US embassy cable - 02AMMAN5650

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005650 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FSI FOR ILDIKO COSSICH, PLP COORDINATOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: AFSI, AMGT, KFLO, JO 
SUBJECT: PLP direct funding initiative 
 
 
1.   Amman welcomes this opportunity to submit 
  proposals for fsi's post language program direct 
  funding initiative.  The current uncertain political 
  atmosphere in the region has led to an increased 
  interest among Mission employees and EFM's in gaining 
  a greater mastery of (or in many cases a simple 
  familiarity with) the Arabic language.  Amman's FY01 
  and FY 02 PLP direct funding proposals have enabled 
  the contracting of language instruction services from 
  a second PLP instructor.  This second instructor has 
  made a significant positive impact on post morale 
  through instruction of EFMs; OMS's and MSG's, and has 
  opened an opportunity for language study to many who 
  had not previously considered it a possibility.  In 
  this year's funding request, post seeks to widen still 
  further the opportunity for language familiarization 
  throughout the embassy community, as well as to deepen 
  language capabilities of our beginner and intermediate 
  language learners. 
 
2.   Classroom Instruction/Field Trips:  Post seeks to 
  retain our additional language instructor, whose 
  instruction of EFM's OMS's and MSG's has provided a 
  significant boost to post morale.  The language 
  aptitude of a majority of these students is at or just 
  above the beginner level.  Our second instructor has 
  developed a creative mix of group classroom 
  instruction and situational learning opportunities 
  (including field trips) that post will continue to 
  encourage in the coming year.  Situational learning 
  opportunities aimed at EFM's have included visits to 
  grocery stores and other commercial establishments; 
  rides in taxi cabs; visits to restaurants and other 
  locales of interest.  In addition, OMS's and MSG;s 
  have their own situational learning needs, including 
  targeted telephone skills.  Current events in the 
  region require special attention to MSG language 
  needs.  Post language officer has begun work with RSO 
  to develop a core situational vocabulary and phrase 
  curriculum that will be incorporated into MSG 
  instruction for the coming year.  We request funding 
  to support 20 hours of instruction per week, for 48 
  weeks, at the rate of usd 15.00 per hour (total usd 
  14,400).  We also request transportation costs related 
  to our excursions at a local rate of usd 5.00 per hour 
  at four hours per session times 36 sessions for fy 03 
  (USD 720). 
 
3.   Immersion Opportunities:  Post would like to 
  develop an immersion program in conjunction with staff 
  and administrative resources available at post through 
  the local Peace Corps program.  Jordan is host to the 
  only Peace Corps chapter in the immediate region, and 
  the Peace Corps conducts an extensive language 
  training and immersion program for its yearly group of 
  volunteers.  Post proposes to tap into these resources 
  to arrange for a limited number of immersion 
  opportunities for post employees.  Given that 
  immersion experiences require a certain minimum 
  language requirement, participants in this program are 
  expected to be at the intermediate level and above. 
  Post proposes budgeting per diem and administrative 
  costs for four (4) one-week immersion programs and 
  four (4) weekend programs for FY 03.  Initial 
  discussions with Peace Corps Director indicate this 
  idea is realizable at post.  For this program, post 
  calculates 32 total days (5 days for the one-week 
  program; 3 days for the weekend program) with a usd 
  14.00 per day stipend to the local family, totalling 
  usd 448.00. 
 
4.   New Materials:  To serve our audience of largely 
  beginner students, post seeks funding for the purchase 
  of 10 copies of the "Alif Baa" book and tape set. 
  Priced on amazon.com, the alif baa sets cost usd 34.95 
  per copy, times 10 copies equals 349.50.  Adding usd 
  50.00 for shipping/handling leads to a total request 
  of usd 400.00 for the alif baa books and tapes.  In 
  addition, post seeks funding for one copy of the 
  interactive "al mumtaz" arabic computer program.  Post 
  was unable to locate cost information for this product 
  (which is loaded on all fsi language lab computers), 
  and asks that fsi add the cost of one copy of the 
  program to the total of this funding proposal. 
 
5.   CLO Language Introduction Evenings:  In 
  association with the CLO, post seeks to conduct six 
  introductory lectures/discussions on the Arabic 
  language with the broader Embassy community.  While 
  post language programs enjoy strong interest, there 
  remains a large number of employees and efm's who have 
  little or no understanding of the arabic language. 
  Post proposes these introductory sessions, to be 
  conducted in the evenings as a joint lecture/social 
  event as a way of acquainting this audience (including 
  short to long-term TDYers) with the basic elements of 
  Arabic, to enhance and ease their experience in 
  Jordan.  For this program, post calculates a cost of 3 
  language instruction hours at usd 15.00 per hour, 
  times six sessions, totalling usd 270.00 
  Additionally, post seeks funding of usd 180.00 for 
  supplies (usd 30.00 per event), for a complete total 
  of usd 450.00. 
 
6.   Language Partners:  Post proposes establishing a 
  language partner program for those employees, efm's; 
  oms's; and msg's who might benefit from an out-of- 
  classroom learning experience.  These partners would 
  not be tutors nor would their interaction with post 
  participants mirror what is done in the classroom. 
  These partners would provide participants an 
  opportunity for real-world practice in the language, 
  in an informal setting.  Post seeks funding for ten 
  hours/week to initiate a language partner program.  We 
  calculate a local rate of usd 7.00 per hour, or usd 
  70.00 per week, for 48 weeks, totals usd 3360.00. 
 
7.   Post calculates an overall total for this 
  proposal at usd 19,778.00, with the cost of one "al- 
  mumtaz" computer-based arabic instruction program not 
  included. 
 
8.   Point of contact for this proposal is justin 
  siberell, a recent graduate of the tunis language 
  program.  hE assumed post language officer 
  responsibilities in august 2002.