N.C . State is setting a new standard for Spanish majors, requiring that all Spanish students take the new proficiency test in order to graduate. Mark Darhower , professor of Spanish Applied Linguistics, introduced the test to an overhauled Spanish language and literature curriculum.
“The new proficiency test makes both professors and students pay closer attention to oral proficiency development,” Darhower said.
What makes the new proficiency requirement and test so innovative is that it gives a common measurement of proficiency. The standard for the requirement comes from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, an organization designed to give a common measurement of proficiency. Not only is it designed to set a common standard, but also one that yields higher expectations.
“We try to gear our instructions by the third year in the program to focus on advanced and superior levels,” Darhower said. “That’s where students need to get to.”
According to Darhower , problems in the past have brought forth the need for such a program. It came from the concern that Spanish majors were graduating with the degrees without actually having learned to be proficient in the language.
“Part of the new proficiency requirement is to help students get to the advanced and superior level and not just assume that they are at these levels just because they are taking Spanish classes,” Darhower said. The new requirement is designed to make sure students graduate knowing Spanish with expertise and proficiency.
Darhower stated concern with the challenges to face with the new proficiency requirement. One of the biggest concerns for professors is the language/literature divide. This is the conflict in which professors who teach Spanish literature feel that they should not be accountable for the language and grammar aspect of the curriculum.
“A lot of departments are afraid of it still,” Darhower said. “It’s a huge endeavor. In addition to the literature/language divide there is also the opposition to the new requirement by those who do not agree with it.”
The ACTFL has incited protest in some people and Darhower acknowledged how the extra requirement has created some upset.
“Some people don’t believe that the ACTFL should be the authority in language proficiency,” Darhower said. “Why put an additional requirement when other majors don’t?”
There is also the concern that it will hold up the graduation of students who are not reaching the level. According to Darhower , they ultimately would not graduate on time. Also, there is the test cost of $55, and that depends on how many times the students will have to take the test.
Ilse Gonzalez, a sophomore in nutrition science, is a native Spanish speaker from Mexico and she worked with Darhower to take a trial test.
“My Spanish teacher, professor Garrigan , encouraged me to take the test since I’m a native speaker,” Gonzalez said. “I was a little nervous taking it at first, but I think it really does critically test language skills. I think it’s great that the department is requiring this because the skills that the test looks at are things you need in a conversation setting.”
For those Spanish majors struggling to meet the requirement or feel they could use the extra help, the University does offer FLS 399, a Spanish Oral Proficiency Workshop.
“It is a one-credit, five-week class designed to help students reach the intermediate high oral proficiency level,” Darhower said. “So they take it if they don’t reach the level to prepare for the test.”
The ACTFL not only sets guidelines that both professors and students can work towards, but it also provides training and certification for professors.
“The ACTFL came and gave a four day workshop to ten Spanish professors to become certified testers,” Darhower said. “Seven out of ten of those professors are now pursuing certification to become official ACTFL testers.”
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The measurement of proficiency can be defined by the following groups:
Novice- Memorize words and expressions
Intermediate- Puts together sentences, is able to describe things, can narrate in the present tense
Advanced- Oral paragraphs by stringing together coherent sentences, can narrate in all tenses, can tailor language to formal vs. informal
Superior- Can construct a coherent argument about abstract topics, academic topics, unfamiliar topics; can put forth theories and opinions and defend them.