An innovative training programme for cross-governmental personnel has been co-delivered by the Defence Academy’s Defence College for Languages and Culture (DCLC).
In January, Project ROSETTA created an immersive language environment where students were able to ‘eat, sleep and breathe’ Mandarin for nine consecutive days, while remaining in the UK.
Drawing inspiration from successful US models of language and cultural villages, the creation of ‘Little China’ at a converted barn in Oxfordshire allowed for a carefully designed environment where all interactions and activities between students and staff were conducted in Mandarin.
By allowing participants to live alongside their language tutors and fellow course members for nine days, the programme was able to go beyond conventional language instruction to offer:
- cultural immersion through daily activities such as preparing traditional cuisine in the target language
- engagement with media in the target language, including local radio broadcasts, television programmes, and films
- interactive language practice through games and cultural activities
- constant exposure to native speakers and fellow learners in a supportive environment
As part of the experience, the nine students and two staff members had the opportunity to spend a day hosting project stakeholders and celebrate Chinese New Year. Both activities allowed for practical interaction, and a deepening understanding of specific Mandarin language and culture.
‘In-country’ immersion training is a regular feature of DCLC language programmes. However, Project ROSETTA seeks to offer UK students a ‘pseudo’ experience when placing them within a specific region or country is more challenging.
Feedback was positive, with one student commenting:
Project ROSETTA exemplified Strategic Command's commitment to fostering cross-government collaboration and bringing together personnel from various departments. DCLC plan to draw partners from across government to continue enhancing language capabilities and strengthening interdepartmental relationships, while creating valuable networking opportunities.
DCLC delivers language training to defence personnel in accordance with NATO standards. It is part of International Group, a key component of the MOD’s defence engagement process.