World language - rising 7th grade

[Anonymous]

In the full-year electives, I see Spanish 1A and French 1A.

DC can speak Japanese, but cannot read/write much. I am considering either option: (1) just take a Japanese test to get a credit of level 1 or 2; or (2) take Spanish Level 1 class in middle school then Level 2-4 classes in high school.

We are inclined to option (1), but I've heard that Japanese test is the hardest to get credit.

Has anyone taken a route of taking a language test for credit in minor language that FCPS does not offer? Was there any problem in not taking any world language class at school?

[Anonymous]

I doubt your child would get a credit if they cannot read and write any Japanese. Level 1 Japanese is all about learning the Hiragana and Katakana. The immersion class at Carson assume that the kids know the Hiragana and Katakana and they can start with kids being able to read and write basic Japanese. The Japanese teacher at Carson's open house flat out said that the immersion language kids who are not comfortable with the alphabets should take the regular Japanese and not the Immersion Japanese.

I would guess you will not be attending Carson, Japanese is offered and your kid could test into the immersion class that starts in 7h grade. Whatever MS Great Falls ES attends will offer Japanese immersion language in MS as well.

Spanish and French 1A does not provide a high school credit. Spanish/French 1 A and 1B provides one credit. Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 provide one credit each.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the insight!
DC used to write Hiragana and Katakana, and Grade 1 Kanji (has a certificate of 漢字検定10) so Level 1 Japanese seems manageable. We will spend this summer brushing up to remember what DC has forgotten.
Immersion schools are not option for us (we cannot move).
I thought that if DC can read/write up to Grade 3 Kanji, Level 3 credit test can be targeted eventually. DC is very fluent in speaking Japanese, but DC need to gain much more vocabularies to comprehend the contents that are beyond daily conversation.
I am trying to find sample Level 1-3 credit tests (willing to pay if available) to see the actual level required, but am unsuccessful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the insight!
DC used to write Hiragana and Katakana, and Grade 1 Kanji (has a certificate of 漢字検定10) so Level 1 Japanese seems manageable. We will spend this summer brushing up to remember what DC has forgotten.
Immersion schools are not option for us (we cannot move).
I thought that if DC can read/write up to Grade 3 Kanji, Level 3 credit test can be targeted eventually. DC is very fluent in speaking Japanese, but DC need to gain much more vocabularies to comprehend the contents that are beyond daily conversation.
I am trying to find sample Level 1-3 credit tests (willing to pay if available) to see the actual level required, but am unsuccessful.

I don't know what is on the test. I only know what the Japanese Teacher at Carson told me when I asked about what an Immersion kid needs to know to be successful in the immersion Japanese class offered that the school. She placed an emphasis on knowing the alphabets cold. I know that the immersion program at the school is taught in math and science so that is the vocabulary that the kids know best. I know that they don't cover grammar rules and the like in the ES immersion program. I would guess that the language tests include knowledge of the alphabet, grammar, vocabulary, written comprehension, and verbal comprehension.

I am not certain what taking the test to get credit for 1 year of Japanese gets you. Colleges want to see kids with 2-5 years of the same language so a year of Japanese and a few years of Spanish isn't going to do much for your child. I would imagine taking the test in order to place into a higher level of the same language would be useful. Testing at a level that would allow you into 4th year of Japanese might be different but I am not sure how colleges look at testing out of language vs taking a language on a transcript.

[Anonymous]

Exactly. Our high school seems to offer Japanese classes, so maybe DC can just take them.
I read on DC Urban Moms that many universities prefers kids with 4 years class credits in world language.
School's information sessions or websites do not touch on as to how world language selection/requirements/credits will play out, so honestly, we have no clue. I wish that FCPS website at the world language page includes more information.
Anyways, in a long run, leaning a second language is good for DC, not just for university applications, so we can just keep learning.