Weekly Training Events (WTE)
The project name refers to the four hours a week military and government
linguist/analysts use to maintain and enhance foreign language skills. Our
mission is to enable these critical personnel to independently, conveniently and
efficiently maintain and improve language skills whatever their location or
circumstance. In 2006, the WTE project won the Allied Academies Distinguished
Education Program Award.
WTE lessons are not sequenced. Learners select what interests them based on
ILR skill level and topic. WTEs not only teach receptive skills like reading and
listening, but also productive skills like speaking, writing, transcription,
translation and interpretation. They also focus on such important post-basic
FLOs as identifying textual bias and discerning individual speech characteristics.
WTE currently offers two formats, each taking about four hours to complete.
2006 FY WTEs average five activities supplemented by two GLOSS or LangNet lessons
(one reading, one listening). They incorporate relevant vocabulary and grammar for more efficient
practice and better retention. The supplemental lessons are linked in the "Resources"
tab of each 2006 WTE; learners can link to these before or after completing the WTE lesson.
Since 2007, WTEs average ten activities, including a review test with print-out certificate.