Developing a Mission- focused, Capability-based Language Curriculum for Naval Special ... IAT CD...

The overall classification of this briefing is:

UNCLASSIFIED - FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY1

Developing a Mission-

focused, Capability-based

Language Curriculum for

Naval Special Warfare

Presented by:

Dr. Marla Federe

NSW Foreign Language Program (FLP)

Director

Presented to:

Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR)

Committee

National Foreign Language Center, MD

21 MARCH 2014

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY


Team Acknowledgements

Special Operations Forces

Language Office (SOFLO)

Naval Special Warfare

Core Advisory GroupNavy Foreign Language

Office (NAVFLO)

Diplomatic Language Services

(DLS)1SWA Consulting Inc.

(SWA)2

CACISSI Mid-Atlantic

Language Testing

International (LTI)American Council on the

Teaching of Foreign Languages

(ACTFL) 1DLS led Phase III of this project.2SWA led Phase I and II of this project.



• Background: Specified needs for: “Ability to communicate directly with indigenous in our highest priority

operating areas.”

“Improved counterpart relations.”

“Enhanced operational capability at the unit level resulting form a decreased dependence on interpretation/translation by non-SOF linguists.”

“Increased level of cultural sensitive/knowledge that contributes to situational awareness, safety and security.”

• Problem: A gap exists between desired and current language and culture capability, curriculum, and assessments. Time to train is limited.

• Outcome: NSW SEALs and SWCCs who have the language and culture capability needed to effectively perform their missions.

• Process: Identify NSW language and culture needs and align policy, objectives, materials, assessments, and pay to create needed capability.

Problem Statement



Assumptions

• It will be less expensive to have a curriculum that “fits”

than to have a curriculum that doesn’t “fit.”

• There is a wash back testing effect. It is important that

the testing policy align with training and with mission

needs.

• To be most efficient and effective, we must build a

curriculum that fits our needs, align the assessments to

support development of those needs.



Objectives

• Develop 12 week curriculum that…

Produces the capability needed for NSW

jobs/missions;

Is learner relevant and mission-focused;

Has explicit and transparent course and learning

objectives;

Is efficient;

Is flexible, adaptable, and easily updatable; and

Allows monitoring and accountability of the

curriculum developers, vendors, instructors, and

students.



What we did…

INVOLVED…..

ASKED…

LISTENED….

Leaders, operators, program

administrators, teachers, experts

in the process of development.

The right questions to qualified

stakeholders.

To the qualified stakeholders.

6



What we did… (cont.)

FOCUSED….

ALIGNED…..

ANALYZED…

Learners’ and stakeholders’

needs;

Intent of policies.

NOT on prior tests or curricula.

Every step in the process with

mission needs.

Data to determine specific

requirements to build capability.7



What we did… (cont.)

DESIGNED….

BUILT and

PILOTED…..

Mission-focused curriculum plan

tied directly to mission needs

using adult learning theory.

Mission-focused curriculum and

assessments.

8



Systematic Curriculum

Design

9

Needs Analysis

Vision, Goals,

Conceptual Framework

Objectives/Outcomes

Assessment

Teaching Methods

Materials

Policies & Procedures

Evalu

atio

n

Adapted from Brown (2005)

PHASE I

Training Needs Assessment

DEC – MAR 2011

PHASE II

Curricula Review

Scope and Sequence

JUL – DEC 2011

PHASE III

Curriculum Development

OCT 2012 – DEC 2013



Phase I – Needs

Assessment

10

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

4 Publications1

834 tasks

Mission Task Analysis613 tasks

KSA Meeting211 tasks grouped

20 mission content domains

•20 linguistic functions rated at

the tactical, operational, and

strategic levels of conflict

•3 socio-cultural knowledge

areas

•7 communicative modalities

1SEAL Occupational Standards, SWCC Occupational

Standards, NWP 3-05, Universal Naval Task List



Linguistic Functions

1. Conduct simple conversation to build rapport

2. Give commands

3. Ask and answer simple questions

4. Give a simple description

5. Give a simple instruction

6. Give a simple direction

7. Perform a simple straightforward transaction

8. Participate in work-related conversations

9. State a simple sequence of a limited number of predictable actions

10. Report an event (past, present, or future event)

11. Give straightforward explanations

12. Give simple briefs/debriefs

13. Deal with a predictable transaction/situation with a complication

14. Perform a range of predictable and unpredictable transactions

15. State straightforward alternatives or outcomes

16. Participate in a range of discussions

17. Present a situation report

18. Discuss potential actions, outcomes, implications

19. State and defend a position

20. Participate in complex negotiation



Socio-Cultural Knowledge

Areas

1.Can generally conform to culturally prescribed practices during conversations; Nominally observes courtesy requirements with individuals of different gender, age or status and avoids well known taboo topics and behaviors; Usually responds appropriately to the most commonly used cultural cues

