Upcoming 2007-8 Foreign Language (FL) Competency exam dates:

Register by filling out the FL Competency Test registration form and sending it attached to an email to the competency coordinator (flcompetency@meredith.edu).Register by Monday, February 11 for Round 5 or by Tuesday, April 1 for Round 6.

• What does Foreign Language Competency mean at Meredith College?
• Methods for demonstrating competency Once you demonstrate competency by an approved method, you are not required to take more FL courses.
• How do I qualify to take a Foreign Language competency test?
• What is the format of the exam?
• Improve your performance on the FL competency test - Alternatives to taking more FL courses
• To self-nominate Students may self-nominate to take the test. Even students who have previously taken a FL competency test unsuccessfully can self-nominate to retake it in a later round.
• 12 credit hour option

Contact flcompetency@meredith.edu

What does Foreign Language Competency mean at Meredith? Meredith College believes that a well-educated woman should be a competent communicator in at least one foreign language. This is consistent with our mission to educate women to excel in the 21st century global society.

The faculty of Meredith defines "competent" as the attainment of proficiency at the Intermediate-Mid Level (ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, 1986/1999). Meredith students competent at this level should be able to read and write proficiently and with correct grammar. They should be able speak correctly and to carry on a conversation with a "friendly native speaker." Lastly, they should have basic cultural knowledge. ACTFL The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages sets the standards for foreign language proficiency. You can read more about proficiency levels at http://www.ACTFL.org.

Meredith faculty in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures have devised an exam that measures proficiency at this level. Students may register for this exam in a variety of ways. If you have further questions, including questions on how to prepare for the competencytest, please contact flcompetency@meredith.edu.

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Methods for demonstrating competency

Students whose first language is English may demonstrate intermediate-mid level competency in a foreign language through any of the ways listed below:

THROUGH ON-CAMPUS TESTING OR COURSE WORK:
1. Pass a Meredith College foreign language competency test
2. complete two 3-credit, 300-level courses in a single foreign language with a grade of C or better
3. Complete FRE304, FRE308 or FRE309 with a grade of C or better
4. Complete SPA303, SPA304 or SPA308 with a grade of C or better

THROUGH OFF-CAMPUS TESTING OR COURSE WORK:
5. Complete at least two (2) 3-credit courses at intermediate or advanced level during a semester-long program of approved study abroad in a country where the target language is an official language
6. Present a score of 5 or better on the International Baccalaureate (IB) higher-level exam in FRE, GER, or SPA
7. Present a score of 4 or better on the Advanced Placement (AP) exam in FRE, GER, or SPA Language, 4 or better in Latin/Lit. or Latin/Vergil
8. Present a score of 600 or better on an SAT II Latin test

How do I qualify to take a Foreign Language competency test?
All students in language courses at the 200 level or above may self-determine readiness and register by send an email to the competency coordinator (flcompetency@meredith.edu) with your name, your SS or student ID number, your foreign language teacher’s name, your course number (e.g. SPA205), and your academic advisor’s name. You can also be invited to take the exam by the FLL department. Places are reserved on a first come, first-served basis. The competency coordinator must receive your message at least one (1) full week before the time of the test.

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What is the format of the exam?
The FLL faculty have streamlined the test since its inception in 2003-4. The testing time for most students should now be a bit more than one hour. Students can expect to demonstrate competency through speaking, listening, writing, and reading. Cultural knowledge will be embedded in each of the four components.

Students who have previously taken a FL competency test unsuccessfully may self-nominate to retake the test on any later round.

To self-nominate:
To self-nominate, students should send a message to flcompetency@meredith.edu, giving name, SS or student ID number, Meredith email address, and academic advisor's name. Students retaking the competency test will be accommodated on a space-available basis. Requests for re-takes must be received at least one (1) full week before the time of the test.

Simply retaking the competency test does not guarantee success. Students who do not pass the competency test on their first try should continue active study of the language as preparation for any retake. In their message to the competency coordinator, students may request advice on how to prepare effectively.

Please address questions to flcompetency@meredith.edu. Thank you.

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12 credit hour option: Our goal for students is that they attain usable skills and knowledge in a second language—in other words, competency. Therefore, our expectation is that students who do not complete competency by passing the competency test, will at least APPROACH competency by completing 12 credit hours in foreign language. Nine (9) of those hours must be in the same language. However, due to an omission of this stipulation in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 catalogues, we will allow an exception to this policy for students who entered during these years. We will continue to advise these students to take most of their hours in one language. The catalogue omission has been corrected in the 2005-2006 and following catalogues.