EMBASSY KUWAIT'S FY08 POST LANGUAGE DIRECT FUNDING

UNCLAS KUWAIT 001572 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR FSI/SLS/CTT (ILDIKO WATKINS) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AFSI AMGT KFLO KU SUBJECT: EMBASSY KUWAIT'S FY08 POST LANGUAGE DIRECT FUNDING REQUEST REF: STATE 138169 ¶1. Summary: As part of our continued focus on language training, Embassy Kuwait requests $30,500 from FSI's Direct Funding Initiative for our FY08 Post Language Program (PLP). Thanks to FSI's FY07 funding, we formed Arabic language classes at the 0 through 2 proficiency levels in addition to a 3/beyond-3 course. We intend to maintain all classes in FY08 given the sustained interest from American direct hire employees and eligible family members (EFMs) mission-wide. Our PLP goals are to enhance the proficiency and productivity of language-designated position (LDP) staff and to assist non-LDP personnel and adult EFMs to attain courtesy level language skills. End summary. Program Description -------------- ¶2. Instruction: All of our interested Arabic LDP staff, many of whom participated in FSI training, are off language probation and want to use the PLP to enhance their proficiency, specifically in job-specific vocabulary, while increasing their professional and social integration into Arabic-speaking communities in Kuwait. In FY06, we launched a 3/beyond-3 class for LDP students. Post restarted the class in FY07 after contractual problems had necessitated in a temporary suspension of the class. Participation was excellent and students were very pleased. The level 2 course is aimed at LDP staff who use Arabic on a regular basis professionally. Level 1 students are primarily non-LDP direct hires. Level 0 is geared toward EFMs and non-LDP specialists. The level 0 course is extremely popular and at one point we had to open two sections of the class. This attests to the fact that language funding is being well used at Embassy Kuwait. We also conduct separate level 0 training for the Marine Security Guards, which is funded by the detachment. ¶3. Guided study: We have a language library thanks to past funding. We intend to purchase additional materials to bolster our offerings for Arabic (focusing on Gulf dialect). We will use FSI bibliographies as a guide when selecting language materials. Budget -------------- ¶4. Instruction: We propose two hours of instruction weekly for each of the four levels (0, 1, 2 and 3/beyond-3),which would run for 40 weeks (factoring in vacation, holidays and the month of Ramadan). In the past year, participation has been so high that we have run two sections of the 0 and 2 levels at various times. Therefore, we need to budget for five two-hour classes. Based on local market conditions and past experience hiring language instructors, we expect the FY07 hourly wage to be $75 per classroom hour. (Note: teachers in Kuwait charge for class preparation. These fees are accounted for in the $75 figure. End Note.) Therefore, our request for annual Arabic instruction is $30,000 (2 hours x 5 classes x 40 weeks x $75). ¶5. Guided study: For the one-time purchase of Arabic dialect self-instruction materials to be used for several years, we request $500. ¶6. Total: Our grand total FY08 funding request is $30,500. Past experience has shown that classroom experience is very popular whereas other activities are less popular. Our total budget request is actually lower than it was in FY07 because it is more strictly targeted at the programs that have worked effectively here. Post-Funded PLP Training -------------- ¶7. We received no PLP funding from the bureau in FY06 or FY07. Contact Information -------------- ¶8. The current Post Language Officer (PLO),Mark Rosenshield, will depart post soon. Post will identify a new PLO soon and provide contact details.