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Combining Language Proficiency Testing in Combining Language Proficiency Testing in Accordance with STANAG 6001 with Accordance with STANAG 6001 with Specialist Language Skills TestingSpecialist Language Skills Testing

Dr. Dugald Sturges, Federal Office of LanguagesHürth, Germany

STANAG 6001 Testing Conference SHAPE, Mons, Belgium

4 September 2013

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T S T I N GT S T I N G

Combining Language Proficiency Testing with Specialist Combining Language Proficiency Testing with Specialist Language Skills TestingLanguage Skills Testing

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Goal of testing i.a.w. STANAG 6001:Goal of testing i.a.w. STANAG 6001:

• To determine language proficiency

• …defined as “An individual’s unrehearsed, general language communication ability.”

Goal of testing i.a.w. STANAG 6001:Goal of testing i.a.w. STANAG 6001:

The table of language proficiency levels on which the SLP is based is intended to:

• a. Communicate language requirements for international staff appointments.

• b. Record and report, in international correspondence, measures of language proficiency.

• c. Compare national standards through a standardized table while preserving each nation’s right to maintain its own internal proficiency standards.

The implication:The implication:

• An SLP does not qualify you to do do anything.

Content Language Acquisition vs Content Language Acquisition vs General Language AcquisitionGeneral Language Acquisition

ESP aims at conveying: ESP aims at conveying: • a) abilities required for successful communication in

occupational settings; • b) content language acquisition dominates

s. Dudley Evans and St. John: Developments in ESP: A multi-disciplinary approach. Cambridge: CUP, 1998.

• ESP may be restricted as to the language skills to be learned (e.g. reading only - mechanics)

• It also may be restricted in terms of standardized lexis (e.g. air traffic controllers)

• General language competency is often incongruous to occupational experience.

Special language requirementsSpecial language requirements

• International requirements:International requirements:

e.g. Aviation (ICAO certification)e.g. Aviation (ICAO certification)

Certain professional tasks require Certain professional tasks require specialist language certificationspecialist language certification

• National requirements:National requirements:

e.g. e.g. Technical-logistic English Technical-logistic English

Pre-Deployment courses (mentors, observers)Pre-Deployment courses (mentors, observers)

Medical personnelMedical personnel

Etc.Etc.

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• Result: Specialists are often not sent Result: Specialists are often not sent for (mandatory) SLP testing before for (mandatory) SLP testing before specialist training and testing.specialist training and testing.

The reaction of some stakeholders:The reaction of some stakeholders:

• “If an SLP does not qualify you to do do anything, but specialist language certification is required, why bother with an SLP?”

• Does testing according to STANAG proficiency Does testing according to STANAG proficiency levels levels make sensemake sense as a means of maintaining and as a means of maintaining and improving improving quality quality of specialist performance? of specialist performance?

• Is testing according to STANAG proficiency levels Is testing according to STANAG proficiency levels always always necessarynecessary? ?

• Can SLP testing Can SLP testing replacereplace all professional language all professional language skills certification?skills certification?

• Proficiency Testing

vs

• Qualification Testing

• SLP is an EVALUATION –

• You cannot “FAIL” an SLP: “You are what you is.”

• Qualification oriented testing verifies the mastery of certain skills needed to perform a particular task

• If you do not have these skills you FAIL to be qualified for the task

Proficiency vs. QualificationProficiency vs. Qualification

Analogy: Driving Licence vs. Vehicle Analogy: Driving Licence vs. Vehicle CertificationCertification

Example of general driving proficiency (source: USAREUR driver‘s license exam)

• “What does this sign indicate?”

In order to be certified to operate a particular military vehicle, you first need a valid driver’s license:

This is a basic certification. It qualifies you to operate most cars.

Analogy: Driving Licence vs. Vehicle Analogy: Driving Licence vs. Vehicle CertificationCertification

e.g. Have your vision evaluated:

SLPSLPSLPSLPSLPSLP

SLPSLPSLPSLPSLPSLP

However, prior to this certification, you need to have your aptitude for driving evaluated:

This is a basic aptitude. Without it you cannot be certified.

Specialist tasks require specialized Specialist tasks require specialized certification – and testingcertification – and testing

“But if you gotta Ford, why you wanna Humvee?”