2.Shows conscious awareness of several significant differences between the individual's culture and TL and attempts to adjust appropriately; Can avoid taboos and typically adhere to basic social norms and rules of etiquette such as making intros, accepting and refusing invitations, offering and receiving gifts and requesting/offering help.

3.Can understand and make appropriate use of cultural references and expressions and can usually discuss a variety of issues and subject matter that refer to culture such as history, politics, literature and the arts; The individual's social behaviors and interactions reflect significant knowledge and understanding of cultural expectations.

**Adapted from the Draft ILR Skill Level Descriptions for Competence in Intercultural Communication.



Communicative Modalities

• Participatory listening

• Non-participatory listening

• Participatory speaking

• Non-Participatory speaking

• Reading

• Writing

• Gestures



Communicative Modalities

Modalities required by at least 80% of tasks in a

given condition

Self

Participatory Speaking

Gestures

Participatory Listening

Non-participatory

Speaking

Train Others



Gestures

Non-participatory

Speaking

TACTICAL

Self


Gestures


Non-participatory

Speaking

Train Others

Gestures



Non-participatory

Speaking

Non-participatory

Listening

Self

Gestures

Non-participatory

listening



Non-participatory

Speaking

Train Others

Gestures



Non-participatory

Speaking

Non-participatory

Listening

OPERATIONAL STRATEGIC

Note importance of participatory speaking, participatory listening, and gestures across all conditions.



Learning Objectives

• From the needs assessment results, 255 general learning outcome objectives were generated and included in the scope and sequence



Learning Objective

Content

• Mission Task Analysis:

NSW content domains and mission tasks

Purpose (do self or train others)

Level of conflict (tactical, operational,

strategic)

Frequency and Importance



Learning Objective

Content

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA)

Analysis:

Linguistic functions

Levels of socio-cultural knowledge

Communicative modalities

Targeted proficiency and performance level



Sample Learning

Objective

18

TAG: CB-02-02-NMT-CD-01-01-P-TPL

The NSW SEAL/SWCC personnel will give commands in order to train others to accomplish NSW mission tasks [NMT] in NSW mission domains [CD] at the tactical level of conflict and within a level 1 socio-cultural context and to [P] standard of performance in relation to the targeted proficiency level [TPL] as measured by appropriate formative and summative assessments.



Sample Learning

Objective

19

CB-02-02-NMT-CD-01-01-P-TPL


Linguistic

Function



Sample Learning

Objective

20



Purpose



Sample Learning

Objective

21



Mission Tasks



Sample Learning

Objective

22



Mission

Content

Domains



Sample Learning

Objective

23



Level of

Conflict



Sample Learning

Objective

24



Sociocultural

Level



Sample Learning

Objective

25



Standard of

Performance



Sample Learning

Objective

26



Targeted ILR

Level



Phase II - Curricula

Review Results

27

Number of Curricula that Met Criteria

0

Number of Curricula Reviewed

6

Number of Curricula Requested

20 (received replies from 15)



Criteria for Curricula

Review• Seventeen (of 24; 71%) language programs met

the following criteria for requesting curricula

materials:

Information was open source

Information was readily available and willing to be

shared

• Additional criterion: Are the curricula available in

at least one of the following languages?

French

Modern Standard Arabic

Either Farsi or Tagalog



Curricula Review

MaterialsProgram/Curricula Languages of Interest

CL-150 Technology Matrix for Critical

Languages; Marine Special

Operations Command Initial

Acquisition Courses

French, MSA, Tagalog

Indiana University, Indiana Complex

Operations Partnership and Center for

Evaluation and Education Policy

Defense: Farsi, MSA, Russian

Homeland Security: French, MSA,

Russian

Michigan State University, Arabic

Flagship Program

MSA

Rosetta Stone French, MSA, Tagalog

University of Montana, Dari and

Pashto Language and Culture Training

Program

Dari and Pashto

U.S. Army Special Operations

Command, 200-hour Course

French and MSA



Curricula Review Results

• NO program submitted the requested

documentation to show a rigorous bottom-

up needs assessment, which is central to

our approach.

