Transcript Slide 1

SHAPE
Personnel
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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SHAPE
Personnel
The latest from
Albania’s and Croatia’s
flags were raised on
SHAPE in April as they
became the newest
NATO nations
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Personnel
Testing at SHAPE
Tests conducted at the SLTC from Jan to May 2009:
Overall: 102 (including volunteer tests and French tests)
Entry tests:
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Passed: 13
Failed: 16
Re-tests:
34
Passed:
Failed: 26 *
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*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!
We’re 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
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*
PE positions are often filled with higher ranks than stated in the JD
SHAPE
Personnel
Case study #1:
-An OR5 clerk who requires SLP 3322:
“I must collect and sort the branch’s 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 branch’s 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 b&w…; 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…
Don’t 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 qualifications 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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Personnel
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 isn’t according to the STANAG, it can be assumed that a
L3 in writing isn’t sufficient because the individual cannot fulfill
his writing requirements.
Branch Chief’s solution? Ask for a L4 next time!
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Personnel
- 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:
I’ve 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 let’s see if we can change that today!!! 32