Bureau for International Language Co-ordination (BILC)

Bureau for International Language Co-ordination

(BILC)

Welcome tothe BILC 2003 Conference

in Harrogate

Ray Clifford, Chair

Briefing Overview

• Introduction

• BILC’s Current Role in NATO

• Proposed NATO Transformation

• BILC’s Future Role in NATO

Briefing Overview

•Introduction • BILC’s Current Role in NATO



What do the following items have in common?

• Diamonds

• Oil

• Water

• Language skills

All are very valuable!

• And their value increases whenever

– Demand increases.

– There is a supply shortage.

Language is …

• The most complex of human behaviors.

• Like the air we breath – essential, but unnoticed unless it is flawed.

• Despite its complexity, inadequate for context-free communication.

A Short Language Test

• This test will look simple, because of its:– Sentence level context.– Lack of complex grammatical

constructions.• However, it will be difficult, because

language is always ambiguous.

(1.) “He was committed.”This is the correct response to which

question: a. Why did he succeed when others

had failed?b. What happened after he saw the

psychologist? c. Either a. or b. depending on the

context.

(2.) “It’s the present.”This is the correct response to which

question: a. What is the tense of the verb in the

phrase “she goes”? b. What’s in the box on the table?c. Either a. or b. depending on the

context.

(3.) “Get the phone.”This is the correct response in which

situation: a. You are giving a friend advice on

which gift to buy his daughter. b. The phone keeps ringing, and you

want someone else to answer it.c. Either a. or b. depending on the

context.

(4.) “They were arrested for smuggling illegal arms.”

This statement refers to the smuggling of:

a. Automatic rifles.

b. Artificial limbs.

c. Either a. or b. depending on the context.

Briefing Overview

• Introduction

•BILC’s Current Role in NATO



BILC’s Role• In 1966, BILC was formed by NATO nations

to disseminate information on language training and to hold annual conferences to promote the improvement of language teaching and testing.

• In 1978, BILC was recognized by the NTG/JSSG as the consultative and advisory body for language training matters in NATO.

BILC Within NATO

The consultative and advisory body on language matters

Military Committee

NATO Training Group

Joint Services Sub-Group

B I L C

Major BILC Activities

• Language Training Studies.

• Language Testing Seminars.

• Conferences and seminars with study/work groups to collect and disseminate information on language teaching and testing.– BILC Conference for NATO nations– BILC Seminar for PfP nations

Language Training Studies

• Reviews have been conducted in:– Slovakia in 2001. – Latvia in 2002.– Slovenia in 2003

• Multinational team.

– UK, SWE and BILC secretariat.

• Reports submitted to NTGSE and host nation.

– Not circulated to other nations.

Language Testing Seminars

• Six testing seminars have been conducted since Nov 2000.

• All were well attended.– 63 language teaching professionals from 19 PfP

nations.– 10 participants from the Czech Republic,

Hungary, and Poland.

• The first NATO only seminar will be held from 23 June to 4 July 2003.

2003 BILC Conference

• 2 - 5 June in Harrogate• Theme —

Evaluation and Validation:Measuring the Effectiveness of

Language Learning

• This theme builds on past accomplishments.

From STANAG 6001, Approved 1976

“Participating nations agree to adopt the [STANAG 6001] table of language proficiency levels for the purpose of:

a. Meeting language requirements for international staff appointments.

b. Comparing national standards through a standardized table.

c. Recording and reporting, in international correspondence, measures of language proficiency (if necessary by conversion from national standards).”

Recent BILC Activities

• In 1999– The BILC Steering Committee created

the multinational Working Group on Testing and Assessment to “interpret and elaborate STANAG 6001”.

– 11 BILC nations participated in drafting an Interpretation Document to elaborate on the task, conditions, and accuracy statements in STANAG 6001.


• In 2000– The BILC Steering Committee approved a trial of

the draft Interpretation Document in the Language Testing Seminar for PfP nations.

– SACLANT provided funding. – 5 BILC countries participated in the development

of the Seminar manual and in teaching the first PfP Language Testing Seminar.


