The SHAPE Update

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The SHAPE Update
The Use of the English Language at SHAPE
Michael Adubato SHAPE Language Testing
Centre Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
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The latest from

Albanias and Croatias flags were raised on
SHAPE in April as they became the newest NATO
nations
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Testing at SHAPE Tests conducted at the SLTC
from Jan to May 2009 Overall 102 (including
volunteer tests and French tests) Entry
tests 29 Passed 13 Failed 16 Re-tests 34 Pa
ssed 8 Failed 26 Of the 26 re-test
failures, one division has asked that an
individual be replaced (action pending)
In the past 5 years, only 4 military personnel
have been replaced
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• Out-sourcing L R STANAG test development
• Our Statement of Requirements draft was sent
  to ACT last month
• As with the BAT, companies/organizations will
  be required to bid on the contract in order to
  develop both the tests and also the software to
  deliver the tests.

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• The Use of the English Language at SHAPE
• Data was collected from 31 military personnel who
  are assigned
• to a SHAPE PE (Peacetime Establishment) post
• Survey participants were 14 officers and 17 NCOs
• The nations that voluntarily participated in the
  survey were
• Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France,
  Germany, Greece,
• Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia,
  Spain Turkey
• - The nations that were forced at gun-point to
  participate were

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• None!
• Were not permitted to do that at SHAPE anymore!
  

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• The questionnaire was made up of 32 tasks
• Each task was one that the military member either
  was or was not
• required to perform as part of their duties
• Each task was assessed by myself and a few
  colleagues to
• determine what would be the necessary STANAG
  6001 level
• required in order to successfully perform it
• Of course there was not always complete agreement
  on
• assigning levels to these tasks

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• For each task the military member was asked a 4
  part question
• (unless they checked not applicable)
• 1. How difficult is the task for you to
  perform
• a Not difficult at all
• b Not very difficult
• c Quite difficult
• d Very difficult

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2. How frequently do you perform the
task a Not at all frequently
b Not very frequently c Quite
frequently d Very frequently 3.
How important is the task a Not at
all important b Not very important
c Important d Very important
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4. English language level necessary
(self-assessment) a Not necessary
b Elementary c Good d
Very good/fluent
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• Some of the tasks were
• Understand short informational presentations,
  situation reports,
• briefings, etc. (assessed as Level 2)
• Make telephone calls (assessed as Level 2)
• Make comments/ask questions during briefings on
  specialized
• military matters (assessed as Level 3)
• Read and prepare summaries and analysis from
  reports
• (assessed as Level 3)
• Write presentations and briefings (assessed as
  Level 2/3)
• Write office correspondence notes, memos,
  e-mails, letters
• (assessed as Level 2/1)

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• PART I The Non-Commissioned Officer
• - 17 NCOs took part in the study OR9 (3), OR8
  (5), OR7 (3),
• OR6 (3), OR5 (1), OR4 (2)
• Job/Duties (1) Admin/Clerk 10
• (2) Admin/Security 3
• (3) Travel Clerk - 1
• (4) Photographer 1
• (5) Accountant 2
• SLP Required (1) 3333 for 1, 3322 for 9
• (2) 3322
• (3) 2222
• (4) 2222
• (5) 3322
• PE positions are often filled with higher
  ranks than stated in the JD

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• Case study 1
• An OR5 clerk who requires SLP 3322
• I must collect and sort the branchs mail
  according to topic.
• The subject tells me which officer receives the
  document. I must
• also provide admin support burn CDs, make
  photocopies, order
• supplies and I am the ADP point of contact for
  the branch.
• Questionnaire responses
• Of eight (8) tasks defined as needing L3, the OR5
  says that she
• does not have to do 5 of them, while the other 3
  are questionable.
• (OR5 sitting in on discussions and debates on
  specialized military
• political matters and reading, and preparing
  summaries and
• analysis from reports is not in the JD)

