Special Operations Forces Language and Culture Needs Assessment Project: Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB): Perspectives from the Field

Abstract

The Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) is used by the Special Operations Forces (SOF) community to assign personnel to language training. This report examined SOF operators and SOF leaders attitudes toward the DLAB, including their perceptions of test fairness and accuracy. Results from survey responses and focus groups indicated that 38% of study participants considered the DLAB to be an accurate language learning aptitude tool and that it should be used for language assignment. Participants noted that perceptions of unfairness are likely due to lack of knowledge regarding what DLAB assesses and how it is used in the language assignment process, beliefs that the DLAB does not measure all aspects of language learning aptitude (or measures skills unrelated to language learning aptitude), or negative testing experiences (e.g., testing conditions). Implications, recommendations, and future directions, including the introduction of the DLAB 2, are also presented.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 29, 2010
Accession Number
ADA634214

Entities

People

  • Amber Harris
  • Eric A. Surface
  • Nathaniel Phillips
  • Reanna Poncheri Harman
  • Sarah C. Bienkowski
  • Sean Gasperson
  • Stephen J. Ward

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Attrition
  • Communities
  • Department Of Defense
  • Foreign Languages
  • Language
  • Learning
  • Perception
  • Psychological Tests
  • Psychology
  • Special Operations Forces
  • Students
  • Trainees
  • Training
  • United States
  • United States Special Operations Command
  • Urban Areas

Fields of Study

  • Education

Readers

  • Cellular and Molecular Pathways of Apoptosis.
  • International Journalism and Media Studies.
  • Organizational Psychology.