UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001960

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/WE (TSMITH), FSI/SLS/EUA (BKLODA)
STATE ALSO FOR FSI/SLS/CTT (WATKINS, KLOPEZ)
STATE ALSO FOR EUR/EX/PMO (LOIS PRICE ASCROFT)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AFSI AMGT KFLO NL
SUBJECT: THE HAGUE'S FY 2008 DIRECT FUNDING INITIATIVE PROPOSAL

REF: STATE 138169

THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE HANDLE
ACCORDINGLY.


1. (U) SUMMARY. Post is pleased to submit a FY 2008 Direct
Funding Initiative (DFI) proposal for 19,036 dollars to fund Dutch
language training and materials. This represents an increase of
6,530 dollars, or 52% over the FY 2007 DFI proposal for 12,506
dollars. Post's language program has experienced a near doubling
of enrollments and a resulting increase in class sizes and classes
taught. Meanwhile, structural changes have increased consistency,
quality, and value per dollar spent. Post's FY 2007 suggested FSI
funding was 7,558 dollars with a final DFI award of 4,535 dollars.
Post's program fund budget was 10,500 dollars. END SUMMARY.

FY 2007 Program in Brief
--------------


2. (U) In FY 2007, Post dramatically expanded its already active
language program to include job-specific training for the Consulate
in Amsterdam and Post's Marines, who are self-funded. Total classes
increased from five to six per week, taught by two contract language
instructors leading beginner advanced classes in the Embassy's two
unclassified conference rooms and out and about classes in downtown

SIPDIS
The Hague. Post continued to make materials available through its
language library, consisting of textbooks (CODE Nederlands and
others), software (Rosetta Stone and others), audio media, fiction
novels, and videos.


3. (SBU) Post initiated three other changes to increase program
quality and value per teaching dollar spent: First, in response to
funding pressure and security concerns, post did not renew the
contract for the less-utilized teacher and consolidated her students
and classes under the remaining instructor. Second, Post started
using a standard approach and materials across classes and students
at the same level. Third, Post made substantial material
investments, including a CD player, dry-erase whiteboard, and self
study materials, to increase teaching effectiveness. These changes
-- which incorporated student feedback -- coupled with a summer
marketing campaign, re

sulted in a near doubling in enrollments from
28 in FY 2007 to 49 for FY 2008.


4. (U) In FY 2007, post budgeted 10,500 dollars for the language
program, and spent a total of 10,568. Post requested 12,506 from
DFI; FSI suggested 7,558 dollars, and awarded 4,535. Post spent 100
percent of FSI's award.

Request for FY 2008
--------------


5. (U) Post proposes the following DFI-funded courses and
materials for FY 2008:

-- Three Advanced Proficiency Courses. This includes two "Back to
3" courses for students that did not receive the full FSI course and
those graduating from the basic courses offered at the Embassy, and
one "Beyond 3" course for PD, ECON, GLO, POL, and other officers
that received the full 23 weeks of FSI Dutch. These courses will be
offered weekly in sessions of 1.5 hours each. Funds requested for
the Advanced Proficiency courses will fund the instructor's time.

-- Job Specific Immersion: Chemical Weapons Delegation. Post
seeks to offer FY 2008 job-specific training to State employees at
the U.S. Delegation to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWDEL).
CWDEL is inconveniently located away from the Chancery, many
officers have not had the full course of FSI training, and the
language requirements are specific and task-related. The course
would be an intensive, on-site immersion program of eight three-hour
sessions. Funds requested for the CWDEL course will fund the
instructor's time and travel expenses.

-- Out and About: This highly successful course was developed in
2002 using DFI funds. To accommodate increased demand, two Out and
About courses will be taught in FY 2008, each using six two-hour
classroom and field trip sessions over two weeks. This intensive
method gives students the chance to use their classroom knowledge in
everyday situations, increase their comfort level, and to develop a
survival language capability. It is targeted toward new State
Officers, Specialists, spouses and other EFMs, and other personnel
as appropriate. Funds requested for the Out and About course will
fund the instructor's time and travel expenses.

-- Consular Dutch: Developed in FY 2007, post seeks to continue
this successful course taught at the Consulate in Amsterdam. This
course is taught in small group settings and involves a one-month
program of six 1.5 hour sessions that includes job and task specific
instructions followed by simulations at the consular window. Funds
requested for these courses will pay for the instructor's time and
travel expenses.

-- Shopping/Chores Field Trip: A much more specific course using
Out and About principles, this course teaches shopping and
accomplishing chores in Dutch using Dutch customs, expressions, and
European sizes, etc. for the purpose of survival language training
and to increase the comfort level among Officers and spouses. Post
seeks to offer one shopping/chores field trip in FY 2008, and fnds
requested will pay for the instructor's time and travel expenses.

-- Materials for the Post Language Library: Post would like to
purchase 6 sets of the copies the Taal Vitaal text book CD, work
book CD, and multimedia CD-ROM. These materials will augment the
Taal Vitaal materials purchased in FY 2007 and offer students a way
to augment what they learn in the courses with a program of
self-study. Post seeks five copies of the new CODE series along
with the supplemental audio and video to ensure consistency with the
FSI Dutch program and offer students who did not attend FSI an
opportunity to benefit from the same materials. In addition, post
seeks 20 Taal Vitaal Textbooks and Workbooks to accommodate the
surge in enrollments.

FY 2008 Proposal Budget
--------------


6. (U) The total proposal for items described in paragraph five is
19,036 dollars, distributed as follows. Note: all costs are in U.S.
dollars at an exchange rate of 0.694 euros to 1 dollar, hourly
instructor charges are 35 euros, and travel expenses are 17 euros
per session.

-- Two Back to 3 Courses. Sessions: 104 at 1.5 hours each. Hours:

156. Instructor cost: 7,867. Travel cost: 0. Total cost: 7,867.

-- One Beyond 4 Course. Sessions: 52 at 1.5 hours each. Hours: 78.
Instructor cost: 3,934. Travel cost: 0. Total cost: 3,934.

-- One CWDEL Immersion. Sessions: 8 at 3 hours each. Hours: 24.
Instructor cost: 1,210. Travel cost: 196. Total cost: 1,406.

-- Two Out and About Courses. Sessions: 12 at 2 hours each. Hours:

24. Instructor cost: 1,210. Travel cost: 294. Total cost: 1,504.

-- One Consular Dutch Course. Sessions: 6 at 1.5 hours each. Hours:

9. Instructor cost: 454. Travel cost: 147. Total cost: 601.

-- One Shopping/Chores Field Trip. Sessions: 1 at 6 hours each.
Hours: 6. Instructor cost: 303. Travel cost: 49. Total cost:

352.

-- 6 Taal Vitaal textbook CDs (35.66 each), workbook CDs (32.78
each), Multimedia CD-ROMs (41.79 each), and five CODE 1 & 2 series
textbook, workbook, CD-ROM, and video (203.46 for each series), and
20 sets of Taal Vitaal Textbooks and Workbooks (84.65 for each set)
Total cost: 3,372


7. (U) Point of Contact for Post's language program and this
proposal is: Jay Heung, Post Language Officer. Phone: +31 70
310-2339. Email: heungj2@state.gov

GALLAGHER