foreign language institute military academy in brno – czech republic june 2003 – harrogate, uk

FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

Military Academy in Brno – Czech Republic

June 2003 – Harrogate, UK



CoursesCourses

Language training programme in the Czech military comprises different types of courses.Language training programme in the Czech military comprises different types of courses.

The most common are:The most common are:

• four-month intensive courses for SLP 1111• four-month intensive courses for SLP 1111


• four-month intensive courses for SLP 2222• four-month intensive courses for SLP 2222

• six or five-month intensive courses for SLP 3333 • six or five-month intensive courses for SLP 3333

• “combined courses” (10 months, one week a month) for all three levels• “combined courses” (10 months, one week a month) for all three levels

• one- or two-week military terminology courses for specific purposes (for Rapid Deployment Force, UN missions, etc.) • one- or two-week military terminology courses for specific purposes (for Rapid Deployment Force, UN missions, etc.)




• four-week refreshment courses for SLP 1111 and 2222• four-week refreshment courses for SLP 1111 and 2222

• eight-week refreshment courses for SLP 3333• eight-week refreshment courses for SLP 3333

• IMET Programme courses for all levels• IMET Programme courses for all levels

• British Council courses for SLP 2222• British Council courses for SLP 2222

CoursesCourses

Language training programme in the Czech military comprises different types of courses.Language training programme in the Czech military comprises different types of courses.

The most common are:The most common are:

The last two types are not evaluated by Brno FLI. The last two types are not evaluated by Brno FLI.



• needs analysis• needs analysis

• curriculum evaluation• curriculum evaluation

• evaluation and innovation of learning/instructional materials• evaluation and innovation of learning/instructional materials

• instructional process evaluation• instructional process evaluation


Areas of EvaluationAreas of Evaluation

• evaluation of learning environments• evaluation of learning environments

• evaluation/assessment of educational achievements• evaluation/assessment of educational achievements



Why? Why? - to find out, monitor and analyze individual needs as well as group needs of the students - to find out, monitor and analyze individual needs as well as group needs of the students

How? How?- information coming from MoD and General Staff- information coming from MoD and General Staff


Needs AnalysisNeeds Analysis

- information coming from commandants and military staff- information coming from commandants and military staff- information coming from the students- information coming from the students- information found in job descriptions - information found in job descriptions Means:Means:

- various kinds of questionnaires or personal inquiries- various kinds of questionnaires or personal inquiriesResult:Result:

- analysis of all acquired information - analysis of all acquired information - preparation of the programme proposal - preparation of the programme proposal



Curriculum evaluation is a process focusing on different areas.Curriculum evaluation is a process focusing on different areas.

Instructional ContentInstructional Content

• topics• topics

• focus on skills• focus on skills

• level of difficulty• level of difficulty

• types of tasks• types of tasks


Curriculum Curriculum EvaluationEvaluation




Time ScheduleTime Schedule

• distribution of lessons for: different skills different topics• distribution of lessons for: different skills different topics• the length of instruction• the length of instruction

• time for self-study and homework• time for self-study and homework





Profile and OrganizationProfile and Organization

• methods of instruction• methods of instruction

• students’ evaluation during instructional process• students’ evaluation during instructional process

• group learning• group learning


• number and type of instructional materials or textbooks• number and type of instructional materials or textbooks

• creative learning• creative learning




ParticipantsParticipants

- number of students in a group - number of students in a group

- level of students' education - level of students' education

Teachers' education: Teachers' education:


- age of students - age of students

- level of degree - level of degree

StudentsStudents TeachersTeachers

- postgraduate courses - postgraduate courses

- courses abroad - courses abroad

- native speakers - native speakers




Evaluation of Learning/Instructional Evaluation of Learning/Instructional MaterialsMaterials

• content and level of difficulty compared with time schedule• content and level of difficulty compared with time schedule

• picture and graphical components – maps, charts, etc• picture and graphical components – maps, charts, etc

• motivating elements • motivating elements

• tasks in accordance with skills priorities• tasks in accordance with skills priorities

