BILC Seminar Monterey, October 2011

1. BILC Seminar Monterey, October 2011 An Integral Approach to English in the Dutch Military: the results of a Quickscan

2. English in the Dutch Military The scenario framework: 2010-2030 BILC Seminar, Monterey

3. English in the Dutch Military The scenario framework: 2010-2030 BILC Seminar, Monterey

4. English in the Dutch Military • Policy document 2007: • - English is a basic military skill for (almost) all personnel • - A STANAG 6001 test for English must be developed • Technological innovations concerning language learning must be adopted. • Lessons Identified ISAF 2010: • English proficiency is too often insufficient - at all ranks. • Summit on English at the Defence Staff in January 2011: • Highly ranked representatives of the Defence Staff and the Operational Commands as well as the Dean of the Military Faculty agreed on the need to improve the knowledge of the English language in the Dutch armed forces. BILC Seminar, Monterey

5. English in the Dutch Military • The Vice Chief of Defence requested for a • Plan for the Improvement of the Command of English • Which was drawn up with the Working Group English and subsequently approved by the Defence Languages Platform. BILC Seminar, Monterey

6. English in the Dutch Military Personnel • 70,000 Employees  • 50,000 Soldiers and 20,000 Civilians • Staff 2,000 • Support Command 10,000 • Defence Materiel Organisation 7,000 • Army 26,000 • Air Force 8,000 • Navy 10,000 • Marechaussee (MP) 7,000 BILC Seminar, Monterey

7. English in the Dutch Military PersonnelEnglish Language Teachers • Army 5 • Air 3 • Navy 3 • Military Academy 6 • Total 17 FTE BILC Seminar, Monterey

8. English in the Dutch Military English Training in the Dutch Armed Forces • Initial education Officers  Netherlands Defence Academy (NLDA): 80 hours NCOs  Royal Military School (Army): 22 hours Navy School : 40 hours Air Force School: 40 hours Post-initial education Pre-deployment refresher courses: 30 or 60 hours Medical personnel course Writing skills Air Force school: air traffic controller course, F16 technician course BILC Seminar, Monterey

9. English in the Dutch Military Plan for the Improvement of the Command of English • The Plan is the result of analyses of written sources and of interviews and meetings focusing on the English language requirement and the English language proficiency level of Defence personnel • The Plan outlines an integral approach to increasing and/or maintaining the English language proficiency of Defence personnel to or at the required level throughout their career. BILC Seminar, Monterey

10. Language Centre of Expertise Required language proficiency Education, training and testing Adequate command of English

11. English in the Dutch Military Plan for the Improvement of the Command of English • 1. Make an inventory and conduct a systematic and professional analysis of the kind of language skills required to be able to adequately perform military tasks and positions • 2. Define minimum English language proficiency requirements for all military and civilian positions, and include these in the conditions for appointment pertaining to job clusters and/or specific jobs. BILC Seminar, Monterey

12. Education, Training and Testing • English language education: Instruction in grammar, productive speaking and writing skills, receptive listening and reading skills, and instruction in military and job-specific terminology. • English as instruction language: Adopting English as the instruction language in selected job-specific, trades and career training. • Using English in exercises: The controlled use of English in operational exercises and training. BILC Seminar, Monterey

13. English in the Dutch Military Plan for the Improvement of the Command of English • 3. Develop continuous learning curves for English. • 4a. Create a pool of language experts and employ them across the board (pooling and sharing), • 4b. And increase the number of English-language experts over the next few years. BILC Seminar, Monterey

14. English in the Dutch Military Plan for the Improvement of the Command of English • 5. Make targeted investments in the provision and support of digital English-language training and testing programmes using the electronic learning environment of the Defence organisation. BILC Seminar, Monterey

15. English in the Dutch Military Plan for the Improvement of the Command of English 6. Introduce the English-language testing policy across the Defence organisation. 7. Analyse the need for and implement the use and production of English-language documents. BILC Seminar, Monterey

16. English in the Dutch Military Plan for the Improvement of the Command of English • 8. Bring in external expertise for train-the-trainer programmes for providing English-language instruction. • 9. Drawing on the available language talents, select and appoint language coordinators and English-language assistants at the required organisational hierarchical level. BILC Seminar, Monterey

17. English in the Dutch Military Plan for the Improvement of the Command of English • The recommendation in the Policy Letter from the Minister of Defence to the Speaker of the House of Representatives of 8 April 2011: • invest in Language Training • (9 FTE extra) BILC Seminar, Monterey

18. English Training outside the Dutch Armed Forces • NEW • Intermediate Vocational Education • Community College • English is compulsory, from 2010 onwards • Catching up BILC Seminar, Monterey

19. 4 30m 3 30m 2 1 Secondary and Vocational Education KMA KMS OCIO MoD MBO MoE VWO 12-18 yrs HAVO 12-17 yrs VMBO 4 levels / 12-16 years Basisschool(Primary School) 4-12 years MoD Ministry of Defence / MoE Ministry of Education / VMBO Pre-vocational Secondary Education / MBO Vocational Secondary Education / HAVO Senior General Secondary Education / VWO Pre-university Education / OCIO Training Centre Initial Training (Pvts)/ KMS Royal Military School (NCOs) / KMA Royal Military Academy (Offr Cadets) BILC Seminar, Monterey

20. Intermediate Vocational Education English in the Dutch Military SECURITY & PROFESSIONALISM Level 3Pre-education for NCOs(650 Students/Year) Pupil’s Objectives: 1. General Subjects: e.g. Dutch /English etc.2. Conducts Basic Military Skills 3. Leads and Executes Coordinating Tasks 4. Gives Instruction and Training 5. Executes Basic Military Security Tasks 6. Conducts Basic Technical and Logistic Skills Structure:3 Wks Indoor at REC / 1 Wk Outdoor Under Command of Soldiers BILC Seminar, Monterey

21. Intermediate Vocational Education English in the Dutch Military SECURITY & PROFESSIONALISM Level 2 Pre-education for Privates (2,500 Students/Year) Pupil’s Objectives: 1. General Subjects: e.g. Dutch /English etc.2. Conducts Basic Military Skills3. Leads and Executes Coordinating Tasks 4. Gives Instruction and Training 5. Executes Basic Military Security Tasks 6. Conducts Basic Technical and Logistic Skills Structure:3 Wks Indoor at REC / 1 Wk Outdoor Under Command of Soldiers BILC Seminar, Monterey

22. Intermediate Vocational EducationMilitary English Programme English in the Dutch Military SECURITY & PROFESSIONALISM Level 3 150 Contact Hours of English in 30 Months Military English Programme by RMS Weert: Campaign Student’s Book Level 2  +70 Hours BILC Seminar, Monterey

23. Intermediate Vocational EducationMilitary English Programme English in the Dutch Military SECURITY & PROFESSIONALISM Level 2 90 Contact Hours of English in 18 Months Military English Programme by RMS Weert: Campaign Student’s Book Level 1  +35 Hours • Italian Army: Line of Communication; Loud & Clear BILC Seminar, Monterey

24. English in the Dutch Military Plan for the Improvement of the Command of English • The recommendation of the Minister of Defence • to the House of Representatives: • invest in Language Training • 9 FTE • or • ? BILC Seminar, Monterey