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BILC Conference,
May 2015, Madrid
Emilija Nesheva,
State expert on foreign languages teaching and testing,
Education and Qualification Department,
Human Resources Management Directorate,
Bulgarian MoD
1. Introduction to E 1101 N requirements.
2. How Bulgaria has managed (so far) in fulfilling
these requirements?
3. Bulgarian English language training system for
the militaries.
4. Brief report of the system for 2014.
5. Bulgarian STANAG 6001 certificates for English
language competence.
6. Problems to be solved.
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Continuity: Е 0356
E 1101 N.
Goal: Ensure that all NATO Command Structure (NCS) staff
and other national personnel who are routinely involved in
NATO issues or deployed on NATO operations are able to
communicate effectively in the English language.
Capabilities that could be attained? Enhanced
interoperability among NATO forces.
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1. For personnel earmarked for participation in the NCS and national staffs who are routinely involved
with NATO issues :
a. Officers: SLP 3333;
b. NCOs: SLP 2+2+2+2+.
2. For personnel subject to deployment on NATO operations, exercises or training:
a. Officers in command positions/principal staff officers: SLP 2+2+2+2+;
b. All other officers: SLP 2222;
c. NCOs, OR-5 and above likely to have frequent contacts with personnel from other nations: SLP 2222;
d. Enlisted personnel of all services planned to operate on tactical communication/NATO
communications networks/members of tactical air control elements: SLP 2211.
3. Conduct general proficiency language testing IAW STANAG 6001 Ed 4, using testing methodology as
recommended by BILC and the ACT sponsored language testing seminars.
4. By the beginning of 2016 – three-level approach of integrating English language training into the
curricula of officer and NCO education establishments and in career development and unit training
programs.
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1. 100% of the personnel, appointed for taking positions in NATO
structures, multinational staffs, and national staffs working with
NATO are selected in accordance with the language requirements
(though sometimes quite different from the levels in part 1 of E
1101 N).
2. As of 31.03.2015, 52% of the personnel in the NATO declared
forces have the proper SLP in English.
3. Out of the 6 members of the STANAG team – 5 have attended
the LTS in Garmisch-Partenkirhen and 3 - the ALTS + 1 is
planned for June 2015; only 1 member of the team hasn’t attended
neither of the seminars due to maternity leave.
4. Since the beginning of 2015 – a new model of EL qualification
courses as well as SLP 2222 is required for enrolling the Rakovski
National Defense College in Sofia.
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Documents that we have developed and that we follow:

Strategy for the development of the English language training
system for the Bulgarian Armed Forces (MO № ОH–
130/21.02.2011);
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МO № ОH-724/07.09.2011 about the military positions in the
Bulgarian Ministry of Defence, in the structures directly under the
command of the Minister, and in the Bulgarian Armed Forces that
should have English language competence requirements according
to NATO STANAG 6001;
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МO № ОH-753/29.09.2011 about ordering additional money to
the monthly payment to all Bulgarian militaries who have STANAG
6001 SLP 2222 and above in English and French;
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МO № ОH–218/19.03.2013 about the introduction of a new system
of English language courses in the Bulgarian military educational
institutions;
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MO № OH-219/19.03.2013 about the development and
administration of STANAG 6001 tests in Bulgaria
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IN THE MILITARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
- Rakovski National Defense College, Sofia
- Levski National Military University:
IN THE MILITARY UNITS
https://sites.google.com/site/learningcenterof
Language and Physical Training Department, VelikoTurnovo
Leadership and Language Training Chair in Aviation Faculty, D. Mitropolia
Foreign Languages Department in Artillery, Air Defense and CIS Faculty, Shumen
/
61mbr
- Naval Academy, Varna
Part of the syllabus of
NDA officers
and NMU and NA
cadets
Qualification courses
for the military and
civilian personnel
Distant Learning
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National Military University
Foreign Languages Department
Shumen
FIRST STEPS, DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURE
PERSPECTIVES
COL Petko Petkov
Madrid, May 2015
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The Foreign Languages Department (FLD) is a successor of the Center
for English Language Training and Information Technologies (CELTIT)
established in 2005 as a Bulgarian-American joint venture.
- the Bulgarian MOD has invested more than € 1,000,000 in it.
- the US Government has allocated more than $ 1,000,000 along the FMF
and IMET programs for books, labs, mobile training team, and teachers’
training.
The CELTIT was officially inaugurated on October 16, 2007 by the
Minister of Defense Vesselin Bliznakov and by His Excellency Mr. John R.
