Ardsley Schools Enhances Seal of Biliteracy Process for Students

The New York State Seal of Biliteracy highlights the importance of being bilingual in today’s global society. Students who earn this recognition on their high school transcript and diploma demonstrate a level of proficiency in English and one or more languages that is appealing to many employers and prospective colleges.

The program, introduced two years ago, includes offerings in Italian, Spanish, French, and home languages. Approved by the New York State Education Department, the initiative requires students to demonstrate intermediate high or advanced level proficiency in listening, reading, writing, and speaking. According to Jason Tamez, World Languages Curriculum Leader, the process begins in the fall of students' junior or senior year. Students accumulate points through their English Language Arts and World Language classes and can select when to demonstrate their proficiency. 

Ardsley Schools is refining its process for high school students to earn the Seal of Biliteracy.  To simplify the process, Tamez has implemented an application that allows students to plan their requirements and notify the school district. This advance notification enables teachers to support students in meeting the Seal's criteria as part of their regular coursework. Evaluation methods include class participation and reading and listening assessments. The aim is to integrate these requirements into standard activities in Spanish, French, Italian, and Latin courses. 

To earn the points necessary for the Seal, most students will need to produce a research paper or scholarly essay in both English and a World Language. Presentations to a panel are required for each in front of two individuals from the Ardsley community who are proficient in the language. Students demonstrate English proficiency by presenting a paper written for a class to two English teachers. Presentations must last 2-3 minutes, be delivered without a script or complete memorization, and include a question-and-answer session to evaluate the student's command of the language. 

Ardsley Schools also encourages students to earn the Seal for languages spoken at home, with recent recipients achieving recognition in Japanese and Korean. This initiative aims to celebrate language skills beyond the classroom and increase participation among students and languages. 

The Seal of Biliteracy can enhance college applications, providing an additional credential of language proficiency. Students who earn it by their junior year may include it on their college application transcripts, improving their competitiveness in the admissions process.