1. Commercial vs. in-house language training and testing in the Czech Republic Vilnius, Lithuania 10 May, 2011 LTC Jan Šmíd

2. Outline Introduction Czech training and testing system
In-the-field inspections
Findings
Steps taken
Research
Conclusion 2

3. Czech training and testing system
+ Contracted Instructors Contracted Examiners 3

4. Czech training and testing system
Sites
Outsourcing 4

5. Outsourcing + DLI Czech DLI Number of Courses Number of Students Year
2008
2009
2010
2011
Total
Language
English
115
113
129 44
401
1788
1931
1792
713
6224
German 3 2 8 24 12 48
French 16 11 7 34
118 81 49
248
Russian 1 6 9 22
Albanian 39
Serbian 18
Arabic 4 15
Portuguese
Pashto
 10
136
145
454
1943
2037
1928
6621
Czech DLI
English
 62 61
 46  ?
 536
 496
 381
Other L. 9 13 8 ? 69
108 51 5

6. Success rate Year Institute Level 2 2007 MoD Training Centres 62-68 %
Outsourcing
42-65 %
2008
51-67 %
32-52 %
2009
56-65 %
11-44 % 6

7. In-the-field inspections
Low awareness of STANAG 6001 descriptors
Low awareness of exam format
Frequent poor instructor preparation
Textbooks not sufficiently/effectively supplemented
90 minute lessons
Lack of homework
Lack of homework feedback 7

8. Research General information: Years 2008 – 2010
790 questionnaires distributed
651 returned
Research questions in Czech: closed –ended qs, open-ended qs
43 questions + 9 sub questions in 3 sections
General characteristics of a respondent
Feedback on language training
Feedback on language testing 8

9. Part I – General characteristics
Motivation for studying English?
Position requirement 66.0%
Work-related reasons 0.5%
Personal reasons 7.1%
Part of curriculum 4.6%
NATO position requirement 7.8%
Studies abroad requirement 3.6%
Deployment %
EU battle group % 9

10. Part I – General characteristics
What is the language requirement?
No SLP/other 3.0%
SLP %
SLP %
SLP %
SLP %
SLP %
SLP % 10 10 10

11. Part I – General characteristics
How do you perceive the requirement?
SLP 0
Low %
Adequate 37.5%
High 0.0%
Irrelevant 18.7% 11

12. Part I – General characteristics
How do you perceive the requirement?
SLP 1100
Low 0.0%
Adequate 25.0%
High 25.0%
Irrelevant 50.0% 12

13. Part I – General characteristics
How do you perceive the requirement?
SLP 1111
Low %
Adequate 71.7%
High 6.4%
Irrelevant 10.1% 13

14. Part I – General characteristics
How do you perceive the requirement?
SLP 2211
Low 5.4%
Adequate 27.1%
High 37.8%
Irrelevant 29.7% 14

15. Part I – General characteristics
How do you perceive the requirement?
SLP 2222
Low 3.2%
Adequate 71.8%
High 18.7%
Irrelevant 6.3% 15

16. Part I – General characteristics
How do you perceive the requirement?
SLP 3322
Low 0.0%
Adequate 63.6%
High 36.4%
Irrelevant 0.0% 16

17. Part I – General characteristics
How do you perceive the requirement?
SLP 3333
Low 0.0%
Adequate 78.0%
High 22.0%
Irrelevant 0.0% 17

18. Part II – Language Training
The course was taught by
DLI %
Komorní Hrádek 3.3%
Defence University 1.1%
Outsourcing % 18

19. Part II – Language Training
Satisfaction with instructors
Absolutely no 4.6%
No %
Yes %
Absolutely yes 19.0% 19

20. Part II – Language Training
Absolutely no – reasons:
No info on the exam 25.0%
Poor instructor preparation 40.0%
Unsuitable demeanour 5.0%
Not relevant education 5.0%
Too many instructors 5.0%
Not specified % 20

21. Part II – Language Training
No – reasons:
No info on the exam %
Poor instructor preparation 22.1%
Unsuitable demeanour 9.3%
Not relevant education 3.5%
Too many instructors 7.0%
Too few instructors 1.1%
No native speaker 3.5%
Not specified % 21

22. Part II – Language Training
Yes – reasons:
Appropriate methodology 9.3%
Suitable demeanour 8.8%
Not specified % 22

23. Part II – Language Training
Absolutely yes – reasons:
Appropriate methodology 20.0%
Suitable demeanour %
Not specified % 23

24. Part II – Language Training
Satisfaction with course books used
Absolutely no 22.9%
(Face to face, Headway)
No %
(Headway, Face to face)
Yes %
(Headway, ALC, Face to face)
Absolutely yes 5.4%
(ALC, Headway) 24

25. Part III – Language Testing
Source of information on the STANAG 6001 exam
Czech DLI website 53.0%
Colleague, friend 10.0%
Instructor %
Examiner 1.0%
No information 7.9% 25

26. Part III – Language Testing
Was the information sufficient?
Yes 56.6%
No 43.4% 26

27. Part III – Language Testing
Have you read the STANAG 6001 descriptors?
Yes %
No %
What are they? 45.4% 27

28. Conclusion MoD level – suggestions: Selecting procedures
On-site inspections
DLI level – steps taken:
Frequent inspections
More user-friendly DLI website
STANAG 6001 exam familiarization guide
Seminars for language instructors – both MoD and outsourcing 28

29. Questions? Thank you. 29