STANAG 6001 Level 3 – Speaking Task: Briefing on English Language Training Options for Soldiers
Examination Task
There is a need to provide English language training for some of your soldiers. Give a briefing on two courses available, discussing their advantages and disadvantages, and suggesting which one should be chosen. Recommend one and justify your choice.
- a 5-month residential course in another city
- a 5-month e-learning course in your location
- other
Sample Briefing
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you for attending this briefing. My name is Captain Davis and I am responsible for coordinating training for our soldiers.
As you know, a number of our personnel require additional English language training in order to improve their communication skills, particularly in preparation for future international exercises and missions. For this reason, I have been tasked with presenting two possible training options.
I have divided my briefing into two parts. In the first part, I will discuss the option of sending soldiers to a five-month residential English course in another city. In the second part, I will present the possibility of enrolling them in a five-month e-learning course conducted at our current location. Finally, I will recommend the option which I believe is the most suitable.
Let me begin with the first option, which is a five-month residential course in another city.
This solution has several advantages.
Firstly, a residential course provides an intensive learning environment. Soldiers would attend classes every day and would have constant contact with instructors and other learners, which usually leads to faster progress.
Secondly, being away from their regular duties allows participants to focus entirely on their studies. Without daily operational responsibilities, they can dedicate more time to improving their language skills.
However, this option also has some disadvantages.
To begin with, sending soldiers to another city would generate significant costs, including accommodation, travel, and course fees.
Another drawback is that the unit would temporarily lose these soldiers for five months, which might affect our operational readiness and require redistributing duties among the remaining personnel.
I will now move on to the second option, which is a five-month e-learning course conducted at our location.
This solution also offers several advantages.
Firstly, it is more cost-effective because it eliminates the need for travel and accommodation expenses, as the course would be delivered online by the Polish Armed Forces School of Languages.
Secondly, soldiers can continue performing their regular duties while participating in the course. This means that the unit would not lose personnel for an extended period of time.
On the other hand, there are also some disadvantages.
One potential problem is that e-learning requires a high level of self-discipline and motivation. Some participants may find it difficult to maintain regular study habits without direct supervision.
Another drawback is that online courses often provide fewer opportunities for speaking practice and direct interaction with instructors, which may slow down language development.
To sum up, both training options have their advantages and disadvantages. However, I would recommend enrolling our soldiers in the five-month e-learning course conducted by the Polish Armed Forces School of Languages.
Although this option requires a high level of motivation and self-discipline from the participants, it allows soldiers to improve their language skills without leaving their unit for an extended period of time. It is also a more cost-effective solution because it eliminates travel and accommodation expenses.
Moreover, soldiers will still be able to perform their regular duties while participating in the course, which means that the operational readiness of the unit will not be affected. In addition, the course is organised by the Polish Armed Forces School of Languages, which guarantees a high standard of military language training.
This brings me to the end of my briefing.
If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them.
Thank you for your attention.
Photo: Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, Monterey, California © Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center