Second Language Training ( SLT )

[silverbach]

If I got an exemption from the Public Service Commission of Canada for english, would the CF consider this to be exempted to take the language course of the CF ?

 

[DrSize]

Anyone know what you wear during the day for SLT??? Combats(hopefully) haha??

 

[Japexican]

At St. John it's combats or 3B's.  Most people go with the combats...

 

[SeanNewman]

To put a different spin on this thread, take all the time you can to enjoy your St. Jean stay the best you can, and work out like a mad man.  With all of the facilities in the same building, it's very easy to go to the gym every day, and since you're with your friends, it's that much easier to have gym partners to motivate eachother.

When you show up for CAP, you should be in the best shape of your life, because you just had 7-8 months of free time.  Nobody is saying that you can't spend hours a day setting up the uber-pod with PS2 and a plasma TV and have fun, but hit the gym hard.

Let's not also forget that you're 1/2 hour away from an awesome city, compared to Petawawa where one has to drive 1/2 hour to get to WalMart or Canadian Tire.

Enoy it!

 

[ProPatria05]

Unless it's changed since May '04, dress for SLT in St. Jean (aka the Mega) is 3b's (short sleeve green shirt, CF pants, oxfords, optional sweater) from Monday to Thursday.  Some Fridays (or maybe all, I can't remember) were casual, with a $1 or $2 donation to the United Way.

For those who have to do CAP following SLT, there is (or at least was) a ruck march every Wed afternoon, so dress on Wed for those individuals only was combats.

 

[Glorified Ape]

All the SLT types I saw this summer wore Combats everyday, excepting the Navy folks who wore NCD's.

Ditto - I was on SLT this past summer as well and you could wear combats or 3B's. It's largely up to the school, though. They're still doing the Friday "casual" day where you can wear civilian clothes (no running shoes or jeans, though).

 

[Bobby147]

Hi all,

I was reading CF recruiting web site and found:

"Second language training will be provided to officers who are not already fluent in both official languages. The length of training is based upon an individual’s second language proficiency. "

My question:

If somebody's second laguage is really bad, he/she will have to continue BOTC until he/she becomes reasonably well in that language?

What is general length of BOTC?

I am asking as my French language skills are not good....

Thanks in advance.... 

 

[kincanucks]

Hi all,

I was reading CF recruiting web site and found:

"Second language training will be provided to officers who are not already fluent in both official languages. The length of training is based upon an individual’s second language proficiency. "

My question:

If somebody's second laguage is really bad, he/she will have to continue BOTC until he/she becomes reasonably well in that language?

What is general length of BOTC?

I am asking as my French language skills are not good....

Thanks in advance.... 

Second Language Training is separate from BOTP and can be up to 33 weeks in length.

 

[IrishCanuck]

Hmm.. anyone have any general guidelines on what they mean when they say fluent?

I took 6 years of Immersion/Extended French and went on exchange to France.. and I can understand French well if it is not spoken very quickly with slang.. and can convey what I want to in what I'd consider poor accented / lilted French

 

[Bobby147]

Is there any pass or fail system?

 

[kincanucks]

Is there any pass or fail system?

No but you will have to obtain a certain language profile if you ever expect to reach certain officer ranks so take advantage of the opportunity to learn the language within 33 weeks and if you don't get it completely then you can take future language training later in your career.

 

[Infanteer]

You are normally enrolled in the 33-week basic program.  There are 5 (I believe) EO and 2 PO checks during the course.  If you fail these, there is the chance (depending on what your professor says) that you will have a PRB which may result in you having to repeat a part of the course or being punted.  Once you've completed the PO's, you are usually in good shape to take the Public Service Test, administered by someone from Public Works Canada.  No matter how well/crappy you did on the CF French course, your profile (which consists of three parts) is what matters.

If you have a strong background in French, you will be able to challenge the Public Service Test at some point.  If you achieve a profile that is good enough for your trade (most are BAB, but some are higher) than you will be exempted from the course.

 

[Pvt. Pukepail]

Hey all,

I'm really interested in learning French, becoming fully bilingual (I know some french, but not enough to be considered bilingual) and am aware that the army does offer language courses, my question is when is something like the available for an NCM?  I am hellbent on learning French, and I would like to do it as soon as practical once I've completed basic and infantry school.  So when would the earliest possible time be?  Is there certain restrictions imposed on lower level NCMs?  As in, is it only available to those who have upped following their initial hitch?  Or is it reasonable for a Private to be able to do it?

One of the reasons is, (although I'm not sure what the standards of entry is- whether you can be bilingual, or if you MUST be Quebecois) I'm particularily interested in joining the Van Doos out of Valcartier.

Any info anyone may have on this would be appreciated. 

(ahh, there was already a topic here.  Guess it does pay to use the search button.  My bad.)