• types of exercises • types of exercises

• subjective evaluation by a teacher or a student• subjective evaluation by a teacher or a student




Instructional Process Instructional Process EvaluationEvaluation

Observation TechniquesObservation Techniques

Focused on:Focused on:- teacher’s preparation for the lesson- teacher’s preparation for the lesson- organization of a lesson- organization of a lesson

- methods of instruction in accordance with the aim of the lesson- methods of instruction in accordance with the aim of the lesson- activities of students- activities of students- audiovisual aids- audiovisual aids

- feedback to students- feedback to students- motivating elements- motivating elements

Observer can: Observer can:

- be present at a classroom- be present at a classroom- take notes- take notes

- use a video camera or a recorder - use a video camera or a recorder




Instructional Process Instructional Process EvaluationEvaluation

Subjective/participants techniquesSubjective/participants techniques

- teachers' self-reporting - teachers' self-reporting

- students' self-reporting- students' self-reporting

Resources:Resources:

- questionnaires- questionnaires- mail survey- mail survey- phone inquiries- phone inquiries- teachers’ diaries- teachers’ diaries

Using the instructional process evaluation, the purposes of evaluation must be clearly set.Using the instructional process evaluation, the purposes of evaluation must be clearly set.




Evaluation of Learning Evaluation of Learning EnvironmentsEnvironmentsQuestionnairesQuestionnaires

The questionnaire has 3 parts:The questionnaire has 3 parts:

1. finding out data about learners (age, type of course they attended, number of courses they attended, exam result, teaching organization, motivation…)

1. finding out data about learners (age, type of course they attended, number of courses they attended, exam result, teaching organization, motivation…)

2. getting the assessment of individual skills (time, usefulness, practicality, topics...); the assessment is on a scale (1 – 4)2. getting the assessment of individual skills (time, usefulness, practicality, topics...); the assessment is on a scale (1 – 4)

3. getting the assessment of the course organization (pluses, minuses, suggestions) and course content – teaching materials, teaching methods, homework, teachers' attitudes (pluses, minuses, suggestions)

3. getting the assessment of the course organization (pluses, minuses, suggestions) and course content – teaching materials, teaching methods, homework, teachers' attitudes (pluses, minuses, suggestions)




Evaluation of Learning Evaluation of Learning EnvironmentsEnvironmentsQuestionnairesQuestionnaires

Questions:Questions:

Each student can speak with the teacher.Each student can speak with the teacher.

Students can express their own points of view.Students can express their own points of view.

Students can chose their places to be seated or the teacher decides about it.Students can chose their places to be seated or the teacher decides about it.

All the students do the same tasks during the lesson.All the students do the same tasks during the lesson.

The tasks are creative or the students find answers in a textbook.The tasks are creative or the students find answers in a textbook.



• on the basis of achievement tests• on the basis of achievement tests


Evaluation/Assessment of Evaluation/Assessment of AchievementsAchievements

This evaluation is useful in creating a student’s profile. This evaluation is useful in creating a student’s profile.

• on the basis of placement tests• on the basis of placement testsThis evaluation is used to group students in more or less homogeneous study groups.This evaluation is used to group students in more or less homogeneous study groups.

• on the basis of standardized tests• on the basis of standardized tests

This evaluation shows objectively students’ level of language command. This evaluation shows objectively students’ level of language command.

• on the basis of aptitude tests• on the basis of aptitude testsThis helps to find out students’ aptitude for learning languages. This helps to find out students’ aptitude for learning languages.




ConclusionConclusion

Evaluation of a language training programme is a must.Evaluation of a language training programme is a must.

The benefits:The benefits:

- getting feedback- getting feedback

- identifying problematic areas and looking for ways to sort them out- identifying problematic areas and looking for ways to sort them out

- keeping in touch with changing needs- keeping in touch with changing needs

- learning/teaching process shows dynamics- learning/teaching process shows dynamics

- motivating for both learners and teachers- motivating for both learners and teachers

foreign language institute military academy in brno – czech republic june 2003 – harrogate, uk

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