• In 2001– BILC developed procedures for

conducting Language Needs Assessments for NATO assignments.

– BILC designated by the NATO Standardization Agency as the custodian of the STANAG 6001 Language Proficiency Levels.


• In 2002– The BILC Steering Committee agreed

that the BILC Interpretation Document should become an amendment to Annex A of the STANAG 6001.

– The Interpretation Document was forwarded to NTGSE for review.

– NTGSE approved and forwarded to NATO Standardisation Agency for promulgation.


• In 2003– Col J. Kazper, Chairman of the NTG, JSSG

reported that only clerical tasks were delaying the formal acceptance of the BILC Interpretation by the NATO Standardisation Agency.

• The original STANAG 6001 must be produced in electronic format.

• The NTGSE staff will complete that work this summer.

This Year’s ConferenceTheme is Timely

• Striving for STANAG 6001 Level 3 proficiency is a challenge for both NATO and PfP nations.

• Evaluation / Validation procedures are needed for– Syllabus design.– Instructional practices.– Testing approaches.

• Achievement – mastery of the textbook materials.• Performance – application in specific scenarios. • Proficiency – ability across a wide range of topical

and situational domains.

2003 BILC Conference• Study Group Topics

– How does one measure the effectiveness of classroom instruction?

– Central principles of curriculum design and development.

– Teaching according to the STANAG 6001 scale.

– Fairness and validation in language assessment.

Briefing Overview

• Introduction • BILC’s Current Role in NATO

•Proposed NATO Transformation


Transformation Explained:Using 15 Slides SelectedFrom JSSG Presentations

• 3 from Col J. Kaszpar

NTGSE and JSSG Chairman

• 3 from LtCol Eirik Davidsen

HQ Defence Command Norway

• 9 from Cdr Johannes RathgensHQ SACLANT Staff Officer Training

Col J. Kaszper NTGSE & JSSG Chair

Organisation of The NTG

NAC/DPC

MC

IMS

OPS Div

Ex&Trg Br

IS

NSA & Other NATO Agencies

Chairman NTG

NTGSE

JSSGJSSG NSGNSG AFSGAFSG FSGFSGASGASG

WGs WGsWGs WGs WGs

Annex B to MC238/2

AD =

HQ NATO ORGANISATION NTG NTG Administration

NTG

ASG NSG AFSG FSGJSSG

WG IT&EDNBCDefWGWG TEPSO

BILC

ENTEC FIBAU/MOUT

ISTCTSWG ETWG

TRWG AHFWG FWG

The NATO Training Group WGs

Joint Staff/CHOD Norway

How does an ever and faster changing NATO

affect Education & Training?

By LtCol Eirik Davidsen.

• The Prague summit decided that NATO should transform from a Cold War, static force, to one capable of addressing the Global War on Terrorism. (Prague Capabilities Comittment - PCC).

• “Today’s decisions will provide for balanced and effective capabilities within the alliance so that NATO can better carry out the full range of its mission and respond collectively to those challenges, including the threat posed by terrorism and by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery”.

Transformation, Education & Training

After the Prague Declaration,2002

• In addition to the new NATO members, the Prague Declaration indicates NATO’s intent to “…upgrade cooperation with the PfP countries” stating that “We welcome the resolve of Partners to undertake all efforts to combat terrorism…, …including to further enhance interoperability and defence-related activities, which constitute the core of our partnership”.

Transformation, Education & Training.

