Language Enabled Airmen Program: Language Intensive Training Events 2011 Results
Abstract
The Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) is a career-spanning program to sustain, enhance and utilize the existing language skills of general purpose force (GPF) Airmen. The objective of LEAP is to have cross-culturally competent leaders across all U.S. Air Force specialties with working level foreign language proficiency leaders that can meet USAF global mission requirements. Language Intensive Training Events (LITEs) are a major element of LEAP in which participants engage in intensive language study in immersive environments over a four to six week timeframe. The report provides the findings from a program evaluation project with the goal of determining the changes in foreign language learning, intercultural communication, and motivation factors from pre to post-LITE. Seventy Airmen participated in LITEs in FY 2011 (54 were male and 16 were female and all were officers). The results demonstrated that the participants showed significant improvement in reading and listening proficiency on the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) and increases in self-assessed speaking proficiency. Additionally, self-reported intercultural communication competence and willingness to communicate both increased significantly from pre to post LITE. Recommended language learning strategies for LITEs are provided, and implications of the findings for the LEAP program are discussed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA593068
Entities
People
- Andrea Doyle
- Jennifer Tucker
- Katie Gunther
- Rebecca L. Oxford
- Rebecca Mckenzie
Organizations
- Maxwell Air Force Base