MCPS French placement test

[Anonymous]

We are new to MCPS, coming from abroad. Can anyone explain how does foreign language instruction (French, in particular) work at the elementary and middle school level. Is there French in elementary? I see that there are French 1 and 2 at the middle school level - is this where they can take lessons in HS and is the number of those students capped? Would only middle school students attend, say, French 4 at the HS or are they gonna be there with high school students as well? Does placement test include listening and speaking sections? What would be approximate MCPS level equivalent to DELF A1, A2, B1 and B2?

So many questions... Even one question answered would help!

[Anonymous]

I can't answer about middle school but re: ES --

Unfortunately no, there is no foreign language instruction at the elementary school level unless your child wins a spot and attends an immersion program. For French, those programs are at Maryvale and Sligo Creek ES. They run a lottery in the spring to fill seats for the following year. The lottery is open to all students, but if your child is entering second grade or higher, they have to pass a language proficiency test to claim a spot (once they have won the lottery).

[Anonymous]

No foreign language in elementary unless you're in an immersion program.

Some middle schools offer 1, 2, and 3 and languages are open to 6th graders (my kid did this and was in Spanish 4 as a Freshman). Others only offer 1 and 2.

If your child places into a level that is too advanced for your middle school, I would think they might offer an option at the local high school, like they do for some kids for Math sometimes (they bus them over at the beginning or end of the day usually). Or your kid could just take the highest level offered and have a very easy class. This would still be good for their GPA, so consider it, even if it's boring.

[Anonymous]

^if they bus them yes, they are in class with hs students.

[Anonymous]

Several schools cut French allocations and asked Spanish teachers to take on teaching French. If your school is fortunate to still have a certified French teacher, know that they are likely teaching at multiple schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No foreign language in elementary unless you're in an immersion program.

Some middle schools offer 1, 2, and 3 and languages are open to 6th graders (my kid did this and was in Spanish 4 as a Freshman). Others only offer 1 and 2.

If your child places into a level that is too advanced for your middle school, I would think they might offer an option at the local high school, like they do for some kids for Math sometimes (they bus them over at the beginning or end of the day usually). Or your kid could just take the highest level offered and have a very easy class. This would still be good for their GPA, so consider it, even if it's boring.

To build on this, many middle schools do NOT offer level three of a language and 8th grade students take the class at the feeder high school (1st period) and then there is a bus that brings them back to their middle school for the rest of the day. (This also happens with advanced math.)

If you think your child is ready for level 4 of a language (or level 3), I would contact the high school World Languages department head and request to be evaluated and to have a discussion about the courses. However, regardless of placement recommendation based on speaking and understanding, I wouldn't place an 8th grader higher than level 3, because this is where writing starts to become important. Have your child take level 3 to get them in sequence for writing and to be closer with their peer group. However - be aware that they will likely run out of language in HS. For strong language students, the sequence is level 3, level 4, AP French/Spanish Language (level 5) (which gets the bilingual diploma), and then AP French/Spanish Literature if there are enough students (often not at some HS.)

If your student is younger than 8th grade, you may want to consider private lessons for French and then either start them in Spanish in middle school or use the elective slot for music/fine arts.

Also, you didn't say where you are looking to live, but consider a school with an IB program, because they will have a strong level 6&7 of the languages they focus on.
These are the course descriptions for Richard Montgomery High School which has a magnet IB program: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1d-6zAd1REAxiFpUSaTlHlwspXZfWPnqX61C93lOYGtA/edit#slide=id.p

[Anonymous]

Thank you for taking time to write these very helpful and thorough responses.

Two kids are in elementary so it seems we will need to use private lessons or give up French for now. One of them is really in into all things French so we will try to keep support that.

The oldest is a rising 8th grader. Took delf a2 last year and passed it easily. That involved some amount of writing and reading I believe - we, the parents, don’t know any French so are in a dark here. From the feedback here it looks like she should probably aim at French 3, perhaps. Is there a place that explains the levels (like, what grammar is covered) for each French MCPS level? I found a link for vocabulary 2 and 3, and that was helpful but insufficient.

