DAOD 5031-11, Foreign Languages

CDA

Canadian Defence Academy

CFITES

Canadian Forces Individual Training and Education System

CFRC

Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre

CM

career manager

CO

commanding officer

DGMC

Director General Military Careers

DMPSC

Director Military Personnel Strategy and Coordination

FL

foreign language

HRMS

Human Resources Management System

IT&E

individual training and education

MPRR

Member's Personnel Record Résumé

URS

records support unit

CAF member,

• based upon the requirement to fill a position or take up a posting that requires a FL ability,

• a CM.

dependant or special dependant, as defined in CBI 10.1.01, Definitions,

• determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon:
  • factors such as funding, scheduling, requirement, class space, homogeneity of the group, etc; and
  • the advice of the designated IT&E establishment,

• the CDA.

General FL training

Development of ability in all skills with emphasis on listening, speaking and reading, with intensive, full-time instruction.

Special/specialty course

Development of ability in all language skills, while focusing on those skills required for specific positions or special duties and operations, e.g. translation and transcription.

Refresher course

Improvement of a language ability that has diminished through lack of use, or to facilitate maintenance of a previously attained proficiency level.

• is testing done using a validated, standardized test that measures the level of FL ability.

• grants a valid profile, and a required CAF qualification if applicable; and
• can be used whether the FL was acquired through CAF training or by other means.

• is based on the established international standards and level descriptors of the Interagency Language Roundtable.

• is acquired by the CDA and administered and graded by the IT&E establishment.

• shall not be conducted at intervals of less than six months.

• is testing done using an informal in-house test that estimates ability in a FL or skill for which no certification test is available.

• yields a result of pass or fail only; and
• is generally only used by the IT&E establishment to assess its own students.

• is based on the instructional or linguistic objectives to be attained.

• is developed and administered by the IT&E establishment.

• may be administered at a frequency determined by the IT&E establishment, provided the same version of the test
  is not administered more than once to the same candidate.

Communicator Research

Two years

Other than Communicator Research

Four years

A personal assessment or judgement of a CAF member's own FL ability as being high, moderate or low

the HRMS Other Languages panel

• the CFRC for an applicant on enrolment; and
• the CF member's URS other than on enrolment.

Note - These entries should normally be based on information declared by the member and do not require documentary support.

Test results obtained from an organization outside of the CAF FL IT&E system, e.g. from a high school or college

An estimated level of FL ability resulting from CAF FL IT&E if the testing requirement was waived and the CAF member was not tested

the HRMS Other Languages panel

the CAF member's URS, based upon the CAF member's declaration or documented estimate.

the CAF FL databank

the CDA.

An ability level estimate determined by an informal in-house CAF FL capability assessment. See the description of "capability assessment" in the Types of CAF FL Testing block

the HRMS Other Languages panel

the CAF member's URS, based upon the CAF member's declaration or documented estimate.

the CAF FL databank

the CDA.

A CAF member's FL profile, as determined by the CAF through a certification test administered by the IT&E establishment. See "certification testing" in the Types of CAF FL Testing block

the HRMS Test Results panel for the CAF member's MPRR

Note - Ratings attained in each of the skills tested (e.g. listening, speaking, reading), shall be recorded. In the MPRR, the digit 8 is used to indicate a skill that was not tested. Plus values, e.g. "3+", are indicated using the "+" sign.

An applicant on enrolment

• an estimated level of FL ability; or
• a tested level of ability obtained by an outside organization, e.g. a high school or college,

the CFRC on enrolment

HRMS Other Languages panel.

N/A

A CAF member

an estimated level of FL ability, estimated by the CAF member, resulting from an outside organization's testing system, or estimated by the CAF FL IT&E system (following waiving of a test or from administration of an informal in-house capability assessment),

the CAF member's URS, based upon the CAF member's declaration or documented estimate

HRMS Other Languages panel.

All estimates or test results obtained within the CAF FL IT&E system shall also be entered by the CDA into the CAF FL databank.

a certification test result,

the CDA

HRMS Test Results panel.

DMPSC

• coordinating, interpreting and promulgating the CAF FL policy; and
• verfying that FL IT &E and related activities are consistent with CF policies and directives.

• managing and promulgating instructions for in-country and out-of-country FL IT&E related activities;
• identifying resources in business plans based upon forecasted FL requirements;
• establishing FL quality requirements as set out in the CFITES and military occupation specifications and by CAF organizations requiring an FL ability;
• verifying compliance of training or testing establishments;
• selecting an outside training and testing agency, as required;
• determining the eligibility of a dependant or special dependant for FL training and testing;
• granting testing exemptions;
• establishing and maintaining the CAF FL databank; and
• updating the HRMS Test Results panel.

• ensuring arrangements are made, in consultation with CDA, for FL training for a CAF member selected for a position, posting or operations requiring some FL skill;
• requesting and coordinating FL testing with the CDA, as applicable; and
• advising CDA of upcoming out-of-country FL training and testing resource requirements.

• obtaining an estimation of FL ability from an applicant, if applicable, and updating the HRMS Other Languages panel.

• assisting CAF organizations in determining the FL ability required for specific positions, postings or operations;
• tailoring the FL training to organizational requirements and individual needs;
• conducting FL training and testing;
• advising the CDA on granting exemptions for testing; and
• advising the CDA on FL training and testing for dependants or special dependants.

• determining, in consultation with the CDA and the designated IT&E establishment, the minimum level of FL ability needed to meet position, posting or operational requirements;
• notifying CAF members of the requirement to test or retest; and
• co-ordinating testing or retesting with the IT&E establishment, as applicable.

• requesting FL testing for a CAF member when required; and
• ensuring a CAF member's FL information is entered in the HRMS and the MPRR.

• requesting FL testing through the chain of command when required;
• declaring a FL ability; and
• verifying and updating HRMS information in the Other Languages and Test Results panels.