Kids Library Home

Welcome to the Kids' Library!

Search for books, movies, music, magazines, and more.

     
Available items only
Print Material

Title Second language skills for all? : analyzing a proposed language requirement for U.S. Air Force officers / Chaitra M. Hardison [and others].

Publication Info. Santa Monica, CA : RAND, 2012.

Copies

Location Call No. OPAC Message Status
 Axe JSTOR Open Ebooks  Electronic Book    ---  Available
Description 1 online resource (xxiii, 148 pages) : color illustrations
text txt rdacontent
computer c rdamedia
online resource cr rdacarrier
Series Report ; TR-1189-AF.
Technical report (Rand Corporation) ; TR-1189-AF.
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 141-148).
Contents Increasing the language proficiency of incoming Air Force officers -- RAND's study -- Organization of the report -- Background on adult language learning -- Measuring language proficiency -- Categories of difficulty -- The supply of language expertise -- Individual differences among language learners -- Educational programs designed to achieve high levels of proficiency -- After language learning: attrition and maintenance -- Implications -- Survey of Air Force officers -- Survey sample -- Survey content -- Survey results -- Language skills among Air Force officers -- Language learning experiences -- Relationships between language skills and other desirable outcomes -- Mandatory proficiency policies -- Incentives and disincentives for learning a second language -- Open-ended responses -- Conclusions and recommendations -- Conclusions -- Recommendations -- Immediate next steps -- Closing comment -- A. Descriptions of the ILR proficiency levels -- B. List of language flagship programs -- Screenshots of the survey -- Language courses at ROTC detachments -- E. Additional details on "other" and open-ended responses.
Summary Would it be feasible to require all Air Force officers to attain a specific level of proficiency in a second language at commissioning? Would there be unintended consequences? To find out, the authors asked Air Force officers about their own language-learning experiences, what they thought about language learning and mandatory language proficiency policies, what incentives and disincentives they perceived, among other questions. While the officers felt language proficiency was important for mission success, they were not convinced about its importance for career success. They also noted that the time and commitment required to attain proficiency might interfere with other, more pressing academic demands. The languages most have studied already are not among those most critical to national security, and those who were required to study a language considered themselves less proficient than those who had studied it voluntarily. Language skills were, however, associated with other desirable outcomes, such as greater interest in and tolerance of other cultures and being interested in and capable of learning another language in the future. But requiring all to attain such proficiency before commissioning would mean fewer would be eligible for it. Instead, we suggest implementing a variety of pre- and post-commissioning language-learning incentives and opportunities designed to accommodate learners at all levels (from those just starting out to those who are at more advanced levels) and to increase acquisition of underrepresented and strategic languages. Career-long policies for maintaining and increasing language proficiency would be needed to make pre-commissioning and early career efforts worthwhile.
Note Print version record.
Language English.
Subject United States. Air Force -- Officers -- Training of.
États-Unis. Air Force -- Officiers -- Formation.
United States. Air Force
Second language acquisition.
Communicative competence -- United States.
Langue seconde -- Acquisition.
EDUCATION -- Multicultural Education.
Armed Forces -- Officers -- Training of
Communicative competence
Second language acquisition
United States https://id.oclc.org/worldcat/entity/E39PBJtxgQXMWqmjMjjwXRHgrq
Added Author Hardison, Chaitra M.
In: Books at JSTOR: Open Access JSTOR
Other Form: Print version: Second language skills for all? 9780833060341 (DLC) 2012041174 (OCoLC)812531832
ISBN 9780833083180 (electronic bk.)
083308318X (electronic bk.)
9780833060341
0833060341
Report No. RAND/TR-1189-AF
Standard No. AU@ 000061155001
GBVCP 1008661139

 
    
Available items only