 

[Radop]

As I have been fortunate enough to get a year long French course, I have also had time to discuss the topic of when should this course be offered to soldiers?  There are about 60 291ers taking French Trg here in Kingston with exceptional results.  Most are walking away with BBB after NP7.  The question is 'Should all trades be doing the same'?  It is going to be manditory in the very near future that to get to the MWO and CWOs rank, you will have to be at least AAB and for certain possitions BBB in the second language.  (Please note that the forces considers you bilingual only if you have both French and English, not English and German or any other languages)  We (the year long French students) have seen the progress of these people and feel that that opertunity should be all part of the initial training system.  Basic, Language Training (AAA min), QL3s, etc.  Since the language school is right there witht he Recruit school, why not?  It would take time to incorporate but we think it could work.  Better than telling someone yeah you were number 1 on the merit list but because we never loaded you on a French Course in your career, you can't be promoted.  I can see the redresses now.

Your thoughts!

 

[MOOXE]

As I have been fortunate enough to get a year long French course, I have also had time to discuss the topic of when should this course be offered to soldiers?  There are about 60 291ers taking French Trg here in Kingston with exceptional results.  Most are walking away with BBB after NP7.  The question is 'Should all trades be doing the same'?  It is going to be manditory in the very near future that to get to the MWO and CWOs rank, you will have to be at least AAB and for certain possitions BBB in the second language.  (Please note that the forces considers you bilingual only if you have both French and English, not English and German or any other languages)  We (the year long French students) have seen the progress of these people and feel that that opertunity should be all part of the initial training system.  Basic, Language Training (AAA min), QL3s, etc.  Since the language school is right there witht he Recruit school, why not?  It would take time to incorporate but we think it could work.  Better than telling someone yeah you were number 1 on the merit list but because we never loaded you on a French Course in your career, you can't be promoted.  I can see the redresses now.

Your thoughts!

Adding a year to Basic, Driver, QL3, PAT.. I'd be depressed!

 

[D3V1L6]

The whole Bilingual thing has been a topic of discussion for years...and politically its all nice and dandy.... but truth is, in when working overseas with coalition forces, french is absolutely useless.  I'm fortunate enough to have been born and raised in an environment that resulted i me being bilingual, but at the risk of sounding prejudiced, I think french is obsolete in our army of today for anything other than interacting with our co-workers in QC that do not speak english.  What I would be curious to find out is how much are they pushing for english courses in Valcartier?

 

[Radop]

.... but truth is, in when working overseas with coalition forces, french is absolutely useless.  

Realy, two out or five missions I have been on were in French countries were negotiations were done in French and were if I had been bilingual, would have made my life that much easier.  I got by on the little French I had but still would have been a whole lot easier if I was bilingual.  This past summer when I was in Afghanistan, I also had to speak French because the briefings that were given by the French convoy commanders made no sence in English so I had him repeat it in French (maybe speaking a second language may save your life someday for anyone that has been to Kandahar).  The statistics back up the facts that being able to speak French and English will improve your chances of communicating in another country significantly.  Africa has half of the Countries as former English colonies and half French Colonies (although Germany had a few near the meditranian, most use English as there second language now).  I don't think it is an obsolete item at all.

The other person who mentioned adding a year onto the training, I incorrectly included this at the end of my first sentence.  Our discussions talked about a 3 month course to get everyone up to a AAA level and over time, work to a BBB level.  There are very few units out there that have no French pers.  Some trades though do require the training to a BBB level.

What I would be curious to find out is how much are they pushing for english courses in Valcartier?

Again, the stats prove out that more Francophones are Bilingual than Anglophones upon entering the forces.  This is changing because of French emmersion in schools today but still more Francophones are able to talk English to us than Anglophones speak French to them.  Furthermore, if you read the regs, superiors are to talk to their subordinates in the language of choise (French or English beforse someone points out some are Polish or another first language) of the SUBORDINATE.  This makes learning French all that more important.  Over rated, I think not, assist in bringing our forces togeather, I think so.

 

[SupersonicMax]

Adding a year to Basic, Driver, QL3, PAT.. I'd be depressed!

Why not SLT instead of PAT

Max

 

[aesop081]

The whole Bilingual thing has been a topic of discussion for years...and politically its all nice and dandy.... but truth is, in when working overseas with coalition forces, french is absolutely useless.  I'm fortunate enough to have been born and raised in an environment that resulted i me being bilingual, but at the risk of sounding prejudiced, I think french is obsolete in our army of today for anything other than interacting with our co-workers in QC that do not speak english.......   

Well, you should have tried working with the French military in Kosovo.  I'm quite certain it was not useless to speak french with that coalition force.  The following year i also had 2 brand new section members in my troop who spoke only french, and that was in Edmonton in an mostly english speaking regiment.  Guess who had to translate the O-group for those guys every day. I'm quite certain that you assertion that "french is obsolete for anything other than interacting with our co-workers in QC that do not speak english" is out to lunch.  Have you ever tried to teach in gagetown when you have both anglo and franco students in the same classroom ?  I have.....funny, that was not in QC either.

 

[Radop]

That is what I am talking about here.  PAT Training is training of endurance.  Sitting in Borden doing nothing is not training neither is shovelling show from sidewalks.  SLT vs PAT, I think that is a no brainer!

Two tours I have had to work with the French military so I can appreciate what you have to say cdnaviator.