Robert J. Cunnings - The Official DLAB Training Manual

The Official DLAB Training Manual Study Guide and Practice Test By Robert J. Cunnings Copyright 2014 This book is dedicated to the US military to include those of the past, present and future. Table of Contents This guide was designed to help those who are planning to take the Defense Language Aptitude Battery Test (DLAB). It was created in a way to help future test takers in comprehending the full implications of their scores, and prepare them for the exam. There is no test on earth that is comparable to the DLAB and, without this guide, you could be walking into a career killing trap. Therefore, to help you get prepared for the DLAB test, we will approach the subject in four ways.

First, we will begin by looking at what the DLAB is and how it will affect you as you move forward in your military career. Hopefully, this section will help to dispel many theories and rumors about the exam and, instead, give you concrete data to base your decisions on. Second, we will conduct a basic review of English grammar. The DLAB uses a fake language as a conduit in which to test your critical thinking skills and your ability to quickly apply grammar rules. However, without a core understanding of grammar terminology and how it plays a vital role in a languages construct, you will have a hard time passing the DLAB. Third, we will break apart each section of the exam, and explain its structure and purpose.

This section will include the EXACT grammar rules you will find on the DLAB exam, detailed descriptions of the sections layout and even example questions to help test your level of understanding. Now that you have a basic understanding of the test layout, the next section will give you proven tips and secrets to help you get through the questions and manage your time. Most people dont realize that you are timed and probably wont have certain resources like paper or the ability to take notes. Therefore, it is important to use certain tips to ensure your test taking process runs smoothly and you achieve the highest score possible. Finally, once all aspects of the material have been covered, there will be a fully comprehensive DLAB Practice Exam to help you test your ability. This is very close to the real thing and should not be taken lightly.

Furthermore, the answer key has detailed explanations about each question and why a specific answer was correct. This not only serves as means to gage your current level, but also as a way to gain experience. The DLAB test is like nothing you have ever seen. However, with this manual, you should have no problem. We feel that the approach presented in this manual will not only help you to pass the DLAB but also improve your overall score.

Any application to a defense language school or to a language centric community will require the service member to take the Defense Language Aptitude Battery Test (DLAB).

It is a standardized test that was developed to measure the applicant's aptitude for language studies and is thought to be a good mechanism in measuring their capacity to learn a new language. As such, the military takes the scores very seriously and believes that it is a good indicator of the applicant's chances of surviving a tough language school like DLI. According to school statistics, there is a strong link between high DLAB scores and good performances at DLI. The military strongly believes that the DLAB gives the administrators an adequate way in which to identify those service members who show a skill for learning a language and those who will struggle.

Your DLAB score will also determine which category of languages you can be assigned to. The category system was developed due to the difference in difficulty between certain languages.

In the category system, those languages that are believed to be the hardest are designated as a category IV. The easiest languages are placed in category I. Their designation is based off of lettering systems, grammatical structures, intonations and overall difference from the English language. The scores required for each category are as such: Category I (Dutch, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish) - 95 or above Category II (German) - 100 or above Category III (Hebrew, Russian, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese) -105 and above Category IV (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean) - 110 or above* * If you find any information online or elsewhere saying that the scores are 85, 90, 95, and 100, those are the old numbers. The new scoring system was established in 2009. There are many other languages offered at DLI.

However, the above languages were used as an example to help illustrate their levels of complexity. If you have a specific language that you are interested in and dont see it on this list, you can visit DLIs webpage and find their official up-to-date list there. Doing well on the DLAB not only helps you enter DLI, it also gives you a greater range of languages that you can be selected for. Scoring above a category IV requirement doesnt necessarily mean you will do a category IV language. It only shows that you are capable of learning such a language. Your selected language will depend on the needs of the military and, to a lesser degree, your preference.

While you may not want a category IV language, it is still very advantageous to do your best to get the highest score possible. Remember that getting a higher score will mean you have a much better chance of getting the job you want over that of your competition. A high DLAB score is also a great way for a service member to set themselves apart from their colleagues. Many service members have taken the DLAB test and superiors will use it to determine promotions and assignments. DLAB scores have a tendency to follow a service member throughout their career and can be a great asset, if the result is good.

The test can only be taken once every six months, so failing to get the required score would mean that the applicant would have to wait a full six months to retake the test, making proper preparation even more important.

However, as most of us know, six months is a long time and, in most cases, your window to apply for such a position will already be gone by the time your six months are over. Therefore, in most cases, you need to get your required score the first time. All U.S. service members and their spouses who are in good standing with the military can take the test. Although its rare, spouses can sometimes take language courses with service members. Just like the service member, they too will need to take the DLAB to apply.

This only happens when service members have follow-on orders to a foreign country of that language and there is enough room to allow a spouse to join the class. If such a situation arises, the spouse may take an available spot in a language course; however, if the spouse starts to fall behind, just a little bit, the military will kick them out. The objective of the school is to teach the service member and, if the spouse is causing the class or the service member to slow down, the spouse will be removed. Furthermore, the military has many programs to help service members improve their class scores; however, those programs are not available to the spouse. So, if you find that you meet the requirements and want to have your spouse join you at DLI, ensure they too take the DLAB and are prepared for a very arduous course of study with little help and less tolerance by the military.

The DLAB is graded on a logarithmic scale with scores ranging from 0 to 164.