Beyrle – the US Ambassador in Bulgaria at that time.
In 2010 the FLD was declared a PfP Education and Training Center on
English language training.
In 2012 the FLD has been included in the Individual Training and
Education Programme – ITEP, Project 1.7, Tier 1, NATO Smart Defence
Initiative.
In September 2015 the FLD expects a visit by the QA team of NATO HQ
SACT JFT as we are in a process of NATO certification.
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USA CULP Project – each year
since 2012
UK Exercise Native Tongue Bulgaria Project – 2 groups in
2014, 4 in 2015
Cooperation with PLTCE,
Garmisch Partenkirhen,
Germany, and all the PTECs
Cooperation with the Hellenic
Multinational Peace Support
Operations Training Center
(MPSOTC)in Kilkis, Greece
Foreign Languages Department, Shumen
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Language laboratories:
◦ 3 level II labs – 25 seats each – renovated June 2008 (FMF
program);
◦ 2 level IV labs – 15 seats each - renovated June 2008
(FMF program);
Test storage room
Library – 9 tons (over 20000 pieces) of printed materials; last
shipment – December 2012 (ALC), January 2015 (North Star)
Foreign Languages Department, Shumen
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Dormitory with 128 rooms
Dining facility
Outdoor sport facilities
Inside gym and
swimming pool
Foreign Languages Department, Shumen
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More than 2000 Bulgarian militaries have been trained.
39 international students from 7 countries – Albania, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia and
FYROM.
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58 English language teachers in the military educational institutions;
6 English language teachers in the STANAG 6001 team;
16 English language instructors in the military units;
guest-teachers from DLI, San Antonio, sent for 6 months each in
Bulgaria to enforce the English language training in the military units;
native speakers supporting the English language courses in the FLD,
Shumen for enhancing the speaking skill of the trainees:
– project “Exercise Native Tongue - Bulgaria”, UK MoD;
- project „Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency“, US DoD;
unified and standardized teaching programs and textbooks for all;
tons of textbooks and teaching materials (paper, audio, video);
17 language labs in the military educational institutions;
15 language labs in the military units;
5 self-access centers in each military educational institution.
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№
name
type
textbook
duration
1
Preparatory level
non-intensive
ALC Book 1-10
480 lessons/10 months
2
Preparatory level
intensive
ALC Book 1-10
480 lessons/16 weeks
3
Level 1
intensive
ALC Book 11-20; North Star 3
480 lessons/16 weeks
4
Level 2
intensive
ALC Book 21-30; North Star 4
480 lessons/16 weeks
5
Level 3
intensive
ALC Book 31-34; North Star 5
480 lessons/16 weeks
6
Refresher preparatory level
intensive
Headway Elementary
120 lessons/4 weeks
7
Refresher level 1
intensive
Headway Pre-Intermediate
120 lessons/4 weeks
8
Refresher level 2
intensive
Headway Intermediate/Upper-Intermediate
120 lessons/4 weeks
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Refresher level 3
intensive
Headway Advanced
120 lessons/4 weeks
10
Course level 2
distant
materials developed for the course
24 weeks
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Course level 3
distant
materials developed for the course
24 weeks
12
Course refresher level 1
distant
materials developed for the course
6 weeks
13
Course refresher level 2
distant
materials developed for the course
6 weeks
14
Course refresher level 3
distant
materials developed for the course
6 weeks
15
Military English courses
intensive
textbooks on military topics
2/3 weeks
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approx. 600 military and civilian personnel were included in
English language courses in the military educational
institutions;
approx. 300 militaries were included in English language
courses in the military units;
approx. 600 students in the schools for sergeants, cadets in
the National Military University and the Naval Academy, and
officers - students at the Defence College studied English as
part of their regular studies;
approx. 1500 candidates sat for the STANAG 6001 exam.
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in order to enforce the fulfillment of E 1101 N:
 Improve the work of the HR structures for better
selection of the course participants.
 Upgrade the equipment in the existing language labs.
 Provide new language labs with computers for all military
educational institutions.
 Administer STANAG 6001 CATs only. No paper tests since 2016.
 Enlarge the item bank for the STANAG 6001 CATs for reading,
listening, and writing.
 Advertise the distant-learning courses among our militaries and
encourage them to enroll.
 Ensure financing for sending more EL teachers and instructors to
methodology courses in-country and abroad.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_0NHPDrFgY
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