Online Spanish High School (or college) level Placement Test?

[StephanieZ]

And ideas???

 

DD16 is wrapping up Galore Park's last (third) SYRWTL Spanish book this week, and ds13 will be doing likewise within the year.

 

I've googled till my eyes are falling out, and can't find a way to "place" them in either high school or college spanish.

 

I could have them take an actual spanish placement test at a college or online school, but that generally requires registration/commitment FIRST, and I'd much rather know what level we need before committing to a school.

 

So far as I can tell, Galore Park's series takes them "through GCSE level" which was/is apparently the "highschool" 16 year old level in Britiain. It would be the prereq level to begin college study over there, as they don't teach the basic levels in college (except as remedial work).

 

Our tutor (who teaches and subs in all levels of the local high school as well as upper levels of our local uni) says they are very well prepared, much better than most of her college kids. But, I haven't pressed her for a "placement" and I am not sure she has the materials to do it.

 

So, what do I do?

 

My GOAL is for each child to either pass the Spanish SAT AP test with 4+ (and also a good score on the Subject test) or take one or more spanish classes at the local uni (through or above 4th semester), thereby proving proficiency for colleges. I'd like them to achieve this by JR year if possible.

 

I am thinking dd16 could either . . .

 

+ spend the next 6 mos preparing for AP level work via SAT subject test guides/practice tests (to identify weak areas) and targeting practice books (Practice Makes Perfect, etc.)

+ spend JR year doing AP spanish (or college classes)

then be done with it

 

 

OR,

 

+ JR year do "4th year spanish"

+ SR year do AP (or college class)

 

Ds13 has even more time to play with, but I'd definitely like him to be "done" with language earlier, as he has lots of other interests. So, he could do a 3rd/4th/AP sequence if needed over 9th/10th/11th. (He is currently in 8th, and will finish GP before fall.)

 

SO, I NEED a good source of placement test(s) for typical american high school or college courses! What should I do?

[mom2bee]

This sites course description fit PERFECTLY with Spanish I, II and III as taught in the universities in my town. Also,the Spanish sequence of topics/grammar points tends to be like 85% identical for Highschool and college -- in my area. If you've taken Spanish 1-4 in highschool, you have covered the same basic grammar points as anyone else in CC and even the Universities-- in my area. I guess the main difference would be the pace at which you covered the materials.

 

Its not common that anyone gets through 3 semesters of Spanish with any real ability to speak, so if your kids can hold a conversation with decent grammar they are pretty much there as far as most schools are concerned :glare:.

[mom2bee]

Columbias Placement exam

University of Wisconsin exam

[SailorMom]

I've read (while researching for next year) that the 3 Galore Park levels should be a good prep for the Spanish SAT II. So - I would think they've basically completed what would be done in 3 years of high school Spanish.