Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Presented by:Michael Bunting

Corey Miller

Team Members:Susan Campbell

Ryan CorbettCatherine Doughty

Rachel Strong

Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

DLAB in AfghanistanNATO and DLIELC Requirement Need a Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) to better predict language learning success in the Defense Language Institute English Language Center (DLIELC) Afghan program

RelevanceNeed better preparedness for follow-on training (e.g., pilot training) and more DLIELC graduates meeting graduation requirements

SolutionQuick fix for immediate implementation followed by more rigorously developed test

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Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Timeline

Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Content of the ALAB

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Non-linguistic tests assess aptitude for learning.

Linguistic tests assess aptitude for language learning.

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Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Content of the ALAB: Raven’s testChoose the picture that completes the large pattern.

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Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Content of the ALAB: Speeded test

If the two pictures, symbols, or numbers in a pair are the same, mark the equal sign, “=”. If the two pictures, symbols, or numbers in a pair are not the same, mark the not equal sign, “≠”.

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Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Content of the ALAB: Figures testDiscover the pattern in the FIGURE SERIES and then decide which one of the POSSIBLE ANSWERS would appear next in the series.

Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Content of the ALAB

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Non-linguistic tests assess aptitude for learning.

Linguistic tests assess aptitude for language learning.

Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Linguistic tests

• ALAB has two linguistic tests: Language Analysis and Words in Sentences.

• In addition to the ALAB instructions, language and cultural concepts must be adapted and translated.

• Language Analysis: Required transliteration of an artificial language from Roman to Arabic.

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• Afghans don’t necessarily use the same numerals as Americans do.

• We adapted numerals to more familiar ones to avoid distraction and confusion.

• Two varieties of numerals are used in Afghanistan; based on survey results, we used the Eastern-based variety.

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Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Numeral adaptation

Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Example: Language Analysis test

• Word list:zorit..............................the farmer

volip.............................the worker

zorit volipu pigom........The farmer pushed the worker.

•Exercise:

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The worker pushed the farmer.

A. zoritu volip pigom

B. volip zoritu pigom

C. zorit volip pigom

D. volip zorit pigom

• Transliterate artificial language to Dari letters

• Dari letters are a subset of Pashto letters, resulting in identical transliteration for Dari and Pashto.

• Some transliterated words were considered offensive sounding; therefore, a different sound was substituted.

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Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Letter adaptation

Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Example: Words in Sentences test• First sentence:

• Second sentence:

Task: Which word in the second sentence does the same thing as the capitalized word in the first sentence?

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LONDON is the capital of England.

He liked to go fishing in Maine.

A B   C D   E

Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Words in Sentences challenges• Cultural transfer:

• Change in name: “Bill” becomes “Mahmud”

• Some items rely on linguistic features present in English but not Dari or Pashto:

• Infinitive “to” meaning “to sail”

• Solution: Use whole phrase “to sail”

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Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Additional challenges• Attractive distractors in English, such as

• “To” can be a preposition meaning towards, or part of an infinitive.

• “Reserved” can be a verb or an adjective.

• While there may be words in Pashto or Dari that are ambiguous (e.g., homographs), they are not the same in English!

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Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

Timeline

Afghan Language Aptitude Battery (ALAB)

For more informationMichael Buntingmbunting@casl.umd.edu

Corey Millercmiller@casl.umd.edu

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