Predicting the proficiency of Arabic and Persian Linguists trained at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center

Abstract

The mission of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) is to train, sustain, and evaluate foreign language skills of linguists under the guidelines of the Defense Foreign Language Program (DFLP). The DFLP provides the Department of Defense and other Federal agencies with linguists capable of supporting United States national interests worldwide. The DLIFLC is responsible for the language training of enlisted and officer personnel of the four armed services and a small number of federal civilians. Program tests and semester grade point averages (GPAs) evaluate progress within any DLIFLC language program. Satisfactory progress is defined as maintaining at least a C- average in course work. Student success is realized in the student's attainment of minimum proficiency requirements in listening, reading, and speaking skills on the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT). The purpose of this study is to determine how major program tests, semester GPAs, and cumulative skills GPAs in the Arabic and Persian language departments relate to success on the DLPT. The results of this study will assist the school deans within these language departments in interpreting the meaning of program tests, semester GPAs, and cumulative skills GPAs when making decisions about attrition and academic performance. The results indicate that the semester GPAs are the most predictive variables of overall DLPT performance for both Arabic and Persian languages.