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Case study 2 An OR7 clerk who requires SLP
3322 My main job is taking care of the
branchs budget, including the travel budget.
I am also responsible for all travel requests
from the staff officers and the branch chief
filling out travel request forms, processing
them, then printing the travel orders. I can
also be asked to book flights for the branch
chief. Sometimes I assist the admin staff with
routine admin duties. Questionnaire responses
Of eight (8) tasks defined as needing L3, the
OR7 says that she does not have to do 6 of them,
while one, making comments During briefings on
specialized military matters is quite
difficult
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Case study 3 An OR6 accountant in J8/BUDFIN
who requires SLP 3322 Principal duties (from
the JD) responsible for performance of
tasks Associated with day-to-day accounting,
including Processes payment transactions
performs calculations and prepares documentation
supporting calls of cash for NATO Member
Nations administers bank accounts held in every
NATO nation validating transactions and
performing reconciliations as required
maintains treasury accounts and producing a
variety of financial reports processes payments
through commercial banks, etc. Questionnaire
responses Of eight (8) tasks defined as
needing L3, the OR7 says that she does not have
to do 6 of them, while one, reading between the
lines is not at all difficult
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Case study 4 An OR6 photographer who requires
SLP 2222 Principal duties (from the JD) take
still photographs takes digital photographs
using digital cameras selects camera, film and
accessory equipment such as lenses uses
practical application for metering systems
prints both colour and bw prepares caption
information prepares technical and
administrative reports prepares digital
images controls and accounts for all assigned
equipment and supplies. He claims however that
he must perform all the L3 tasks in the
questionnaire read and prepare summaries and
analysis from reports read between the lines
develop supportive argumentation make comments
during briefings on specialized military matters,
etc.
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Case study 5 An OR4 courier in Courier
Section, HSG who requires SLP 3322 Principal
duties (from the JD) maintains files and
distributes Correspondence furnishes photocopy
support to Command Group Maintains DOS Case
Control system controls and distributes the
Mail to and from Command Group. THE END!!
That is ALL the job consists of! He is NOT
required to perform any of the L3 tasks.
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Recommendations based on data and comments
provided by the military member and analyzing the
JD Case Study 1 and 2 SLP 2221 (or SLP
2211) L sufficient comprehension to understand
conversations and job related topics.
(STANAG 6001, Level 2) S able to communicate in
everyday social and routine workplace
situations. (STANAG 6001, Level 2) R sufficient
comprehension to read simple authentic written
material on familiar subjects. (STANAG
6001, Level 2) can read very simple
connected written material that are directly
related to everyday survival or workplace
situations (STANAG 6001, Level 1) W Can
write to meet immediate personal needs. Can
convey basic intention
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Recommendations based on data and comments
provided by the military member and analyzing the
JD Case Study 3 SLP 2211 L sufficient
comprehension to understand conversations and
job related topics. (STANAG 6001, Level 2) S
able to communicate in everyday social and
routine workplace situations. (STANAG 6001,
Level 2) R sufficient comprehension to read
simple authentic written material on
familiar subjects. (STANAG 6001, Level 2)
can read very simple connected written material
that are directly related to everyday
survival or workplace situations (STANAG 6001,
Level 1) W Can write to meet immediate
personal needs. Can convey basic
intention (STANAG 6001, Level 1)
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Case Study 4 SLP 2222 How much English does
a guy with a camera really need? Suggest SLP
2211 but could I be so bold as to say SLP 1111
?!?!?! Rationale (STANAG 6001, L1
descriptors) L can understand short simple
sentences such as workplace requirements
can understand concrete utterances S able to
maintain simple face-to-face communication in
typical everyday situations. Can begin,
maintain and close short conversations Can
speak at the sentence level R can read simple
material unambiguous texts that are directly
related to workplace situations W Can write
short notes, short personal letters, phone
messages. can convey basic intention
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For all you doubters out there that a
photographer cannot function in a NATO assignment
with SLP 1111 Dont be like Thomas!!
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Is this crazier than asking a courier, who picks
up mail and throws it into the proper
distribution boxes several times a day, to have
SLP 3322?
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• PART II The Staff Officer
• - 14 officers took part in the study COL (1),
  LTC/CDR (6),
• MAJ (5), CPT (2)
• Job/Duties Either Staff Officer or Branch
  Head
• SLP Required (1) 4343 (COL)
• (2) 3333 (others)

