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BILC SEMINAR 2013

UK PRESENTATION

Selai Safi

DEFENCE SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES

TASK-BASED APPROACHES IN: LANGUAGE FOR OPERATIONAL PURPOSES (LOP)Exercises in Language training outside the classroom:

o Exercise FIRST WORD (FW)

o Exercise SECOND WORD (SW)

o Exercise FLASHMAN (FM)

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LANGUAGE FOR OPERATIONAL PURPOSES (LOP)

To inject a degree of operational realism

To replicate the pressure of the theatre on the students

To set information and time deadlines

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Preparation

A business case is submitted to OC

Buildings are booked through the QM

Rifles and kit are booked through the QM

Equipment and meals are booked through the QM

A working party is formed to erect the tents and install tables

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Execution The students are briefed on their roles in the

exercise: these help them get into the mind-set of their likely roles in-theatre

They carry weapons and wear appropriate kit

They are to demonstrate appropriate operational linguistic skills

They are to display cultural and behavioural awareness around native speakers

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Exercise First Word

A one day internal exercise

A practice of low level operational linguist activity outside the classroom environment

Ideally at the 20-week point

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Phases of Ex FIRST WORD

VCP phase

Stop the tutors at the front gate

Ask a list of questions

Record the answers and give a report to the DS

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Round Robin Phase

Walk in (30 minutes)

Radio Ex (30 minutes)

Telephone Ex (30 minutes)

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The Shura

An indoor activity

Seating arrangements as in Afghanistan

Students are briefed on their tasks

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Ex SECOND WORD (SW)

Exercise SW is a one day exercise This exercise however is designed to follow the structural

format of Exercise FW.

Ideally run at the 40-week point

The materials and language used are at a higher level.

The concurrent activity during the Shura activity is interpreter training.

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Exercise Flashman (FM)

Exercise FM is two day exercise

Ex FM is run between weeks 55-60 of the course

Ex FM tests language ability in a military context

Ex FM practises common operational military scenarios

Ex FM gives the students confirmation of their own language skills.

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Day one

The Shura

12 students and 12 Native-Speakers (NS!)

Extended situational interpreting

Extended transacting business

Extended information retrieval

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Day One: Afternoon

Physical Tasks

2-mile loaded march

Round-robin

Writing-exercise (after midnight!)

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Day Two

The Open Shura

Extended situational interpreting

Extended transacting business

Telephone conversation

The Final Shura

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QUESTIONS