At the End of Each Term
At the End of Each Year
Advancement to the Next
Phase
At the End of Each Term
At the End of Each Year
Advancement to the Next
PhaseThe world languages program at the high school is performance-based with students working towards proficiency on specific language objectives. Students are awarded credits on the basis of their ability to demonstrate their proficiency on a set of objectives for each phase of a language. Each student is given the list of phase objectives at the beginning of the year. Once students have accomplished these objectives, they are awarded credits. A student may earn up to five (5) credits for each phase of a language. These phases range from the novice stage of language learning through the advanced stage.
Using our present five-credit system for yearly courses, we have developed the following system and criteria for reporting student progress on the quarterly report cards. These grades describe how well a student demonstrates his or her proficiency on specific objectives. Therefore, the grades that appear on the report card do not correspond to an average of assignments. The grades reflect progression towards the attainment of credits.
A Excellent work in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing. Student's written or oral questions and responses are appropriate and grammatically and syntactically correct. Speaking demonstrates acceptable pronunciation and fluency.
B Good work in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Student's written or oral questions and responses are appropriate and comprehensible with minor errors in syntax and/or grammar. Speaking demonstrates minor errors in pronunciation and less fluency.
C Fair work in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Student's written or oral questions and responses contain faulty grammar and syntax but is comprehensible to a sympathetic listener/speaker. Speaking demonstrates major errors in pronunciation and minimum fluency.
D Poor work in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Student's written or oral questions and responses are inappropriate and contain major errors in grammar and syntax which make communication incomprehensible even to a sympathetic listener/reader.
F No progress demonstrated.
Credits will be assigned at the end of the year depending on student performance on the objectives for a specific phase. Students must be able to demonstrate their ability to perform a specific objective at a FAIR-(C) level in order to be considered proficient on that specific objective.
Students who have consistently demonstrated very good to excellent performance on the specific level proficiencies and have performed satisfactorily on the mid-year and final assessments will be awarded five (5) credits.
Students who have consistently demonstrated good performance on the specific level proficiencies but were unable to perform satisfactorily on the mid-year and final assessments will be awarded four (4) credits.
Students who have consistently demonstrated fair performance on most of the specific level proficiencies and have performed satisfactorily on the mid-year and final assessments will be awarded four (4) credits.
Students who have consistently demonstrated fair performance on most of the specific level proficiencies but were unable to perform satisfactorily on the mid-year and final assessments will be awarded three (3) credits.
Students who have consistently demonstrated significantly weak performance on the specific level proficiencies and were unable to perform satisfactorily on the mid-year and final assessments will be awarded one or two (1 or 2) credits. If the student chooses to continue with the language, he or she will be placed in the same level next year in order to complete the objectives that were not attained. The student may also choose to begin another language.
Students who have demonstrated no progress (F level) and were unable to perform satisfactorily on the mid-year and final assessments will be awarded zero (0) credits. If the student chooses to continue with the language, he or she will be placed in the same level next year in order to complete the objectives that were not attained. The student may also choose to begin another language.
The requirements for advancement to the next phase are as follows:
Three (3) credits to move from Phase 1 to Phase 2
Eight (8) credits to move from Phase 2 to Phase 3
Twelve (12) credits to move from Phase 3 to Phase 4
Six (6) credits is considered by colleges to be two years of a world language. Three of these credits must be earned in each sequential level.
Ten (10) credits is considered by colleges to be three years of a world language.
At least three of these credits must be earned in each sequential level.
The Billerica Memorial High School Program of Studies recommends that a student study a world language for three or four years.
Students may be grouped at the beginning of the year according to credits attained the previous year. Therefore, the teacher that appears on a preliminary summer schedule may not be the student's teacher once the year begins.
If you would like further clarification or have questions about the World Languages program, feel free to call the department chairperson, Deanne Galdston, at (978) 436-9324 or send an e-mail to dgaldston@yahoo.com. Appointments with individual teachers may also be arranged.
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