PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- With the latest technological advancements in the classroom and curriculum at Defense Language Institute, getting and staying up to speed is a daunting challenge for language instructors.

A unique aspect of DLI that is incorporated into its resident language instruction is a robust faculty development program. Because 98 percent of the language instructors whom DLI employs are native speakers of the languages they teach, it is necessary to teach faculty DLI's method of instruction and how to work with students in a military educational environment.

To ensure that teachers are "up-to-snuff" when they step into the classroom, faculty development certifies all new faculty members each year. Faculty development also makes professional development a way of life with a robust program for continuous training of faculty and staff that ranges from classroom teaching techniques to the use of the latest technology to be incorporated into the classroom.

To meet the ever-increasing demand for the use of new technologies in the classroom, FD expanded its training programs in Educational Technology, with such classes as "Effective Teaching with Tablet PCs," "Quick and Easy Ways to Create Video Materials," and "Teaching in the Wireless Classroom."

In FY 11 faculty development added a 40-hour seminar on "Leadership and Technology-enhanced Language Teaching."

To strengthen the educational leadership program at DLI, faculty development designed a new workshop for language department leadership that addresses the topic of managing change and fostering excellence in teaching.

In cooperation with the ever growing non-resident programs, faculty development launched an E-Certification design project to prepare and support teachers who conduct online language teaching.

In cooperation with the ever growing non-resident programs, faculty development launched an E-Certification design project to prepare and support teachers who conduct online language teaching.

In order to provide instructors with the latest methodology and teaching theories in the field of language teaching, faculty development arranged for nearly 20 visiting scholar events from other academic institutions in FY10.

To continue to add upon success, Phases I and II of the Post-Basic Instructor Certification program have been piloted, revised, and fully implemented; the developments of Phase III in the program that will includes six specialized courses on topics related teaching to higher proficiency levels that will commence the end of this fiscal year and be completed by summer of next year.