World Language Programs and Courses - High School
Course Information
Overview
FCPS offers world language courses for language and cultural study. Secondary world language classes receive high school credit. Language offerings differ by school, and range from level 1 to level 5 Honors (HN), Advanced Placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB).
GPA NOTE: Upper level courses are weighted with additional quality points:
- Levels 4 Honors (HN) and 5HN: +0.5
- Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB): +1.0.
Course Catalogs
The course catalogs linked below provide an overview of each course offered throughout Fairfax County Public Schools. Some courses are optional course offerings and may not be offered at every school.
Languages in FCPS
These are the languages taught in FCPS. The year-end course benchmarks, or levels of language proficiency a student is expected to reach by the end of the course, differ based on the categorization of the language of study.
Modern Languages
- Arabic
- Chinese
- French
- German
- Japanese
- Korean
- Russian
- Spanish
- Vietnamese
Visual Languages
American Sign Language (ASL)
Classical Languages
Latin
Heritage Languages
- Korean for Heritage Speakers (KHS)
- Spanish for Heritage Speakers (SHS)
World Language by Category
The US Department of State Foreign Service Institute has developed a categorization system for languages. The system rates how difficult it is for English speakers to learn the language. These categories range from one to five. A category of one is the least difficult or takes the least amount of time to learn. A category of five is the most difficult or takes the most time to learn.
| Classification | FCPS Languages |
|---|---|
| Category 1 and 2 (Roman Script Languages)* |
|
| Category 3 and 4 (Non-Roman Script Languages)* |
|
Other Languages
| Classification | FCPS Languages |
|---|---|
| Heritage Languages |
|
| Visual Languages | American Sign Language (ASL) |
| Classical Languages | Latin |
Standards
The FCPS Secondary World Languages Standards are aligned with the Virginia World Languages Standards of Learning and the World Readiness Standards for Learning Languages from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
- Interpretive Communication: I can understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics.
- Interpersonal Communication: I can interact and negotiate meaning in spoken, signed, or written conversations to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions.
- Presentational Communication: I can present information on a variety of topics to various audiences of listeners or readers.
- Intercultural Communication: I can investigate products and practices to understand cultural perspectives so that they can interact with others in and from another culture.
- Literacy: I can use literacy skills to interpret, produce, and exchange information.
Program of Studies: Course Themes and Topics
Each course is based upon a Program of Studies that is aligned with the standards (above).
Students of all Modern Languages (Categories 1-4 and American Sign Language) study the same themes and topics by level.
| Level | Themes and Topics |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Identity:
Modern Society:
|
| Level 2 | Identity:
Modern Society:
Human Ingenuity in the Arts and Sciences:
|
| Level 3 | Identity:
Human Ingenuity in the Arts and Sciences:
|
Levels
| Identity:
Modern Society:
Human Ingenuity in the Arts and Sciences:
|
| Level | Themes and Topics |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Identity:
Society:
History:
|
| Level 2 | Identity:
Society:
History:
|
| Level 3 | Identity:
Society:
History:
|
| Upper Levels | Identity:
Society:
History:
|
| Level | Themes and Topics |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Identity:
Modern Society:
Human Ingenuity in the Arts and Sciences:
|
| Level 2 | Identity:
Modern Society:
Human Ingenuity in the Arts and Sciences:
|
| Level 3 | Identity:
Modern Society:
Human Ingenuity in the Arts and Sciences:
|
Assessments for Secondary World Languages
Students are assessed using the FCPS-developed Performance Assessments for Language Students (PALS).
- Modern and Visual Languages: These assessments measure student progress in the three modes of communication (represented in the FCPS Standards 1-3 above): Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational.
- Latin: These assessments measure student progress in the two modes of communication (represented in the FCPS Standards 1 & 2 above): Interpretive and Presentational.
- Heritage Languages: This assessment measures student progress in the Presentational mode of communication (Heritage Language Standards are in development).
For testing questions or additional information about how schools and teachers use test results to support student success, families can contact their children's schools.
Graduation Requirements
High school students and their families work together with the school counselor to create an Academic and Career Plan, to include successful course sequencing. The course catalogs are updated yearly to use as a reference when meeting with the student's counselor.
Requirements for graduation differ depending on the year the student entered high school for the first time.