At Scituate High School, the importance of language is seen through the required three years of foreign language instruction, which entails cultural immersion, real-world speaking scenarios, and, in recent years, student exchange programs. Different languages offer Advanced Placement courses if students are interested in practicing past their junior year and if enough people participate. This year, the AP French course was offered online, as only three students expressed an interest in this higher-level coursework. SHS French teacher Jake Kovach noted that in-person classes with five students, however, were “too small of a group this year.”
So, how does an online AP class work? At the beginning of the school year, the three advanced French students were given an Anchor Block as a designated time to work and a login to the VHS learning website, where online resources are available. Each week of instruction includes approximately five more significant assignments that consist of VideoNotes (similar to a FlipGrid), email or journal compositions, quizzes, and small check-ins accompanying the e-book’s required readings. Rubrics are provided to students, and work is graded by a virtual teacher who relays feedback and ways to improve.
Senior Melissa Grazioso is one of the few students who chose to sign up for AP French. Saying she had “nothing but good experiences with French in the past,” Grazioso mentioned French has consistently been one of her favorite classes at the high school. For Grazioso, the advantages of striving to achieve a higher level of proficiency outweighed the disadvantages of being online this year.
Nevertheless, for other SHS students, the lack of in-person interactions discouraged them from continuing their foreign language studies online. Junior Hue McCanne has taken French for six years and is taking French 4 Honors. McCanne was offered the AP level course but decided against it, stating, “I would miss out on the crucial audio and verbal part of French.” McCanne also noted that “a lot of the fun of practicing the language is lost,” emphasizing the drawbacks of not having an immersive classroom experience.
When asked about the differences between online and in-person language classes, Kovach responded, “During the pandemic, I learned quickly how unreliable the online format is for evaluating a student’s genuine ability.” Online language classes usually prioritize the writing and reading component of the course over the speaking portion. Kovach commented that this system only works if the student “takes it seriously and does the work appropriately.” However, the system allows students to use online translators, which undermines the accuracy of the student’s actual ability to apply their language skills.
Language classes are typically most effective when students can practice speaking and listening with others in a classroom setting; unfortunately, the virtual aspect removes this dynamic completely. Instead of having face-to-face interactions with teachers and peers—a crucial part of a language class—students must learn to improve their speaking and listening proficiency in the curriculum independently with little guidance from their online teacher. Grazioso expressed the challenges of overcoming the communication barrier: the teachers provide “minimal feedback.” With questions about assignments, she added, “It can take up to a day for a response,” contributing to the frustration as students adapt to the new course format.
As the year progresses, adapting to this new form of a language class may take time, and participants have developed strong opinions over the first few weeks of classes. The weekly work and virtual teachers make the class manageable, and students are still learning the language. Students may miss the in-class dynamic, but the feedback and tips to improve give them a new opportunity to enhance their French skills. The high-level class allows them to excel at the subject of French. The AP online French program may have had a few flaws initially, but as more students develop experience, the course is becoming more accessible.