Students will expand and enhance the communicative skills in ASL. They will ask and respond to questions for clarification and be able to further express opinions and preferences regarding their everyday experiences and environment. Students will expand their vocabulary and conversational ability by studying more abstract topics and literary works. A deeper understanding of the Deaf community will also be a goal of this level, through the discussion of the community’s norms and values. Students will gain an understanding of concepts that are unique to the Deaf community and their implications for language learning. They will be encouraged to interact with others using their ASL skills beyond the classroom level.
Prerequisites
American Sign Language I, or equivalent proficiency in the language as determined by a placement test.
Students in Arlington Public Schools in grades 7-12 may receive high school world language credit for native language study and for the study of world languages. It is highly recommended that a grade of C or better in the course be earned to continue to the next level. The courses are sequential and a C or better will help set students up for success.
To receive world language credit, the following requirements must be met:
- A transcript verifying a minimum of 140 hours of formal language study for each credit must be submitted.
- The student must have earned a passing grade of "D" or higher.
Students seeking the Advanced Studies diploma will meet the world language requirements by completing three years/levels of study in one language or two years of study in each of two languages. Successful completion of each world language course results in one credit toward the Advanced Studies Diploma. Students have an opportunity to test for and earn eligibility for the Seal of Biliteracy embedded in their upper-level coursework. Many colleges require the study of world languages to continue in high school. If your student has successfully completed three years of study upon completion of their freshman year, be sure to look at the college admissions criteria for the student’s college(s) of choice.
American Sign Language (ASL) fulfills world language requirements at Virginia public universities and community colleges. However, some institutions outside Virginia don't accept ASL as a world language credit, and it's not recognized in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.