Proficiency refers to how well someone can use and be understood in the language they are trying to communicate. Students and parents often want to know, "how long does it take to reach proficiency in Spanish?" The quick and easy answer: everyone is already proficient in Spanish- just at different levels.
The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) has created a hierarchy of proficiency levels and what language learners should be able to do at each level in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Everyone begins as a novice, and through years of committed study and real-world use in the community and abroad, can work their way through intermediate and advanced levels of proficiency. It's important to note that attaining the uppermost two levels- superior and distinguished- is an accomplishment that many individuals aren't able to reach in their native language, let alone in a second language.
Studies have shown, based on an average number of hours in class during a school year, that most students will begin Spanish 2 at the Novice Mid level, and will finish the year at the Novice High level. Of course, we expect individual differences among students, and even among the different skills.
Below are very general statements about the Novice Mid and Novice High proficiency levels to help you understand what my basic expectations will be of student performance level. These descriptions will guide not only how I assess you in class, but also how I choose and create activities to help you grow. The descriptions are taken from the Can-Do Statements, which were written by the National Council of State Supervisors of Foreign Language (NCSSFL) and ACTFL to help students set goals for their language learning progress. The full document, containing descriptions for all language levels and some great student checklists, can be found by clicking here: 2015 NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements.
The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) has created a hierarchy of proficiency levels and what language learners should be able to do at each level in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Everyone begins as a novice, and through years of committed study and real-world use in the community and abroad, can work their way through intermediate and advanced levels of proficiency. It's important to note that attaining the uppermost two levels- superior and distinguished- is an accomplishment that many individuals aren't able to reach in their native language, let alone in a second language.
Studies have shown, based on an average number of hours in class during a school year, that most students will begin Spanish 2 at the Novice Mid level, and will finish the year at the Novice High level. Of course, we expect individual differences among students, and even among the different skills.
Below are very general statements about the Novice Mid and Novice High proficiency levels to help you understand what my basic expectations will be of student performance level. These descriptions will guide not only how I assess you in class, but also how I choose and create activities to help you grow. The descriptions are taken from the Can-Do Statements, which were written by the National Council of State Supervisors of Foreign Language (NCSSFL) and ACTFL to help students set goals for their language learning progress. The full document, containing descriptions for all language levels and some great student checklists, can be found by clicking here: 2015 NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements.
Interpersonal Communication: two-way (or more), written or spoken communication in which all individuals involved have the opportunity to share information and ask/answer questions
Novice Mid: I can communicate on very familiar topics using a variety of words and phrases that I have practiced and memorized.
Novice High: I can communicate and exchange information about familiar topics using phrases and simple sentences, sometimes supported by memorized language. I can usually handle short, social interactions in everyday situations by asking and answering simple questions.
Novice Mid: I can communicate on very familiar topics using a variety of words and phrases that I have practiced and memorized.
Novice High: I can communicate and exchange information about familiar topics using phrases and simple sentences, sometimes supported by memorized language. I can usually handle short, social interactions in everyday situations by asking and answering simple questions.
Presentational Speaking: one-way spoken communication in which the presenter shares information with an audience, who does not have the opportunity to add to the conversation or ask questions for clarification
Novice Mid: I can present information about myself and some other very familiar topics using a variety of words, phrases and memorized expressions.
Novice High: I can present basic information on familiar topics using using language I have practiced using phrases and simple sentences
Novice Mid: I can present information about myself and some other very familiar topics using a variety of words, phrases and memorized expressions.
Novice High: I can present basic information on familiar topics using using language I have practiced using phrases and simple sentences
Presentational Writing: one-way written communication in which the author shares information with an audience, who does not have the opportunity to respond or ask questions for clarification
Novice Mid: I can write lists and memorized phrases on familiar topics.
Novice High: I can write short messages and notes on familiar topics related to everyday life.
*Advanced Low: I can write briefly about most familiar topics and present information using a series of simple sentences.
*Advanced Mid: I can write on a wide variety of familiar topics using connected sentences.
*Because written proficiency develops at a much faster rate than the other modes due to the additional processing time that occurs while writing, students typically tend to perform several levels higher in this category than the others. In my experience, most students will enter Spanish 2 at a Novice High to Advanced Low level, and will finish the year at the Advanced Mid or even the Advanced High level.
Novice Mid: I can write lists and memorized phrases on familiar topics.
Novice High: I can write short messages and notes on familiar topics related to everyday life.
*Advanced Low: I can write briefly about most familiar topics and present information using a series of simple sentences.
*Advanced Mid: I can write on a wide variety of familiar topics using connected sentences.
*Because written proficiency develops at a much faster rate than the other modes due to the additional processing time that occurs while writing, students typically tend to perform several levels higher in this category than the others. In my experience, most students will enter Spanish 2 at a Novice High to Advanced Low level, and will finish the year at the Advanced Mid or even the Advanced High level.
Interpretive Listening: one-way auditory communication in which the listener does not have the opportunity to respond or ask questions for clarification.
Novice Mid: I can recognize some familiar words and phrases when I hear them spoken.
Novice High: I can often understand words, phrases and simple sentences related to everyday life. I can recognize pieces of information and sometimes understand the main topic of what is being said.
The proficiency guidelines assume the use of an authentic text, which is anything created by a native speaker for a native speaker, for these definitions. Anything that has been created or modified with the intent of being used for a language learner cannot be scored or evaluated using these descriptions.