• “Allies, in consultation with Partners, will, to the maximum extent possible, increase involvement of Partners, as appropriate, in the planning, conduct and oversight of those activities and projects in which they participate and to which they contribute”. And so on…

Transformation/Implementation

Road to change

CDR Johannes RathgensHQ SACLANT Staff Officer Training

SC Functional Realignment

SCSC

SCSC

ACTACT ACOACO JointJoint

SACEURSACEUR

SACLANTSACLANT

Realignment

Five Domains of Transformation

Requirements & CapabilitiesPlanning & Implementation

Joint Experimentation, Exercises & Assessment

Joint & Combined FutureCapabilities Research &

Technology

Joint Education & Training

Identification of required capabilities and development of modern & innovative capabilities

Coordination and Management of NATO research and technology initiatives

Synchronization and evaluation of joint warfighting experimentation, Integration of capabilities, and Experiments on tactics, techniques and procedures

Leader development, Control of NATO Education/Training entities, Standardization

Strategic Concepts, Doctrine, & Policy Development

Force Interoperability concepts, policy and procedure development and implementation

Current Situation

CMC

IMS

ACLANT ACE

TEEDTEED

TEED

Bi-S

C A

ctiv

ities

TEEP

NTG NATIONS

AFSG ASG NSG JSSG FINANCE

INDIVIDUAL TRAINING

CO

LL

EC

TIV

E T

RA

ININ

G

IND+COLL. TRAINING

NDC

NSO

NCCIS

COECOECOECOECOE

PfP TCPfP TCPfP TCPfP TCPfP TCPfP TCPfP TCPfP TCPfP TC

NC3A

ADLM&S

LD

NATO

PfP

CMC

IMS

ACO ACT

Anticipated Statusas of 01 JAN 04 ??

TEEDTEED

TEED

Bi-S

C A

ctiv

ities

CO

LL

EC

TIV

E T

RA

ININ

G

IND./COL. TRAINING

NATIONS

NATO TRAINING GROUP

NDC

NSO

NCCIS

COECOECOECOECOE

PfP TCPfP TCPfP TCPfP TCPfP TCPfP TCPfP TCPfP TCPfP TC

NC3A

ADLM&S

LD

• SACT leads on NATO & PfP individual JET and associated policy

• SACT co-ordinates with SACO and nations for conducting training, exercises and experiments in support of Transformation.

• SACO leads on NATO & PfP collective training including exercises & evaluation

• SACO is supported by SACT for exercise design, planning & evaluation

MC-324/1-(7th draft) -SACT/TOR

SC-Responsibilities

Changes occurring to SACLANT

• Focus on longer term transformation

• HQ SACLANT fully joint

• Relinquish command of 3 Regional HQs, 2 combatant commanders, and SNFL

• Assume control of NATO education centers

• Coordinate/liaison w/JFCOM, NATO bodies and HQs of other nations

• Handover of Chair from IMS to ACT

• Agreement from Nations

• NTG as Vehicle for Implementation of JET Policy

• NTG is the Link between ACT and Nations

• Exchange of information and expertise

• Support of new JET activities and projects

• Coordination and Support for Nations

• Individual and Collective Training?

ACT - NTG Relationship

One Vision of the Future• One integrated battlefield• Combined Joint operations led by commanders

with a combined joint responsibility throughout the chain of command

• Employment & integration of long range, precise & lethal weapons

• Integrated logistics• Decision cycle down to minutes / hours• A global deployment, expeditionary in nature• Use of large networks w/ distributed info• Secure networks

Summary of the Selected SlidesFrom JSSG Presentations

• NATO’s vision of the future will require instantaneous, accurate communications.

• Communication requires understanding.• Understanding requires language skills.• No matter how NATO (re)organizes,

successful communication will depend on the language skills of individuals.

Briefing Overview

• Introduction • BILC’s Current Role in NATO• Proposed NATO Transformation

•BILC’s Future Role in NATO

BILC Within “Transformed” NATO

The consultative and advisory body on language matters

Allied Command Transformation

NATO Training Group

Joint Services Sub-Group

B I L C

Major BILC Activities

• Language Training Studies.

• Language Testing Seminars.

• Conferences and seminars with study/work groups to collect and disseminate information on language teaching and testing.– BILC Conference for NATO nations– BILC Seminar for PfP nations

Conclusion:

• With NATO transformation,– The need for BILC will be even more

apparent.– Requests for its services will increase.

• The results of this conference will be important!

Let’s begin.

Documents

Bureau for International Language Co-ordination (BILC)