Missouri Seal of Biliteracy Testing

  In February, many students at Liberty and Liberty North High Schools had the opportunity to take the Missouri Seal of Biliteracy Exam. Passing this exam means the students are recognized as proficient in English and one other world language.

  “We were tested over four areas of the language: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. We were then given a score of either Novice 1-4, Intermediate 1-4, or Advanced. To pass, we needed a score of Intermediate-3,” senior Hannah Havelka said.

  Currently, the Missouri Seal of Biliteracy is offered for Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, and Thai.

  “I took the test for French and passed. However, the test is only part of it. We also have to do a project and complete ten hours of community service with our language,” senior Ava Ward said.

  The French exam takers volunteered at the Liberty North Diversity Festival and at the Warren Hills Cultural Arts Day.

  “Our volunteer work was a lot of fun. We got to teach little kids at Warren Hills how to sing ‘head, shoulders, knees, and toes’ in French at the Cultural Arts Day, and we got to create multiple booths and present at the Diversity Festival. It was a great experience,” Havelka said.

  Along with the community service work, the students also had to complete one of two projects about their experience with their language.

  “We could either write a paper and make a video with photos from our service work, or we could make a multimedia presentation about our experiences and the importance of learning a second language,” Ward said.

  With all of this hard work also comes great reward. After passing, the Seal will appear on the students’ transcripts to certify attainment of biliteracy for the community, universities, and future employers.

  “It’s been a really challenging experience, but I think it will all be worth it in the end. It’s great to have something to show what I have learned over the past five years in French classes, and to have something that will benefit me in the future,” Ward said.

For more information on the Missouri Seal of Biliteracy, click here.