Multi-Language School

The Presidio of Monterey’s DLIFLC Multi-Language School teaches Persian Farsi, Pashto, Dari, and Turkish to the four branches of the U.S. military, U.S. Coast Guard, and individuals sponsored by DoD or the Department of State.

The Multi-Language School supports DoD’s language acquisition mission by employing highly educated native speakers as instructors who not only teach language, but also bring traditional Middle East culture to the classroom such as music, dress, dance, food, religion, history, literature, into the adult learning environment. The Multi-Language School uses DLIFLC’s instructor/student ratio of two instructors to six students.

In addition to the first class international staff, DLIFLC supplements the unique learning experience at the Institute with state-of-the-art technology such as interactive whiteboards called SmartBoards ™ and Tablet PCs, and iPods™. DLIFLC further enhances the learning environment with the implementation of overnight immersions from two to five days at a time off campus. The students are completely immersed in the target language and Middle East culture as they carryout real-life situation scenarios which range from negotiations at a border crossing, haggling at an open market for goods, to making hotel reservations over the telephone. To enhance this experience the faculty and staff dress in traditional garb, prepare and cook Middle Eastern dishes, and, most importantly, only speak in the target language.

A key component of DLIFLC’s success in teaching foreign language so effectively is the highly educated faculty who are motivated to teach their language and culture to American students. The instructors, 98 percent of whom are native speakers of the language they teach, take great pride in preparing students each year to perform during DLIFLC’s annual open house in May called Language Day. Students are taught how to sing, dance, and perform skits in the target language for stage performances that last from 10:00 am to 3 pm. Over 2,500 visitors come to the event from all over Northern California.

DLIFLC’s Continuing Education Directorate, located at the Ord Military Community (OMC), is responsible for intermediate and advanced course in each of the languages taught at the Multi-language School.