Language Waiver Policy- Feedback Requested.
I have been working with the Head of our Language Department on a policy for language waivers for those students who have a history of failed second language classes or who have testing which recommends a language waiver. If any of you have dealt with this please let me know there are four areas we were wondering how your school dealt with the issue of waiver:
1. What circumstances are foreign language waivers are granted.
2. What documentation is required
3. In place of language does your school offer an alternative course?
4. Have there been any problems in the college process for those students with waivers in terms of acceptance.
Thanks,
Mark Frigo, Avon Old Farms
posted by Kara Ashley at 12:03 PM
3 Comments:
1. What circumstances are foreign language waivers are granted.
A language waiver is pretty rare at NMH but will be granted if
documentation (current within three years) provides ample evidence of need
(language LD like dyslexia, for example) as well as a recommendation for
the waiver. We also requite that families write a letter that states they
understand a foreign language waiver may affect college admission.
2. What documentation is required
Complete educational testing that includes both cognitive and achievement
batteries ... for example, WISC/WAIS or WJ-III for the cognitive battery
and WJ-III or the WRAT for the achievement battery. Although testing may
provide evidence that a waiver is warranted, we will still encourage a
student to attempt an additional year. We know that colleges are looking
for at least three years of a language but for a student who struggles
(and who has testing), two is acceptable. College counselors can justify
the waiver (and the limited foreign language exposure)in their
recommendation by using information from the evaluation. I don't think
we've ever admitted a student with a language waiver and exempted them
(from foreign language) immediately without at least attempting.
3. In place of language does your school offer an alternative course?
We don't offer an alternative standard culture class (the way many
colleges do) but a language waiver provides room in a schedule for
additional courses in other departments (art, history, English , social
sciences, science, etc).
4. Have there been any problems in the college process for those students
with waivers in terms of acceptance
Not that I know of although some students may self-select themselves out
of the running for admission to certain schools that might discriminate.
At Fenn, we have only about 1-2 students per grade from grades 7-9 who have language waivers. It used to be a larger number, but our teachers have been very good about accommodating students in Spanish classes and students have been enthusiastic and have done well in these mostly oral classes. The lower level classes can usually accommodate students with language learning disorders.
For students who do take waivers, we have required a neuropsych report indicating language learning disorders which would make foreign language very difficult (usually significant dyslexia and short term/working memory problems). Also, a few have auditory processing disorders which make listening to and speaking the language very difficult.
In addition, we look at how much the student is struggling in the foreign language class. Many of the students whose test reports predict struggles actually do quite well.
Lastly, we look at how much time the student is spending on the language class and how badly he needs that time to devote to his English class and to remedial reading/writing tutorials. If he is truly overwhelmed, we will waive him and use his class time for tutorials, leaving his study halls available to get extra help from teachers.
We do not have electives that we can plug into the foreign language time slots. so, the student will have 4 instead of 5 classes and that can make a difference as to how a secondary school perceives the student. Parents who are concerned about this often do not want a waiver.
Because of course sequencing and scheduling, once a student has withdrawn from foreign language, they can not switch languages or get back into a language class while at Fenn so the decision is often a difficult one to make.
At Fay, we have quite a few students here who are not taking foreign language. We do have a formal reading class as an alternative so nobody is in the position of having fewer courses on their schedule.
The reading class is called "Literature and Research" and it is an option for students with a documented language based disability as well as those who need more time to practice reading as a discrete skill. L&R is taken in addition to the 'regular' English class for a particular grade. For example, an 8th grader can be in 8th grade English , L&R, algebra, science, etc. The class is based mostly on building vocabulary and reading skills and the books chosen for the reading class tend to stick to a theme in keeping with what students are learning in the English or history classes. For example, this winter, 8th graders read "To Kill a Mockingbird" in English and "Black Boy" in L&R at the same time.
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