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Teaching Content-Based English at Level 3 for Military Vocabulary

This course focuses on teaching English to military students at Level 3 by integrating practical, social, and professional topics. The goal is to enable students to participate effectively in conversations, discuss particular interests, and convey abstract concepts.

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Teaching Content-Based English at Level 3 for Military Vocabulary

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  1. Teachingcontent-based English at level 3(MILITARY VOCAB) Associate Professor Kåre Kildevang Danish Army Academy

  2. OUR PLACE IN THE FOOD-CHAIN • WE ARE PART OF THE OVER-ALL ARMY OFFICER TRAINING; SO NO LANGUAGE-ONLY COURSES • CONSTANT (AND UNFAIR!) COMPETITION FROM OTHER SUBJECTS • CLASSES MORE OR LESS INTEGRATED WITH TACTICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE

  3. OUR STUDENTS Basiccourse (3 years) Advancedcourse (1 year) • High-school graduates • NCOs (1-3 years) • Many have been deployed • Early-mid 20s • 1st lieutenants (3-5 yrs) • Almost all have been deployed more than once • Early 30s • Most have the entire family package

  4. KEY STANAG 6001 DESCRIPTORS FOR LEVEL 3 SPEAKERS • Participate effectively in conversations on practical, social, and professional topics. • Discuss particular interests and special fields of competence with considerable ease. • Answer objections, clarify points, justify decisions, respond to challenges, support opinion, state and defend policy. • Convey abstract concepts in discussions of such topics as economics, culture, science, technology, philosophy as well as their professional field.

  5. WHAT WE WANT • CONDITIONS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT MAKE STUDENTS WANT TO TAKE PART IN CLASS ACTIVITIES • MAKE CLASS ACTIVITIES STUDENT-DRIVEN, NOT MERELY TEACHER-ENFORCED • IN THE (CONDENSED) WORDS OF NATION (2001): TECHNICAL-VOCAB SPEAKING ACTIVITIES FOCUSING ON CONVEYING INFORMATION; ENABLING NOTICING AND NEGOTIATION; FACILITATING INCIDENTAL VOCAB LEARNING AMONG AUTONOMOUS LEARNERS

  6. WHAT WE DON’T WANT

  7. FACILITATING LEVEL 3; THE BIG NINE • WHENEVER FEASIBLE, FORM SMALL GROUPS • MAKE PARTICIPATION COOL • WHENEVER POSSIBLE, DELEGATE TASKS AND EMPOWER STUDENTS • RESPECT AND BUILD ON STUDENTS’ EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE • FOSTER AND UTILIZE RESPECTFUL DISAGREEMENT • MAKE EVERY STUDENT ”THE ONLY DANE IN CLASS” • USE AUTHENTIC AND UP-TO-DATE TEXTS AND EVENTS • DON’T FEEDBACK EXCESSIVELY • DO PREPARE OBSESSIVELY ON TERMINOLOGY

  8. A CONTROL-FREAK’S NIGHTMARE? • WE ARE NOT SMEs AND WE KNOW IT • WE ARE FACILITATORS WHO ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE • WE DON’T JUDGE OPINIONS AND ATTITUDES, BUT WE DO ASK FOR CLARIFICATION • WE TRUST IN STUDENTS’ INTEGRITY • WE REALIZE THAT WE NEED TO GIVE UP (SOME) CONTROL

  9. CHALLENGES • DO STUDENTS READ/SKIM/SKIP ASSIGNED READINGS? • INITIAL CADET COMPLACENCY • ADVANCED-COURSE STUDENT DOING ”LEVEL-3 RE-RUN” • INTROVERTS • NO DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

  10. SAMPLE CLASS ACTIVITIES • TACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS RUN BY THE INSTRUCTOR-OF-THE-DAY • ELECTION; PRESENT PARTY PLATFORMS AND IN-CLASS VOTE • LETTERS OF CONDOLENCE; REFLECTION AND DRAFTING • HEROES; A SIGN OF FAILURE? • SAND-TABLE EXERCISE; DOING IT THE USMC WAY • PREPARATION FOR EXAM

  11. QUESTIONS?

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