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About Defence

Defence School of Languages, Beaconsfield (DSL)

"Gateway to Operational Effectiveness"

To provide foreign language training to personnel from the British Armed Services, and English language training to personnel from Foreign Defence Forces to enhance military capability and contribute to Defence Diplomacy.

Experience

Language training on site is delivered across a comprehensive range of languages and English by a highly experienced staff of uniformed and civilian instructors, many of whom are native-speakers of the language.

The DSL team has unparalleled pratical experience, many of them having served as interpreters on military operations or in the fields of Defence Diplomacy and Arms Control.

Quality

Courses are designed using the Defence Systems Approach to Training (DSAT) loop of quality assurance. Crucial to effective and relevant language delivery is the feedback loop maintained with sponsers and previous students, whose inputs ensure topicality and freshness in course content and materials.

Range of Languages

DSL consists organisationally of an HQ element, a Training Support Wing and 4 in-house language training delivery Wings: Arabic, Indo Iranian, English and European (French, Russian and Spanish)

Additionally, outsourced language training is administered by the Language Advice & Placements Section for both on and off site training.

Regular individual tutorials allow students to discuss their performance and training with an instructor.

Facilities

DSL is equipped with the latest aids to learning - a comprehensive Learning Resources Centre (with Broadband Internet Access), satellite TV, computer-based language laboratories and an extensive range of teaching rooms with the latest audio-visual facilities. Additionally, for recreation, DSL has a gym, tennis and squash courts as well as a fitness centre.

Accommodation

Due to a shortage of accommodation at DSL, students' may find the room allocated to them may not be in line with their rank. Any concerns regarding this then please contact the Course Planning Cell on 01494 683235.

Tailored-to-Task Courses

DSL has unique experience in developing and delivering training packages that are specifically tailored to task (a recent example is the Iraqi Dialect course in Arabic, specifically developed for supporting the UK in-theatre contribution to Operation Telic in Iraq). Courses are taught according to NATO STANAG proficiency indicators and the overwhelming proportion of teaching material is designed and produced in-house, with strong emphasis on military content.