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Reviewed by:
  • Defense Language Institute: Foreign Language Center
  • Deborah Gill
Defense Language Institute: Foreign Language Center. Website. http://www.dliflc.edu/index.html (Home Page); http://www.dliflc.edu/products.html (Language Products Page). [Last accessed April 15, 2013.]

Although the Defense Language Institute web page is geared towards military training, it also provides, to the general public and free of charge, a plethora of language resources in a number of different languages. The current review will be focused on the culture and language resources that are relevant to Spanish and Portuguese and will be divided into three sections: 1) Language and Culture Acquisition, 2) Language Enhancement, and 3) Assessment.

The language and culture acquisition section of the website is presented in English. It provides a number of activities with in-depth cultural information (including Spanish language) within the modules. The first activity is called “Culture Orientation.” Within this section, there are three modules on Spanish culture (Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela) and two modules on Portuguese culture (Angola, Brazil). Each module consists of six sections (country profile, religion, traditions, urban life, rural life, and family life) and a final thirty-question assessment (true/false questions). After taking the assessment, an explanation of the questions missed is [End Page 341] given and an opportunity to retake the test is possible. In addition to being able to complete the module online, it is also possible to download a PDF version of the module itself, although the assessment is not available except online.

The second section within language and culture acquisition is the “Familiarization Modules.” This section is broken into three areas: 1) CIP and CO Videos, 2) Legends and Folktales, and 3) Cultural Awareness Assessment. In addition, there is an “In the News” area with a featured news article, which may or may not be related to a cultural topic relevant to Spanish or Portuguese (all articles are in English). There is also a “Featured Products” section that spotlights a new addition to the Defense Language Institute. The “Legends and Folktales” and “Cultural Awareness Assessment” include materials relevant to the learning of Spanish and Portuguese.

The “Legends and Folktales” highlight legends and folktales from many different countries. As of the date of this review, Spanish and Portuguese legends and folktales were available from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, and Venezuela. When one clicks on the title of the legend, a video comes up. Some of the videos have the option of watching in English or Spanish (or English or Portuguese), while others are narrated only in English. All videos are subtitled; those with the option of two languages have the subtitles of the opposite language (i.e., if one watches the video in Spanish or Portuguese, the subtitle will be in English and vice versa), while those that are narrated in English also provide the English subtitles. The spoken language is easy to understand, spoken at a natural pace with very clear enunciation. Although there is no assessment included with the legends, it would be easy to create a follow up activity to check comprehension and/or extend the theme of legends and folktales.

The last part of the “Familiarization Modules” is the “Cultural Awareness Assessment.” According to the website, “these easy-to-use online tests measure knowledge in topics such as geography, religion, traditions, history, and security.” In order to use this section, one must create an account (email address and a password). Once registered, there is a pull down menu with different countries. For Spanish and Portuguese, these countries are Mexico and Brazil. The assessment is a multiple-choice assessment in English, with some questions including short audio clips in the target language. When completed, you are provided with a proficiency level (i.e., 0, 0+, etc.). The assessments span a broad range of topics and provide an excellent test of current knowledge.

The language enhancement portion of this website provides an opportunity for users to be able to hear and practice accents from around the world. The three standout sections of “Language Enhancement” are 1) the Global Language Online Support System, 2) Phone Conversations, and 3) the Accents Library.

The Global Language Online Support System (GLOSS) provides an opportunity...

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