FLO Enhancement Program
(FEP)
DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER
FEP
Program Goal:
Minimizing the mission readiness gap between
the DLI graduate and the linguist in the field
DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER
Future Challenges
• Understanding the Job
– Instantly recognize and accurately translate imperfect
written and oral passages
• Often little or no reference material, native help, or
the speaker/writer present for clarification
– Utilize analytical and deductive reasoning skills to
predict/explain happenings or fill-in missing information
– Deal quickly and effectively with random, disjointed,
widely varied topics, accents, culture specific references,
and slang
• Often including profanity and “improper” speech
– Perform at this level with no margin for error
DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER
Future Challenges (cont.)
– Perform in hostile environments (uncooperative
natives), interpret intent
– Perform in different contexts (refugee camp vs.
embassy)
– Perform different tasks (unfamiliar, not canned
situations)
– Solve problems, find motives, persuade
– Take notes, summarize, make recommendation
based on an overheard conversation
DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER
Addressing Future Challenges
• FEP/Enhanced FLO Activities (EFAs) meet the challenge:
– Methodologically sound language learning strategies (teaching vs.
testing)
– Power packed high-level audio selections:
• Tangentially job related
• Imperfect quality
• Multiple speakers
• Colloquial speech
– Student-centered activities utilizing multiple active skills
– Grammar and structure
– Geography/map usage
– Target language research/Social Media
– Reporting
DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER
Performance and Proficiency
FLOs and DLPT
Symbiotic relationship through text analysis:
- Authentic materials
-
Problem solving
Critical thinking
Developing strategies
Processing extended discourse
Cultural knowledge
Contextualization
Exposure to pragmatics…
DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER
Program Accomplishments:
Gen 1 EFAs
•
•
•
•
Generation 1 EFAs
Training: hands on training in schools weekly
Development: up to 800 EFAs in 18 languages
and dialects by DLI faculty
Implementation: ongoing
Challenges: transfer from ScribeZone to
WorkFLO
DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER
Program Accomplishments:
Gen 2 EFAs
Generation 2 EFAs
• Training: 3 orientation sessions by FEP for NFLC;
training DLI faculty
• Development: 1,495 EFAs (voice and graphic), in 23
languages and dialects developed through December
2013 by NFLC (minimum 65 per language)
• Implementation: pending TL review and modification
• Challenges: shortage of faculty members in certain
languages to review and modify EFAs
DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER
Program Accomplishments:
Gen 3 EFAs
Generation 3 EFAs
• Training: 2 orientation sessions by FEP for NFLC;
training DLI faculty
• Development: 1,300 EFAs (voice and graphic), in 22
languages and dialects will be developed through
June 2014 by NFLC; up to 450 already delivered and
undergoing review
• Implementation: pending upon the receipt and
review of all Gen 3 EFAs
• Challenges: processing materials with limited
resources
DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER
Demo
• Voice EFA
• Graphic EFA
DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER
FEP
Questions/Comments