bilc update rome, italy, june 8, 2009 bilc secretary & d/secretary bureau de coordination...
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BILC UPDATE
Rome, Italy, June 8, 2009BILC Secretary & D/Secretary
Bureau de Coordination Linguistique InternationaleBureau for International Language Coordination
What Does BILC Do?
NATO’s consultative and advisory body for language training and testing issues, since1966
Conference in Spring & Professional Seminar in Fall
Responsible for STANAG 6001
Language Testing SeminarsAssistance to National Testing ProgrammesLanguage Programme Assessments
Other projects
BILC Purpose
Mission: To promote and foster interoperability among NATO and PfP nations by furthering standardization of language training and testing. Through exchange of knowledge and best practices, BILC supports the Alliance's operations.
Vision: To lead towards levels of excellence where progress made by one is shared by all.
UPDATE STANAG 6001
Background: In 2006 NTG/JSSG asked BILC to update STANAG 6001 (Ed. 2) New Labels & Optional + Levels
Outcome: STANAG 6001 Edition 3 approved by BILC SC at the June 08 Conference
French STANAG 6001 Edition 3 sent to ACT in Dec 08.
Status : Approved by NTG in Oct 08 and promulgated by NSA Feb 09
Ongoing Activities
Language Testing Seminars
Since 2000, about 300 attendees from 38 nations and 4 NATO offices
Advanced Language Testing Seminar (ALTS)
Target audience: LTS graduates who work in testing
BIH & GEO Initial visits in 07-08 Recommendations for establishing an
official, centralized testing function within the MoD
LTS training Series of workshops
BIH Piloting test items in Italy in March 2009 First test administrations in June 2009
BILC Assistance to National Testing Programmes
Language Programme Assessments
AIM: To Assess Language Training Programmes and Offer Recommendations
Assessment teams have consisted of professionals from Canada, Germany Slovenia, Sweden, UK, and US.
Benchmark Advisory Test (BAT)
Purpose of BAT: To provide an external measure against which nations can compare their national STANAG testing results
Goal: To promote relative parity of scale interpretation and testing instruments across countries
Specs: General language proficiency iaw STANAG 6001Everyday survival and work-related topicsSome NATO-related topics at higher levelsNot job-specific
Benchmark Advisory Test (BAT)
• Tasking from Allied Command Transformation (ACT) to standardize testing
• Survey conducted on need for a NATO-wide Benchmark Advisory Test (BAT)
• Items collected from BILC member nations (Voluntary National Contributions)
• WG worked 07-08 via email/web and met 2X per year
BAT STATUS
• ACT made decision on allocation of the first 200 BAT tests
• BAT scheduling underway
• Report on benchmarking process this conference
• Preliminary results will be given at the BILC Seminar in October
• Future interest in the BAT will be discussed at SC
Language Needs Analysis- New
Nov 08 Meeting – NTG / Mil Committee – BILC was asked to undertake preliminary review of linguistic requirements of NATO CE Posts.
COA Info sent to ACT – Feb 09
MN WG meeting during this BILC
Report due Nov 09
