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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]International Baccalaureate overhauled their language assessments in 2013. They did away with the First Language test category the PP above seems to be describing, adding a Language A Text and Performance category for native speakers who want to delve into the literature, drama and poetry of their mother tongue. IBD now offers several Language B assessments for language learners whose best language is English, the [i]ab initio[/i] level, SL and HL  IB changed the assessments partly to encourage students to prepare for HL language exams, rather than doing what PP describes, taking SL tests to score high, boosting one's points total. I've read that the change was made partly to make the IBD curriculum more competitive with AP at a time when the majority of AP language test takers are scoring 5s on the tests for harder languages. With so many AP language students scoring 5s--more than 80% who take Chinese--it's difficult for the most advanced students, particularly those who speak a language at home and/or began immersion studies young, to stand out. Language B HL exams helping colleges separate students who can really speak and understand languages after years of study from those who stumble along. In the last couple years, several MoCo high schools have begun offering classes to prepare IBD students for the HL Chinese exam. It would be good if DCI did the same eventually.

http://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseDetails/Index/1655

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IB_Group_1_subjects[/quote]

Interesting.  I still think it's in your best interest to get a 7 on a subsidiary level exam than a 4 on a HL one.  [/quote]

SL= Standard Level. Yea, maybe, but I see no reason that the strongest DCI Mandarin track students couldn't score higher than a 4 on the HL exam. They would probably just need to study in total immersion environments during a couple of high school summers to pull it off. With good advanced planning and fundraising, DCPC and DCI could make it work for the most motivated and capable kids, even if their parents couldn't afford immersion camps. An excellent summer option is the Monterey California Language Institute Chinese program - they take 16+ year olds in their 8-week advanced immersion courses, and there are of course various summer immersion options for high school upperclassmen in China itself. Although I bailed on YY, I'm not anti charter, or anti YY and would like to see good HL Chinese scores come out of DCI. If I were an upper grades YY or DCI parent aspiring to HL IBD Chinese, I'd ask the school to invite MoCo IBD Coordinators and HL Chinese instructors to come down and offer advice.  I bet they'd do it. Good luck to everybody at YY and DCI.  
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