Military English
Welcome to DITC’s Military English teaching resources. These resources focus on teaching vocabulary from a wide variety of military topics.
These resources will help learners get ready for ADFELPS, and for international missions or combined exercises where English is used.
The types of resources are:
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Reading Lessons – students read a text with a focus on Military English vocabulary. They then practise the vocabulary in writing or speaking.
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Listening Lessons – students listen to a text with a focus on Military English vocabulary. They then practise the vocabulary in writing or speaking.
- Vocabulary Builders – students match new vocabulary to images, then practise the vocabulary in writing or speaking.
All lessons have a these things you can download and save for next time.
- A students’ copy (PDF and Word versions
- A teacher’s copy (PDF)
- Audio recordings
The resources target English language levels from ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2/preintermediate to ADFELPS 6 / CEFR B2/upper intermediate.
We are adding more resources all the time so expect to see more and more materials with an assigned level.
We hope you and your students enjoy the materials.
Any lessons we are missing? Email ditc.militaryenglish@defence.gov.au with suggestions and feedback. We'd love to hear from you!
If you haven't read it yet, check out our newest newsletter (May 2026) here.
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We want you as a new recruit!
Do you have cadet students, students who work or want to work with recruits, or students who just want to remember the good old days? These two lessons go together. They are 'sister lessons', which means they have a lot of the same vocabulary. Teaching both lessons will help your students consolidate the target vocab.
New! Recruit training in the Australian Army- What I learnt at Kapooka. [reading]
Recruit training in the Australian Army [listening].
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response - HADR
How can we work together as a region when disaster strikes? These two new lessons lessons go together. We suggest teaching the 'Natural Disasters' Vocabulary Builder first. But how 'natural' are these disasters? We also have lessons about the role militaries play in a warming world.
New! - Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) – Working Together after Disasters [reading]
New! - Lesson - Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) - Operation Tonga Assist 2022 [listening]
Natural Disasters - Vocabulary Builder
Disaster Relief: Changing Climate; Changing Defence Force
Defence Attaché
Are you or your students getting ready for a life as a military diplomat? This reading lesson is about speaking to the press in this role. Thanks to our lovely MELT student for suggesting this lesson. Watch out for the listening coming soon!
New! - Lesson - A Job in the Military Defence Attaché - Defence and the Media [reading]
A region that flies together, stays together!
Did you know between 2500-4000 military personnel from 21 nations come together for Pitch Black every 2 years? Get excited and get ready for the next Pitch Black and other combined exercises with these lessons. These two lessons go together. They are 'sister lessons', which means they have a lot of the same vocabulary. Teaching both lessons will help your students consolidate the target vocab.
New! - Lesson - Combined Air Force Exercises - Exercise Pitch Black [listening].
Lesson - Combined Air Force Exercises - Exercise Elangaroo [reading].
Countries and Flags - East Asia - Level: ADFELPS 3 / CEFR A1 and above
Countries and Flags - Oceania - part A - Level: ADFELPS 3 / CEFR A1 and above
Countries and Flags - Oceania - part B - Level: ADFELPS 3 / CEFR A1 and above
Countries and Flags - South Asia - Level: ADFELPS 3 / CEFR A1 and above
Countries and Flags - Southeast Asia - Level: ADFELPS 3 / CEFR A1 and above
Facilities on an Army Base - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Facilities on a Navy Base - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Parts of an Aircraft Movement Area **NEW** - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Parts of a Parachute **UPDATED** - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Parts of a Tactical Field Kit - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Parts of a Uniform **UPDATED** - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Symbology for UN Peacekeeping Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
What's in your Webbing? - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
A Job in the Army - Armoured Vehicle Crew - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
A Job in the Navy - Boatswain's Mate - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Combined Air Force Exercises - Exercise Pitch Black **NEW** - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Disaster Relief **UPDATED** - Level: ADFELPS 5 / CEFR B1 and above
Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) – Making UXOs and Communities Safe **NEW** Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Lesson: Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) – Operation Tonga Assist 2022 [listening] **NEW** Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Joint Military Exercises - Level: ADFELPS 5 / CEFR B1 and above
Jungle Warfare Training **UPDATED** - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Leadership – Inspiring Aussies – Uncle Reg - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Life of a UN Peacekeeping Medic - Part A **UPDATED** - Level: ADFELPS 5 / CEFR B1 and above
Life of a UN Peacekeeping Medic - Part B - Level: ADFELPS 5 / CEFR B1 and above
Life of a UN Peacekeeping Medic - Part C - Level: ADFELPS 6 / CEFR B2 and above
Life of a UN Peacekeeping Medic - part D - Level: ADFELPS 6 / CEFR B2 and above
Map Reading and Navigation **UPDATED** - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Radio Communications (RATEL) - Radio Checks - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Special Ops - SASR - K-9 Support - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
What's in my Ratpack? **NEW** - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
What's in your Webbing? - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Women in Blue Berets - Peacekeeping in South Sudan - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
A Job in the Air Force - Loadmaster **NEW** Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
A job in the Army - Infantry Officer - Level: ADFELPS 5 / CEFR B1 and above
A job in the Army - Tank Crew **UPDATED** - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
A Job in the Military - Defence Attaché - Defence and the Media**NEW** - Level: ADFELPS 6-7 / CEFR B2 and above
Combined Air Force Exercises - Exercise Elangaroo **NEW** Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Conducting a Checkpoint Level: ADFELPS 5 / CEFR B1 and above
Disaster Relief - Changing Climate; Changing Defence Force - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Drones - The Future of Warfare? - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Explosives Training Cooperation in the Philippines - Level: ADFELPS 5 / CEFR B1 and above
Humanitarian Aid **UPDATED** - Level: ADFELPS 6 / CEFR B2 and above
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) – Working Together after Disasters **NEW** - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Jungle Warfare Training - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Marksmanship Principles **UPDATED** Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
MEDEVAC: Medical Evacuation Operations **UPDATED** - Level: ADFELPS 5 / CEFR B1 and above
Military Linguist **UPDATED** - Level: ADFELPS 5 / CEFR B1 and above
On Patrol - NORFORCE- Eyes and Ears of the North - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Recruit Training in the Australian Army **NEW** Level: ADFELPS 4-5 / CEFR A2 (high) and above
Search and Rescue Operations - Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Snapshot of the Australian Army **UPDATED** Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Snapshot of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) **UPDATED** Level - ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
Teaching Guidelines
Engage - Military English Textbook