What if we start our own Bilingual "umbrella" School?

[Nan in Mass]

CECR - Common European Framework for Languages

 

That is the thing with levels A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2.

It is meant to test language ability in a non-native language, which might not be suitable for some of us, but might be very suitable for others of us GRIN.

It would be a way to have similar standards for different European languages.

I'm not sure if tests that give these results would be useful or not in a bilingual school, but it is something to investigate.

 

Here is a site that talks about the different French tests:

http://www.fiaf.org/frenchclasses/frenchexams.shtml

 

It sounds like the DELF diplomas are meant for exactly what you have in mind. The diplomas are good for life. The TEF or TCF certificates are good for one or two years. It looks like one takes the TEF or TCF to figure out which level DELF exam to take. The exams are much more expensive than the SAT2 or AP exams.

 

-Nan

Edited May 17, 2010 by Nan in Mass

[Chez J]

I'm just catching up. I am interested in all those test sites. And, now I have to go read about the APs on the college board forum.

 

Lesley

[Nan in Mass]

The more I think about it, the more I wonder how on earth I am going to give my son credit for doing some work in French on his transcript. Since it was mentioned earlier in the thread, I have been paying attention and realize that we, too, mix French and English for subjects. The history spine is in French. He answers the history questions in French. He writes history reports in both English and French (French ones being only about a paragraph long). He does supplimental reading (at a much higher level than his middle school spine) in English. How do I show that without its being misleading? Whether or not we do the bilingual umbrella, I have that problem.

-Nan

[Joan in GE]

I just found this fairly comprehensive site...All the things I didn't know about these certificates...makes the AP seem simple now:001_smile: (not trying to say it is the equivalent).

 

On the left bar under the typical European ones it says "More Certificates" and that has a huge variety including Chinese...

 

The European Language Certificates...

 

The more I think about it, the more I wonder how on earth I am going to give my son credit for doing some work in French on his transcript.

 

You know Nan, for some schools it wouldn't matter. For those that it might, you could just mark it with a star or something then note on the bottom that it was done in French (or whatever language)...You could make two transcripts...

 

On the site, maybe there could be a mention of methodology (whether or not you are part of it - no pressure here)...and there explain that some courses are taught in a foreign language and list which could be, explaining the method of increasing fluency.

 

Joan

[Nan in Mass]

I have been told that B2 is the level of graduation from a French high school. To do university overseas, they usually want at least B1, often B2.

[Joan in GE]

I have been told that B2 is the level of graduation from a French high school. To do university overseas, they usually want at least B1, often B2.

 

That's important to know...Where did you find this info? any idea of AP level?

 

 

About AP exams...after thinking about it for several days, I think that the AP will still be useful for awhile to come, as long as it doesn't suffer much grade inflation. At this point, with so many students still flunking it or not doing that well...it is more of an accurate picture that many "A's" in high school today where parents can intimidate teachers into providing all kinds of extra credit to raise grades, etc.

 

So I think it is a useful standard.

 

Also, with Ellie's post about "private schools"...it is probably better to be listed as a private school with unique travel and language learning possibilities rather than an umbrella school...But this is not meant to be a commercial adventure anyway...just saying for directional purposes....

 

Since ds is not doing AP biology and still hasn't done high school bio yet because he started with chem, we've decided to try the EAD biologie...the material covered looks something like what is on the IB bio exam and it will be in French to work on his vocab (with an English text on the side to increase understanding of difficult concepts and provide diversity of opinion)....

 

Joan

[Nan in Mass]

The person who told me so was the head teacher and curriculum advisor of the Alliance Française in Boston.

 

Cool about the bio. I thought about doing science instead of history in French, but my son wouldn't do bio, he'd do chem or physics, and since he is headed for engineering, I was worried about the vocab. Many of the science words are similar in English and French, but I was afraid he would have trouble dealing with the higher level French, since he would have to do at least 2e level. At least in history there is more general vocabulary, more unsimilar vocabulary, and it won't matter if he is learning it at a lower level since he is unlikely to go into history and even at a lower level, he will still have more than many US high schoolers.

 

I am so unfamiliar with the exact implications of umbrella vs private that I have nothing to add to that. Some good questions for Ellie:

 

What is the difference between an umbrella school and a private school?

What are the advantages and disadvantages to being one or the other?

Do you have to be living in CA to start a private school there?

Do you have to be living in CA to go to a CA private school?

 

-Nan