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• Case study 1
• A LTC in J4 Logistics who requires SLP 3333
• - Job description
• Acts as staff officer. Supports development of
  policy and guidance,
• and acts as a consultant to SHAPE operational
  staff. Based on qualif-
• ications and on seniority in post, acts as
  Consultant Team Leader, or
• Deputy Section Chief.
• Question
• Although the job description is pretty vague, can
  anybody argue that
• the LTC needs a 3333 profile based on duty
  requirements?

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• Case study 3
• A LTC in Headquarters Support Group who requires
  SLP 3333
• - Job description
• Responsible to the commander for the
  dissemination of orders and
• related information develops and implements
  admin plans, policies,
• and procedures update and publish applicable
  admin directives
• acts as a liaison with other branch
  administrative personnel, schedule
• workload and establish performance standards and
  procedures
• evaluate individual performance, executes and
  manages budget.
• Question
• Is SLP 3333 really needed? Nice to have, but
  needed?!?!

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Since I am sure that there are a lot of officer
posts at SHAPE that do Require SLP 3333, I am not
going to make a blanket statement in line With
blanket SLP profiles assigned. Recommendations
MATCH THE LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS WITH THE
DUTIES OUTLINED IN THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS!!!
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A possible solution.. SHAPE should adopt the
PLUS Levels as outlined in the latest version of
STANAG 6001
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• What are some of the problems or,
• Why is it the way it is or,
• Why the problems are problems according to Mike
• Misleading labels for the different levels (which
  have now been fixed!)
• Lack of understanding or lack of actually
  reading the STANAG
• descriptors in order to see what one should be
  able to accomplish
• at the different levels (by those assigning SLP
  requirements for JDs)
• Nations sending personnel with dubious language
  profiles!
• Ex if a nation sends an officer to SHAPE with
  SLP 3333 and he
• clearly isnt according to the STANAG,
  it can be assumed that a
• L3 in writing isnt sufficient because
  the individual cannot fulfill
• his writing requirements.
• Branch Chiefs solution? Ask for a L4
  next time!

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• SHAPE setting the profiles so high that some
  nations are forced
• to inflate the SLP, otherwise they would have
  nobody to send to
• fill the post
• Nations KNOWINGLY not testing properly due to
  lack of resources
• or for any other reason!
• Ex Out-sourcing your testing to civilian
  companies do not, or
• perhaps cannot testing IAW STANAG 6001

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• The SHAPE Division Heads!
• Ex If someone fails their test and then their
  re-test 4 months later,
• the division must fill out an impact
  statement stating if a
• replacement is requested due to a lack
  of language skills.
• The form asks is the lack of language skills
  as stated in the JD
• negligible, causes some problems, or causes
  serious problems
• Then would you like a replacement
• Then comments
• Although 99 never say that it causes serious
  problems and they do
• not want a replacement, none ever comment on the
  SLP being too
• high for the job, which seems obvious since the
  individual can do it!

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FACT There is a misconception not only at SHAPE
but NATO-wide that all staff officers should
have a minimum SLP of 3333 and the majority of
NCOs should have SLP 3322 RATIONALE Ive yet
to see or hear any good reasons for these
profiles. The SHAPE PE has been through
several revisions but the language requirements
for these positions are not scrutinized and
compared to what type of language is required to
be able to successful work in the post.
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REMEMBER There are no dumb questions
But lets see if we can change that today!!!