Modern Language Proficiency Guidelines

Below, please see the possible range of student achievement of language proficiency by the end of each language/course:

French 1/Spanish 1- Novice Mid

Strategies to get to the next level (adapted from ACTFL/AAPPL Score Descriptions):

Interpersonal Speaking/Listening- When you answer questions, try to use more than one word and even a phrase. Practice asking questions and keep learning new words. Practice asking more questions on more topics. Combine your words and phrases into simple sentences. Keep learning new words!

Interpretive Reading/Listening- Try to understand more by looking/listening for clues such as pictures, titles, words or parts of words that you recognize, words that are similar to words in your own language. Think about what you already know about a topic for additional clues about the topic. Then go back and reread/re-listen and see what more you can understand.

Presentational Writing- Keep a word journal. Every time you learn a new word or phrase, add it to your journal. Practice combining your words and phrases to form simple sentences.

French 2/Spanish 2-Novice High

Strategies to get to the next level (adapted from ACTFL/AAPPL Score Descriptions):

Interpersonal Speaking/Listening- Keep the conversation going by asking follow up questions on the same topic, working with your partner to figure out what you don't understand and talking around words that you don't know. Keep saying more about more topics. Pretend you're in a situation where you need to get something or do something. Jump into as many conversations as you can, especially outside of class. Once you've answered a question, try to add something more (another fact, thought, or even another question).

Interpretive Reading/Listening- Use what the passage says about the topic to understand the main idea and look for some supporting facts. Try to use different approaches to understanding such as looking/listening for clues such as pictures, titles, words or parts of words that you recognize, words that are similar to words in your own language, word and order form. Use what you already know about a topic for additional clues about the topic, and about what the author wants you to understand.  Then go back and reread/re-listen and see what more you can understand.

Presentational Writing- Keep writing more about more topics. Add more information; use a variety of vocabulary. Make your writing more interesting by forming sentences or questions in different ways. When you don't know a precise word, try using other words to say what you mean. Frequently review your writing for accuracy and correctness. Look for more outlets or opportunities to write to different people. As you review your writing, see if there are sentences or details that you can link together. Try to add something more (another fact, thought, or even another question).

French 2H/Spanish 2H-Intermediate Low

Strategies to get to the next level (adapted from ACTFL/AAPPL Score Descriptions):

Interpersonal Speaking/Listening- Try putting sentences together using words such as "but," "because," and "when." Practice asking questions in different ways. Keep adding new information so that everything is more complete and clear. Say more about more topics.

Interpretive Reading/Listening- Practice reading/listening to longer passages or simple stories. To deepen your understanding start to look at how the passage is organized. Compare what you read or hear to what you already know.

Presentational Writing- Try putting sentences together using words such as "but," "because," and "when." Practice writing questions in different ways. Keep adding new information so that everything is more complete and clear. Write more about more topics.

French 3/Spanish 3-Intermediate Low

Strategies to get to the next level (adapted from ACTFL/AAPPL Score Descriptions):

Interpersonal Speaking/Listening- Try putting sentences together using words such as "but," "because," and "when." Practice asking questions in different ways. Keep adding new information so that everything is more complete and clear. Say more about more topics.

Interpretive Reading/Listening- Practice reading/listening to longer passages or simple stories. To deepen your understanding start to look at how the passage is organized. Compare what you read or hear to what you already know.

Presentational Writing- Try putting sentences together using words such as "but," "because," and "when." Practice writing questions in different ways. Keep adding new information so that everything is more complete and clear. Write more about more topics.

French 3H/Spanish 3H-Intermediate Mid

Strategies to get to the next level (adapted from ACTFL/AAPPL Score Descriptions):

Interpersonal Speaking/Listening- Practice adding words to be more specific in describing things (quality, quantity, size) or to accomplish what you need (when or in what order). Think about how events unfold in a story and try to tell it. Use words like "then," "so," "afterwards," and "finally." Ask more specific questions to get more detailed information.

Interpretive Reading/Listening- Frequently read/listen to longer passages or simple stories. To deepen your understanding start to look at how the passage is organized. Compare what you read or hear to what you already know and to what you expected to find out.

Presentational Writing- Practice adding words to be more specific in describing things (quality, quantity, size) or to accomplish what you need (when or in what order). Think about the sequence in an event, story, or process and practice writing about it. Use words like "then," "so," "afterwards," and "finally." Ask more specific questions to get more detailed information.

French 4/Spanish 4-Intermediate Mid

Strategies to get to the next level (adapted from ACTFL/AAPPL Score Descriptions):

Interpersonal Speaking/Listening- Practice adding words to be more specific in describing things (quality, quantity, size) or to accomplish what you need (when or in what order). Think about how events unfold in a story and try to tell it. Use words like "then," "so," "afterwards," and "finally." Ask more specific questions to get more detailed information.

Interpretive Reading/Listening- Frequently read/listen to longer passages or simple stories. To deepen your understanding start to look at how the passage is organized. Compare what you read or hear to what you already know and to what you expected to find out.

Presentational Writing- Practice adding words to be more specific in describing things (quality, quantity, size) or to accomplish what you need (when or in what order). Think about the sequence in an event, story, or process and practice writing about it. Use words like "then," "so," "afterwards," and "finally." Ask more specific questions to get more detailed information.

French 4H/Spanish 5-Intermediate Mid

Strategies to get to the next level (adapted from ACTFL/AAPPL Score Descriptions):

Interpersonal Speaking/Listening- Practice telling stories from beginning to end. Once you've told a story, go back, and add something to each part of it. Describe everything you see in your class, your neighborhood or home and then add more detail to it. Practice having conversations about topics beyond your immediate environment. Pretend you're in a situation where you need to do or get something and a problem arises. Practice resolving the complication.

Interpretive Reading/Listening- Frequently read/listen to longer passages, stories, news reports. To deepen your understanding start to look at how the passage is organized. Pause frequently to check your understanding. Compare what you read or hear to what you already know and to what you expected to find out. See what the details add up to? Any new insight?

Presentational Writing- Practice writing stories from beginning to end. Once you've written the outline of a story, go back, and write each section adding as much detail as you can. Observe the people, places, and things you see every day. and practice writing detailed descriptions. Practice writing about topics beyond your immediate environment. Pretend you're in a situation where you need to do or get something and a problem arises. Practice offering written solutions to problems.

French 5H&6H/Spanish PreAP &AP-Intermediate High

Strategies to get to the next level (adapted from ACTFL/AAPPL Score Descriptions):

Interpersonal Speaking/Listening- Practice telling more complete stories about things that are happening, happened or will happen. Describe things in a way that the person you're talking to can form a mental picture of what you're saying. Practice adding detail every time you can. Report and discuss events beyond your immediate environment. Imagine trying to deal with a problem and propose a variety of solutions.

Interpretive Reading/Listening- Frequently read/listen to longer passages, stories, news reports on lots of different topics. Use the organization of the text to help you read and listen more efficiently. Pause frequently to check your understanding. Compare what you read or hear to what you already know and to what you expected to find out. See what the details add up to? Any new insight?t?

Presentational Writing- Practice writing more complete stories about things that are happening, happened or will happen. Describe things in a way that the person you're writing to can form a mental picture. Practice adding examples and details as often as you can. Report on events beyond your immediate environment. Imagine trying to deal with a problem; explain in detail the circumstances and propose a variety of solutions.