Proficiency

What is language proficiency?

Proficiency is the ability to use language in real world situations in a spontaneous interaction and non-rehearsed context and in a manner acceptable and appropriate to native speakers of the language. Proficiency demonstrates what a language user is able to do regardless of where, when or how the language was acquired. The demonstration is independent of how the language was learned; the context may or may not be familiar; the evaluation of proficiency is not limited to the content of a particular curriculum that has been taught or learned.

Most students taking language courses at Piedmont will be able to demonstrate a consistent proficiency level in the novice to intermediate range. Native speakers will possibly perform into the advanced range. The state requires that students in exploring languages perform a minimum of novice low (word level) and that students in Level 1 of High School Language perform at a minimum or novice-mid (sentence level). To help our students reach that goal of proficiency, our daily learning targets are set 1 to 2 proficiency levels higher than the basic state requirements.

A link to the proficiency descriptors for Novice is here and a the proficiency descriptors for intermediate can be seen here. By the end of the 8th grade, most students should demonstrate a proficiency level of Novice high or Intermediate low; however, students may demonstrate higher levels of proficiency depending on their language background and the effort put into participating in language learning activities both inside and outside of the classroom.