Thank you once again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for taking time to write these very helpful and thorough responses.

Two kids are in elementary so it seems we will need to use private lessons or give up French for now. One of them is really in into all things French so we will try to keep support that.

The oldest is a rising 8th grader. Took delf a2 last year and passed it easily. That involved some amount of writing and reading I believe - we, the parents, don’t know any French so are in a dark here. From the feedback here it looks like she should probably aim at French 3, perhaps. Is there a place that explains the levels (like, what grammar is covered) for each French MCPS level? I found a link for vocabulary 2 and 3, and that was helpful but insufficient.

Thank you once again!

Reach out to the world language content specialist and the assistant principal assigned to your grade to request a placement test for your middle schooler. For your younger children, consider the Alliance Française.

[Anonymous]

French expat here.
Bilingual kids often attend weekend classes in their native or acquired language outside of MCPS and then take the corresponding AP exam, which is recorded on their MCPS transcript. The year they wish to take their AP exam, they register at their MCPS school, and show up for the exam there.

My kids have attended or are attending Les Classes du Samedi
https://myfrenchclasses.org
and in 10th grade, my oldest took a semester of prep for the AP French, and a semester of prep for the DELF B2. The DELF B2 registration and exam was arranged by Les Classes du Samedi. The exam took place at Rochambeau, the French private school.

Thanks to taking an AP in a foreign language, kids can receive the seal of biliteracy on their high school MCPS diploma.

To fulfill the language requirements of MCPS, my oldest picked Latin, which he studied to AP level. And my current high schooler picked Spanish, which she will also take to AP level.

If one of your children are of intermediate level in French, and you want them to learn French within MCPS, they can take a placement test at their school - contact the language coordinator to arrange it. However issues arise when the kid has too high a level for the middle school they are going into. It used to be that middle schools would bus students to the high school for first period language or math (so Level 4 of any language or Algebra 2 in math), but MCPS has curtailed that program signficantly and a lot of middle schools don't do that now. This means that your kids might be stuck with low level classes before they get to high school. But if they are all on track for 8th grade DELF B2, then they might be bored!

This is why bilingual kids often go outside of the system.

[Anonymous]

Expat again. Yes, in high school, kids are not grouped according to age anymore, which was a shock to me, given that French high schools don't work like that! I think your 8th grader would be at least a Level 4, but the placement test will tell you. Don't worry, everything will work out fine! I recommend Les Classes du Samedi for your family. They're very welcoming.

[Anonymous]

If your kids are older elementary there may be open spots in the immersion schools since you have to test in.

[Anonymous]

Thank you again for all this helpful info. Thanks to you, things are much clearer now.

expat - I learned about Les Classes du Samedi by searching DCUM and we are seriously considering it for at least one of the kids (the French loving one). Hope to see you around

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kids are older elementary there may be open spots in the immersion schools since you have to test in.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for taking time to write these very helpful and thorough responses.

Two kids are in elementary so it seems we will need to use private lessons or give up French for now. One of them is really in into all things French so we will try to keep support that.

The oldest is a rising 8th grader. Took delf a2 last year and passed it easily. That involved some amount of writing and reading I believe - we, the parents, don’t know any French so are in a dark here. From the feedback here it looks like she should probably aim at French 3, perhaps. Is there a place that explains the levels (like, what grammar is covered) for each French MCPS level? I found a link for vocabulary 2 and 3, and that was helpful but insufficient.

Thank you once again!

Reach out to the world language content specialist and the assistant principal assigned to your grade to request a placement test for your middle schooler. For your younger children, consider the Alliance Française.

Thank you! Will be asking for the placement test ASAP (we were told counselors will return to office on July 15).

[Anonymous]

Ok the child ended up not taking French at school and is now attending Les Classes du Samedi (level 5). Is it to possible do to a placement test for HS? Should that be done before registration or it can be done during the Summer? What MCPS French level corresponds to Saturday school level five?