19. When you ford the HMMWV, the vehicle speed should be - a. 20 MPH or less. b. 15 MPH or less. c. 10 MPH or less. d. 5 MPH or less. (Circle choice.)

Military Driver – or Military Vehicle Operator?Military Driver – or Military Vehicle Operator?

• Both require basic prerequisite aptitudes and basic driving proficiency, but one also requires additional specialized skills certification.

• Standardized Language ProfileStandardized Language Profile

SLPSLP

• Specialized Language ProfileSpecialized Language Profile

• ESP does not work without SLP.ESP does not work without SLP.

The same holds true for language learning and testing:

But why not?But why not?

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•Specialist language aims at Specialist language aims at functional functional tasks, but may tasks, but may require the conveyance of abstract concepts, specialist require the conveyance of abstract concepts, specialist terminology or use of more advanced structural devicesterminology or use of more advanced structural devices as appropriate to the user’s professional field.as appropriate to the user’s professional field.

• The task may be within the SLP Level 2 range, but The task may be within the SLP Level 2 range, but the language required to perform that task may be the language required to perform that task may be more sophisticated.more sophisticated.

• Language proficiency is not a value unto itself, but is Language proficiency is not a value unto itself, but is inextricably embedded in the inextricably embedded in the performanceperformance of a of a particular professional task.particular professional task.

What makes specialist language “special?”What makes specialist language “special?”

• In case of failure of either or both parts of the language examination, all ratings are to be suspended and the examination is to be repeated after 3 months at the latest. During this period the AT officer is to refresh his or her language skills in self study. (…)

• “In the case of a repeat failure it is necessary to obtain a new valid 3332 SLP” before the suspension of the rating can be lifted.

ESP testing anchored in a STANAG 6001 frameworkESP testing anchored in a STANAG 6001 framework

Example: ICAO certification of Bundeswehr ATC and FIS:

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• Examinees with solid language proficiency plus Examinees with solid language proficiency plus knowledge of specialist terminology and usage are knowledge of specialist terminology and usage are usually prepared for specialist language certification usually prepared for specialist language certification (e.g. ICAO Level 4)(e.g. ICAO Level 4)

SLP Level 2… PLUS specialist knowledge?SLP Level 2… PLUS specialist knowledge?

Consequence :Consequence : a a combinationcombination of of SLPSLP testing PLUS testing PLUS specialist specialist language language qualification is qualification is essentialessential..

• The less specialist knowledge the examinees have, The less specialist knowledge the examinees have, the higher level of language proficiency they need to the higher level of language proficiency they need to make up for the deficit.make up for the deficit.

• However, even a Level 4 SLP candidate can not However, even a Level 4 SLP candidate can not make up for a total lack of specialist knowledge: make up for a total lack of specialist knowledge: Language cannot entirely replace practical skills.Language cannot entirely replace practical skills.

• Despite considerable agreement between the Despite considerable agreement between the results of the two types of examination, SLP testing results of the two types of examination, SLP testing alonealone cannot entirely replace specialist language cannot entirely replace specialist language certification.certification.

SummarySummary

• SLP testing i.a.w. STANAG 6001 is a SLP testing i.a.w. STANAG 6001 is a prerequisiteprerequisite for for specialist language training and specialist language training and testing.testing.

• On the same token, specialist language certification On the same token, specialist language certification alonealone cannot replace SLP evaluation, as it only tests cannot replace SLP evaluation, as it only tests proficiency in a very specific context.proficiency in a very specific context.

Summary (continued)Summary (continued)

• SLP testing i.a.w. STANAG 6001 and SLP testing i.a.w. STANAG 6001 and specialist specialist language language testing need to be closely testing need to be closely coordinatedcoordinated..

• Any combination of SLP and Any combination of SLP and specialist language specialist language testing needs to be carefully approached due to the testing needs to be carefully approached due to the differing testing goals.differing testing goals.

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• ‘‘Nuff said?Nuff said?

The reaction of another stakeholder:The reaction of another stakeholder:

• “If my commander had sent me to an SLP refresher course beforehand, I would have felt more comfortable taking this qualification exam.”

Thank you for your attention.Thank you for your attention.