When I (Sr. Wilkins) began learning Spanish in high school, assessments primarily focused on rote memorization and direct or word-for-word translation. You may remember verb conjugation charts, fill-in-the-blank exercises, or sentence translation worksheets. While these activities can reinforce language concepts, they don’t tell us how well students can actually use the language in meaningful ways.
Before we began using proficiency ratings, it was hard to compare language abilities across classrooms, schools, and districts. More importantly, students rarely practiced real-life language skills they would need outside the classroom. To address this, South Carolina adopted a proficiency-based system to better align language learning with the communicative and intercultural needs of our communities, colleges, and workplaces.
The South Carolina Department of Education created a framework of targets and expectations for students. These descriptors outline how students should use the language at various levels of proficiency. You can view these descriptors in the 2019 SC World Language Standards here:
South Carolina World Language Standards (2019)
(Note: If the link changes, search for "South Carolina World Language Standard" for an updated link.)
Below is an example of a Novice High indicator for Interpretive Reading (understanding information from a text):
- I can understand familiar words, phrases, and sentences within short and simple texts related to everyday life.
Real-life applications of this include:
- Identifying information from a movie description or poster.
- Understanding simple information in a text message from a friend.
Transitioning from a rote-memorization system to a proficiency-based system was challenging for me at first, but now I am convinced of its immense value. It focuses on what students can do with the language, which prepares them for real-world communication.
For a more detailed breakdown of proficiency descriptors, refer to the ACTFL Guidelines, which serve as the foundation for the SC framework:
ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines (2012)
Students can compare their Spanish skills to examples of English proficiency levels:
- Novice High English Speaker Example
- Intermediate English Speaker Example
Performance goals are all about progress, not perfection.