klmama Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 If you covered an entire first year foreign language textbook in one semester, then did the second one in the next semester, would you give one or two credits at the end of the year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 :bigear: :lurk5: What kind of textbook was it? Was it one that they use in schools?? I would like to know the answer to this myself. The only thing I know about credits is that if you use a college text you can put it down as an AP course. I think you have to put in 180 hours of course work though in order for the class to count as a full credit. If you put double that time in, I'm sure it would count for 2 credits, but I'm not really sure. Hopefully some others will chime in here soon. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 :bigear: :lurk5: What kind of textbook was it? Was it one that they use in schools?? I would like to know the answer to this myself. The only thing I know about credits is that if you use a college text you can put it down as an AP course. I think you have to put in 180 hours of course work though in order for the class to count as a full credit. If you put double that time in, I'm sure it would count for 2 credits, but I'm not really sure. Hopefully some others will chime in here soon. :) I have always heard that an AP course has to be approved by the College Board. Is it possible that a college course is automatically an honors course? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Yes, this is a text series from a major publisher that is commonly used in public high schools. AP courses have to be approved by the College Board. You could call it honors, I suppose, if you used a college text, but since we are homeschoolers that may not mean much to the admissions folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I have always heard that an AP course has to be approved by the College Board. Is it possible that a college course is automatically an honors course? Yes, this is a text series from a major publisher that is commonly used in public high schools. AP courses have to be approved by the College Board. You could call it honors, I suppose, if you used a college text, but since we are homeschoolers that may not mean much to the admissions folks. Oh I didn't know that. I don't know if it is different in other states, but I was told that here I only needed to use a college course textbook to put it down as AP. :confused::confused: I'm only using one college text at the moment though so it's not like I have a lot vested in it right now, but I need to find that answer out for sure. Thank you for making me aware. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Oh I didn't know that. I don't know if it is different in other states, but I was told that here I only needed to use a college course textbook to put it down as AP. :confused::confused: I'm only using one college text at the moment though so it's not like I have a lot vested in it right now, but I need to find that answer out for sure. Thank you for making me aware. :) No, it does not vary by state. AP is a designation owned by CollegeBoard and the only way to use the title is if they approve the syllabus of the course. There are also plenty of college level courses that you can do at home that do not have a corresponding AP test. (my ds has taken 2 astronomy courses using college textbooks.) The AP title only even matters in terms of covering the same material that is on the AP exams. http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html Your student can take courses that cover the same material as the AP and you still can't call it an AP course w/o approval. My ds is taking calculus right now and will be taking the AP BC exam in May. On his transcript I have the course listed as Calculus with AP cal BC exam. He is taking AP chem through PA Area Homeschoolers. Since it is an approved AP course, it is simply listed as AP Chemistry on his transcript. Does that help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 If you covered an entire first year foreign language textbook in one semester, then did the second one in the next semester, would you give one or two credits at the end of the year? I personally believe that there is more than one way to earn a complete credit. Among other possibilities, I would consider a high school credit complete if: -My student completed the text and work to my satisfaction--no matter what amount of time spent. -My student put in the appropriate amount of hours, regardless if the book was completed. -Mastery, regardless of text completed/time spent. I do not believe you have to be consistent throughout your child's high school career, but I want to be able to defend my decisions, should the need ever arise (college apps, etc.). I do not believe a homeschooler has to complete 180 hours of work for a credit. This is an individual determination for your homeschool. I base my decision on the fact that public (and private) school students do not spend a full 60 minutes per class, 180 days of the year. If my child completed a year long high school text, to my satisfaction, I would count it as a full credit course. In your situation, I would give two credits. (On the flip side of that, if we're talking about math at my house, if my dd diligently puts in the appropriate amount of time each day, I will call it a credit after a year.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ester Maria Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Strictly speaking, it is content coverage that defines a credit, because a course is defined by the content. You can fool around all year with an elementary school curriculum and put in duly the number of hours required, but if it does not meet the requirements of a typical high school course, you should not award a credit; likewise, you can technically speed through a high school / college textbook in less time, but if it is an equivalent of a high school course content-wise, you can award it a credit. So, if your student has indeed completed the typical content for Language-1 and Language-2, I do not see a problem with giving it a double credit. First two years of a language course are technically grammar completion, with the third year being a transition from grammar (with some possible "leftovers") to literature and civilization, and a fourth year being literature (I go by the more "hardcore" criteria, but this is indeed a way many good schools flesh it out). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Two full year high school language books completed would equal two credits. Just list one per semester. If anyone questions it, tell them it was done using block scheduling. It is how the high schools here operate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in MN Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 (On the flip side of that, if we're talking about math at my house, if my dd diligently puts in the appropriate amount of time each day, I will call it a credit after a year.) The problem with commonly recognized courses like Math is that, for instance, the title "Algebra I" means a certain thing to almost everyone. And even though it's technically an "elective," Foreign Language falls into this category, too. So I think if you are going to give high school credit for math or foreign language based on it being done every day, you do have to spend some time thinking about what to "call" it. I would have a hard time saying my student had done "Algebra I" or "French I" if he hadn't mastered the whole body of work that most folks call by that name. And math in particular is going to be reflected on the ACT/SAT, so the integrity of our transcripts will be called into question early on if they don't match the outside scoring. If anyone questions it, tell them it was done using block scheduling. It is how the high schools here operate. Good idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Two full year high school language books completed would equal two credits. Just list one per semester. If anyone questions it, tell them it was done using block scheduling. It is how the high schools here operate. Yes, we are using the block schedule lesson plans. It just doesn't take us as long as it would with a full class of students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 No, it does not vary by state. AP is a designation owned by CollegeBoard and the only way to use the title is if they approve the syllabus of the course. There are also plenty of college level courses that you can do at home that do not have a corresponding AP test. (my ds has taken 2 astronomy courses using college textbooks.) The AP title only even matters in terms of covering the same material that is on the AP exams. http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html Your student can take courses that cover the same material as the AP and you still can't call it an AP course w/o approval. My ds is taking calculus right now and will be taking the AP BC exam in May. On his transcript I have the course listed as Calculus with AP cal BC exam. He is taking AP chem through PA Area Homeschoolers. Since it is an approved AP course, it is simply listed as AP Chemistry on his transcript. Does that help? It does! :) Thank you so much. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krista in LA Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Two full year high school language books completed would equal two credits. Just list one per semester. If anyone questions it, tell them it was done using block scheduling. It is how the high schools here operate. :iagree: You did complete 2 credits of it, regardless of the time it took to complete it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnitaMcC Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 If you covered an entire first year foreign language textbook in one semester, then did the second one in the next semester, would you give one or two credits at the end of the year? If each text is typically completed as one text a year in public schools... then I would count it as 2 high school credits. If it is one college text that is done in a high school year... then I would count it as 2 high school credits. From my experience in university a college foreign language course usually covers a text in two semesters and is 6-8 college credits in college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.