Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center — Local services in Monterey

I do not recommend attending this school. There is a very toxic work environment especially in the Spanish UML schoolhouse. If you are in the Army and arrive as a careerist, you will be treated worse than the initial entry soldiers. I have experienced teachers that target students and nothing done to fix the issues within the classrooms. The students that are targeted are criticized and treated poorly compared to others. Work life balance does not exist for those in the Army. The Army does not care about the students passing the class as long as we complete the extra tasks they want us to complete after a long stressful day of class. Leaving us with no time to complete homework, study, or maintain healthy family relationships. The only people that get a reasonable daily schedule are the Officers and those in the Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps who do not have other Unit obligations during their...

Polish Class 0492. Total immersion with (when I attended) 3 classrooms of 10 students maximum. Students tested and grouped by extensive testing for personal learning styles (global, visual/auditory, or gestalt). 6 Native born and educated instructors and one U.S. Military Learning Instructor (MLI). Degrees awarded after course completion. And it is NOT easy! An overall average grade of B- or ANY failed test or quiz resulted in mandatory counseling, remedial instructuon, and academic probation. If no improvement noted after 30 days student was removed from class! After course completion an additional 6 weeks of intense instruction prepares students to take U.N. International Language Rating Exam. (Minimum score of 2, 2, 2 reading, listening, speaking on UN 0-5 rating scale is goal. Advanced class goal is 3, 3, 3) Without a doubt the most complete and intense language school in country and...

I am a 1958 graduate of the Russian Department. Despite my very young age of just 18, my experience there was nothing less than excellent in every respect. All six of my daily instructors were proficient, dedicated, supportive, and caring. On the 50th anniversay of my graduation, i was cordially invited for a personally guided tour of the Russian Department by the Department Chair himself. I was astounded and very impressed by the many changes in the teaching approach which, to my great surprise, included live feed Russian television on theater-size screens in some classrooms. I cannot express the impact and difference my experience at the DLI (then called the U.S. Army Language School) made in my life. I wish I could mentor any young people even remotely considering...