• NO programs had learning objectives

which met our criteria (i.e., audience,

criterion, conditions, and measurement).

30



Phase II – Scope and

Sequence Approach• Training Needs Assessment (TNA)

• ISD/ADDIE model

• Learner-Centered (took learning styles and needs into consideration)

• Spiraling

• Foreign Language Instructional Approaches– Language for special purposes– Task-based instruction– Teaching for general proficiency

All three FL instructional approaches are tied together by a specific set of linguistic functions relevant to NSW missions, serving as the central, unifying focus of the curriculum.




Mapped onto ILR1. Conduct simple conversation to build

rapport

2. Give commands

3. Ask and answer simple questions

4. Give a simple description

5. Give a simple instruction

6. Give a simple direction

7. Perform a simple straightforward transaction

8. Participate in work-related conversations

9. State a simple sequence of a limited number of predictable actions

10. Report an event (past, present, or future event)

11. Give straightforward explanations

12. Give simple briefs/debriefs

13. Deal with a predictable transaction/situation with a complication

ILR Level 1

ILR Level 2

Relates to

Relates to



Organization of Course

Content

Horizontal Organization

Linguistic functions needed for the mission, put

in order of language acquisition complexity

Vertical Organization

Mission contextualization

with increasing complexitySpiraling

Revisit mission contexts with

increasingly complex linguistic functions



Scope and Sequence-

Course View Table



Scope and Sequence-

Course Structure

Week 1 2 3 4

Linguistic Functions (LFs) 1-7

Performance Level M E E D S E E D

Target Proficiency

LevelILR 0+ ILR 1

Level of Conflict Tactical

Socio-Cultural Level Level 1

Purpose Do self



Phase II – Scope and

Sequence

36



Scope and Sequence –

Overview Week View




Daily Hour View



Scope and Sequence-

Day View




Day View with Block Detail




Block View



Curriculum

Development Plan

42



Curriculum Development

Overview

• 6 languages

• 12 weeks of instruction

• 6 contact hours/day

• 2 hours independent learning/day

• 3 visits to Iso-Village

• Formative assessments each week

• Summative assessments every 4 weeks

43



Curriculum Key Features

• Build capability in Linguistic Functions

• Mission focus

• Repetition and spiraling of learning objectives

• Transparency

• Intercultural competence (LREC)

• Student self-reflection

• Simulated application/assessment in Iso-village

• Learning Management System (LMS)



Activity Features

• Mission focus

• Interactive and physically interactive

• Integration of multiple LFs and MDs each hour

• Language elements taught on an as-needed basis

• Transparent alignment with learning objectives



FROM LEARNING

OBJECTIVES TO CLASSROOM

ACTIVITIES

NSW ATC Language and Cultural Training Curriculum

Development Project

46



Activity Development

Generic Template Scenarios and Activities


Mission Content Domains

Elements

of the

Learning

Objectives



General and Mission

Contexts

48



What language elements do

operators need for this scenario?

49

Linguistic

Function

Grammatical

structures

Mission Content

Domain

Vocabulary and

context



Grammar in Context

50



Grammar in Context

51



Vocabulary and Context

52



Recycling Contexts

53



Spiraling of the

Objectives

54



Scaffolding

55



Transparency of Objectives

56



Level of Expectation



Daily Pattern of Activities

58



Daily Pattern: Hour 1

59

• Check Homework

• Preview Objectives

• Review Vocabulary in context of Linguistic Functions(LF) and Mission Domains(MD)

Hour 1



Hour 1 Example:

Reviewing vocabulary

60




61

• Listen to conversation with new LF and MD pairing

• Examine structures (grammar) used in Linguistic Function

• Do activities with new and recycled LF/MD pairings, using new structure

Hour 2



Hour 2 Example:

Practicing new LF

62




63

• Listen to conversation with new LF and MD pairing

• Practice performing LFs in new and recycled MDs

Block 3



Hour 3 Example:

Practicing LF & MD

64




65

• Listen to or read model conversation with new LF and MD pairing

• Work through an extended scenario recycling previous LFs and MDs

• Discuss questions: Are You Tracking?

