Sharpen Your Edge. Strengthen the Mission.

The Language Enhancement Course (LEC) at the Partner Language Training Center Europe (PLTCE) is a five-week intensive program built for today’s warfighters. Designed to elevate professional-level language skills (ILR Level 2+), the LEC prepares U.S. service members to operate effectively in joint and allied environments around the globe.

With a strong focus on listening and speaking proficiency, the course equips personnel with the linguistic tools needed for critical missions—whether conducting interrogations, gathering intelligence, or building rapport with local populations. Through immersive instruction and mission-focused scenarios, participants gain the cultural insight and communication skills essential for success in modern military operations.

Whether preparing for deployment or enhancing coalition readiness, the LEC ensures our warfighters stay sharp, adaptable, and ready to win.

Arabic (Levantine)

Arabic (Modern Standard)

Chinese (Mandarin)

French

Persian/Farsi

Russian
 

LECs available by special request:

Arabic (Moroccan)

Ukrainian

PLTCE conducts LEC sessions in-person only. If there is any change and PLTCE is unable to host resident participants, the subject course will follow an online format. Enrolled participants will be notified and given the option to keep their seats or to attend a different session.

The Language Enhancement Course (LEC) aims to develop mission-ready warfighters with advanced language proficiency, cultural competence, and operational communication skills aligned with ILR Level 3 and higher. Emphasizing real-world application—such as intelligence gathering, interrogation, and coalition coordination—the LEC ensures participants can confidently understand, interpret, and produce language in high-stakes, multilingual contexts critical to national security and global operations.

As the Department of Defense and interagency partners increasingly adopt ILR Level 3 as the minimum proficiency standard for Listening and Reading, the Partner Language Training Center Europe (PLTCE) is committed to delivering advanced, mission-focused language instruction that meets and exceeds these expectations.

Strategic Focus Areas

• Operational Proficiency at ILR Level 3+
  PLTCE prioritizes the development of high-level language skills that directly support operational effectiveness, particularly in joint, allied, and intelligence-driven missions. Emphasis is placed on real-world comprehension and communication in high-stakes environments.
• Flexible, Learner-Centered Instruction
  Leveraging an open architecture curriculum, instructors tailor lessons to the unique strengths, goals, and operational roles of each learner. This adaptive approach ensures that instruction remains relevant, challenging, and aligned with individual and mission-specific needs.
• Supportive, High-Performance Learning Environment
  PLTCE fosters a culture of respect, where learners can take intellectual risks and accelerate their language acquisition. This environment is essential for building the confidence and resilience required of today’s warfighters.
• Expert Native-Speaker Faculty
  All instructors are native speakers of the target language or dialect, with advanced academic credentials and extensive experience in second/foreign-language instruction. Their expertise ensures linguistic authenticity and cultural depth, both critical for operational success.
• Mission-Relevant Application
  Training is grounded in real-world scenarios, including intelligence gathering, interrogation, coalition coordination, and tactical communication. This ensures that learners not only meet ILR standards but are also prepared to apply their skills in dynamic, multilingual environments.

Students will:

• Analyze and engage with mission-relevant content across key domains including Military-Security, Economics, Politics, Science/Technology, Culture/Society, and Geography, with a focus on operational application and strategic awareness.
• Read and comprehend authentic, domain-specific materials at near-native speed and accuracy, including unfamiliar texts critical to real-world missions and coalition operations.
• Demonstrate autonomous learning through reading, using the target language to acquire new knowledge across a range of professional and tactical subjects.
• Accurately interpret spoken language in a variety of real-world contexts, including conversations between educated native speakers, radio broadcasts, oral briefings, and telephone communications—especially those relevant to intelligence and field operations.
• Communicate with precision and clarity, combining advanced vocabulary and grammatical structures to convey meaning effectively in both formal and informal settings.
• Elicit actionable information and informed perspectives from native speakers through structured questioning, active listening, and culturally appropriate interaction.
• Produce clear, effective written communication in the target language across practical, social, and professional contexts, supporting mission documentation, reporting, and interagency coordination.

Upon successful completion of the Language Enhancement Course (LEC), students will:

• Demonstrate advanced linguistic competence and operational confidence
• Show measurable proficiency gains through improved scores on the post-course Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT).
• Exhibit enhanced ability to process and respond to complex content, supporting their roles in joint, interagency, and multinational operations.