional 3 Professional 4 Expert 5 Highly-articulate native

Some BILC Announcements

Changes to the BILC Constitution / Rules & Procedures Attendance at the Conference and Seminar will be open for NATO, PfP and MD countries as well as NATO bodies. Delegations are still limited to 4 persons per nation. Permanent observer status granted to Austria, Finland, Ireland, Sweden.

The June Conference Will be held in Athens, Greece. The dates will be June The theme will be, “General proficiency and specialized needs: philosophical implications of education versus training”.

Development Continues on the Benchmark Advisory Tests Many nations have contributed audio recordings and test questions for the Benchmark Advisory Test – Listening. More contributions are needed: –Contributions may be complete items or simply authentic recordings. –More samples of British English are needed. –Please contribute by 15 November –See Peggy Garza for instructions.

Development Continues on the Benchmark Advisory Tests BAT examinations in all four skill modalities will be ready in one year. NATO (ACT) has provided funding for the administration and scoring of the LSRW English language skills of 200 individuals. At the June Conference we will provide instructions on how to request an allocation of these tests to collect comparison data for your nation.

Are Cultural Competencies Extra-linguistic, Intra-linguistic, Or Inter-linguistic? Dr. Ray T. Clifford BILC Seminar, Vienna 8 October 2007

Extra-Linguistic Culture (Knowledge which doesn’t require language skills) Is it okay to cross my legs when seated? What Is the capital city of the country? Who are the authors of the greatest literary works in the target language?

Intra-Linguistic Culture (Behaviors requiring target language skills) What do you say when you need to use the restroom? When do I use formal language and when do I use informal language? How can I say “no” without insulting the nation’s military delegation?

Inter-Linguistic Culture (Behaviors requiring L1+L2 language skills) How do I need to adjust my language – even when I am speaking through an interpreter?

Inter-Linguistic Culture A question from the reporters: “Mr. Secretary, why have you come to Iran?” The answer: “I have come as a mediator to work out a compromise.”

Inter-Linguistic Culture “I have come as a mediator to work out a compromise.” Mediator => meddler Compromise => the compromising of your standards, values, virtue, etc

Cultural Competencies Are Found in All Three Categories Extra-linguistic. (Knowledge which doesn’t require language skills) Intra-linguistic. (Behaviors requiring target language skills) Inter-linguistic. (Behaviors requiring L1+L2 language skills)

Therefore… We should: –Define what we mean by “culture”. –Recognize that teaching the “culture” without teaching the language will only teach a portion of the target culture.

Thank you for attending this BILC Annual Seminar! We look forward to working with you this week to better define and address the challenges associated with: “Developing and Delivering Cultural Competencies”