Novice Mid: I can recognize some familiar words and phrases when I hear them spoken.
Novice High: I can often understand words, phrases and simple sentences related to everyday life. I can recognize pieces of information and sometimes understand the main topic of what is being said.
The proficiency guidelines assume the use of an authentic text, which is anything created by a native speaker for a native speaker, for these definitions. Anything that has been created or modified with the intent of being used for a language learner cannot be scored or evaluated using these descriptions.
Interpretive Reading: one-way written communication in which the reader does not have the opportunity to respond or ask questions for clarification.
Novice Mid: I can understand some learned or memorized phrases when I read.
Novice High: I can understand familiar words, phrases and sentences within short and simple texts related to everyday life. I can sometimes understand the main idea of what I have read.
The proficiency guidelines assume the use of an authentic text, which is anything created by a native speaker for a native speaker, for these definitions. Anything that has been created or modified with the intent of being used for a language learner cannot be scored or evaluated using these descriptions.
Novice Mid: I can understand some learned or memorized phrases when I read.
Novice High: I can understand familiar words, phrases and sentences within short and simple texts related to everyday life. I can sometimes understand the main idea of what I have read.
The proficiency guidelines assume the use of an authentic text, which is anything created by a native speaker for a native speaker, for these definitions. Anything that has been created or modified with the intent of being used for a language learner cannot be scored or evaluated using these descriptions.
How do I move from one proficiency level to the next?
It is my job as the teacher to provide you with opportunities to use Spanish in such a way that you can understand and communicate back, but that is not 100% comprehensible to you. If you only ever practice listening to, reading, speaking and writing using vocabulary and grammar that you are 100% accurate with, you will never grow. Just as a musician or singer begins with practicing simple and memorized scales, along to practicing and performing a piece of music that he/she has worked on for a while, to being able to site read and improvise with ease, so will your Spanish proficiency move along. However, none of this happens overnight, and mistakes are expected each time you are presented with a situation at a higher proficiency level. In the classroom, with the right materials, prompts, and support from me, you might find that you can read, write, speak and listen to Spanish at up to 3 proficiency levels higher than what you actually test at. This is when and were your growth will occur.
It is my job as the teacher to provide you with opportunities to use Spanish in such a way that you can understand and communicate back, but that is not 100% comprehensible to you. If you only ever practice listening to, reading, speaking and writing using vocabulary and grammar that you are 100% accurate with, you will never grow. Just as a musician or singer begins with practicing simple and memorized scales, along to practicing and performing a piece of music that he/she has worked on for a while, to being able to site read and improvise with ease, so will your Spanish proficiency move along. However, none of this happens overnight, and mistakes are expected each time you are presented with a situation at a higher proficiency level. In the classroom, with the right materials, prompts, and support from me, you might find that you can read, write, speak and listen to Spanish at up to 3 proficiency levels higher than what you actually test at. This is when and were your growth will occur.
The one thing I can't do for you:
I can't memorize your vocabulary for you, and I can't commit it to long-term memory for you, either. I absolutely can help you with study strategies if you're finding it difficult to learn and remember all of the words, but at the end of the day the discipline to commit those words to long-term memory (and not just for the vocab quiz) is up to you. Imagine if you began this school year in your English class not remembering any words that you had learned in any previous years since you were born. Some might look familiar, but you weren't sure what they meant; you were only confident about the words you had learned in the last 6 weeks or so. How much of the information on this website would you be able to understand? How much would you be able to communicate with your teacher, classmates, friends and family? The same principle applies to learning a language: it is cyclical, meaning that if you forget everything from Spanish 1, Spanish 2 will be difficult for you. A little bit of extra work in the beginning will pay off in the long run.
Why is vocabulary knowledge so much more important than grammar? Because it's the basis of understanding grammar. If I try to explain to you how something works in a sentence, and you aren't able to identify what word is the verb, what words are nouns, what words are adjectives etc, you will never feel comfortable with the pattern of how all of the words and different elements fit together. In lower levels especially, I can usually predict a student's overall success and grade in the course based on his/her vocabulary quiz scores.
I can't memorize your vocabulary for you, and I can't commit it to long-term memory for you, either. I absolutely can help you with study strategies if you're finding it difficult to learn and remember all of the words, but at the end of the day the discipline to commit those words to long-term memory (and not just for the vocab quiz) is up to you. Imagine if you began this school year in your English class not remembering any words that you had learned in any previous years since you were born. Some might look familiar, but you weren't sure what they meant; you were only confident about the words you had learned in the last 6 weeks or so. How much of the information on this website would you be able to understand? How much would you be able to communicate with your teacher, classmates, friends and family? The same principle applies to learning a language: it is cyclical, meaning that if you forget everything from Spanish 1, Spanish 2 will be difficult for you. A little bit of extra work in the beginning will pay off in the long run.
Why is vocabulary knowledge so much more important than grammar? Because it's the basis of understanding grammar. If I try to explain to you how something works in a sentence, and you aren't able to identify what word is the verb, what words are nouns, what words are adjectives etc, you will never feel comfortable with the pattern of how all of the words and different elements fit together. In lower levels especially, I can usually predict a student's overall success and grade in the course based on his/her vocabulary quiz scores.