The development of the defense language aptitude battery (DLAB

The purpose of this research was to develop and to validate a language aptitude battery for use by the Defense Language Institute (DLI) which offers training in over 50 foreign languages. Predictor and criterion measures were collected on DLI students in 12 lan-guages. Items were selected and grouped through canonical factor analysis of an experimental item pool. Validity was established through prediction of grades. These validities were then compared with those of other tests and predictor variables. The results were that the new battery (DLAB) did produce consistently higher valid-ities than did other predictors. Although differential prediction by language was also investigated, evidence that it can be achieved was not found in this study. EDUCATIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT 1976, 36, 369-380. THE purpose of this research was to develop and to validate a new language aptitude battery to be used for the selection of military personnel for training at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) which offers over 50 foreign language courses. One of the major considerations in designing a foreign language aptitude test is the type of curriculum the student will encounter (Carroll, 1962, pp. 91-94). At DLI, training is intensive and audioli-ngually oriented. Students spend six hours per day in classes and hav