Block 4



Hour 4 Example: Practice in

an extended scenario

66




67

• Listen to conversation with new and recycled LF/MD pairing

• Examine structures (grammar) used in LF

• Do activities with new and recycled LF/MD pairings, using new structure

• Complete Self-assessment: Checkpoint

Block 5



Hour 5 Example:

Practicing LF & MD

68




69

• Practice the day’s objectives in interactive, productive activities and role plays

• Review how day’s objectives relate to future job: “Cool Down”

• Preview Independent Learning (homework) activities

Block 6



Hour 6 Example:

Recycling LFs and MDs

70



Daily Pattern:

Independent Learning

71

• Practice language elements specific to the day’s LFs and MDs

• Practice comprehension of target language conversation

• Create and record a passage based on new and recycled LFs and MDs.

• Learn vocabulary items for the next day

• Preview structural concepts for the next day

Homework



Independent Learning Example:

Practicing LFs & MDs

72



NSW-Specific Design

73



LREC Integration

• Follows definitions, guidelines outlined in the CJCSI 3126.01A

(31JAN2013) which provides policy and procedural guidance

for the identification, planning, and sourcing of language,

regional expertise, and culture capabilities.

• 2-hour cross-cultural competence course (takes place 10 of

the 12 weeks of IAT)

• Regional studies lessons woven into language curricula

• Cultural competence integrated into ISO Village scenarios



LREC Integration:

Culture Notes

75



LREC Integration –

Culture Notes (cont.)

76



Student Self-Reflection

77



ISO Village



ISO Village Video

79



ISO Assessment Rubrics

80

From instructor perspective…

From student perspective…



Assessment Example

81



Assessment Example

82



Learning Content Management

System (LCMS)

83https://NSWFLP.desire2learn.com

https://nswflp.desire2learn.com/



FUTURE DIRECTIONS

84



Future Directions

• Capability-based performance assessment

• On-going evaluation of new curriculum

85



QUESTIONS?


Development Project

86



PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF

NEW CURRICULUM


Development Project

87



Overall Pass Rate

Comparison

88

Original Curriculum New Curriculum

Full Program SQT only SQT 298

CAT I/II CAT

III/IV

CAT I/II CAT

III/IV

CAT I/II CAT

III/IV

n 332-336 344-361 177-181 255-272 15 9

OPI Speaking 86% 99% 92% 99% 100% 100%

DLPT-Listening 46% 51% 49% 50% 87% 44%

DLPT-Reading 76% 45% 81% 45% 93% 56%

Met Standard in

All Modalities39% 30% 44% 30% 80% 33%

Notes. Languages included in the table: Arabic, Farsi, French, Spanish, Tagalog

Pass rate for CAT I/II languages is ILR 1 on any modality.

Pass rate for CAT III/IV languages is ILR 0+ on any modality.



Test Score Distribution for

Original Curriculum (SQT only)

89

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

0 0+ 1 1+ 2 2+ 3

OPI-S DLPT-L DLPT-R

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

0 0+ 1 1+ 2 2+

CAT III/IV Languages (n = 255-272)CAT I/II Languages (n = 177-181)



Test Score Distribution

for SQT 298

90

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

0 0+ 1 1+ 2 2+ 3

OPI-S DLPT-L DLPT-R

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

0 0+ 1 1+ 2 2+

CAT III/IV Languages (n = 9)CAT I/II Languages (n = 15)



Matched Pairs

Comparison

91

Original Curriculum New Curriculum

CAT I/II CAT III/IV CAT I/II CAT III/IV

n 14-15 7-8 15 9

OPI Speaking93% 100% 100% 100%

DLPT-Listening29% 29% 87% 56%

DLPT-Reading64% 29% 93% 44%

Met Standard in All

Modalities27% 33% 80% 33%

Notes. Languages included in the table: Arabic, Farsi, French, Spanish, Tagalog

Pass rate for CAT I/II languages is ILR 1 on any modality.

Pass rate for CAT III/IV languages is ILR 0+ on any modality.

Date post:	10-Aug-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	4 times
Download:	0 times

Developing a Mission- focused, Capability-based Language Curriculum for Naval Special ... IAT CD...

Documents