Dear Board of Trustees:I am perhaps tardy in writing this letter regarding the recent announcement of the cancellation of the Latin Literature exam. I have taken my time to participate in discussions with colleagues, both online and in person at the recent annual meeting of the Classical Association of the Middle West and South (CAMWS), and to ponder my own thoughts and experiences from teaching.
It would have been too easy to simply react and reply immediately. I am more interested, as are my colleagues, in having a serious discussion to weigh both our needs as the classics professionals and your needs as one of the leading organizations in a rigorous pre-college experience.
Need for a Moratorium
First and foremost I think it is imperative that a moratorium be put in place, for a least two years, so that secondary schools and colleges have the time needed to consider books and materials, future changes, issues with credit, etc. As I know you have heard, simply dropping the Latin Literature test will not mean that students will gravitate to the Vergil test. In all likelihood, there will also be a fall off in the Vergil test because many if not most programs cannot “make” an AP class without combining Latin 4 and 5 and alternating tests each year.
The effect of removing one test has the potential to be catastrophic for Latin in this country. If classes cannot be combined because one cannot alternate topics, there may be no way to offer AP. Students wanting AP credits on their transcripts will simply leave Latin after three years (having received a “distinguished” diploma, at least in Texas), and take an AP test that does not have 3 years of required work just to sign up. Or worse, they will simply abandon Latin as a choice altogether and choose Spanish because of the potential for two AP exams.
AP, Rigor, and College Admissions
In your annual report you say, “Because of the expertise of the college professors and AP teachers who create AP courses and exams, the quality, reliability, and rigor of AP are at an all-time high, generating ‘healthy pressure’ on schools to continuously improve and update their curricula.” I agree with this statement, but am concerned that perhaps you underestimate the value of the rigor offered by some of your smallest tests—Latin, French, Italian, and the other languages. These small tests are the ones that are being eliminated and yet offer an extraordinary opportunity for students to demonstrate dedication, perseverance, and rigor in a subject that they have not spent merely one year studying, but had to begin studying several years previously.
In 2002, the Texas Classical Association, with support from the American Classical League, conducted a survey of college admissions counselors. I would like for you to consider some of their remarks regarding foreign language education in general and Latin specifically. First, consider a couple of replies to the question of whether students should study more than two years of a foreign language:
- “[. . .] the student studying for four years has a genuine interest in knowledge and education, not just in fulfilling minimum foreign language requirements.” Matthew Potts, Admissions Counselor, University of Notre Dame
- “The more years in one language the better it shows commitment and desire for proficiency.” Dennis O’Driscoll, Director of Admissions, Creighton University
Second, consider replies to the question of what impression they have of a student when they see Latin on a transcript:
- “This year, I was particularly impressed by a student with average test scores and grades who had taken Latin throughout middle and high school. We ended up offering the student admission, and I think it is fair to say that it was his commitment to Latin that tipped the scales.” Andrea Thomas, Assistant Dean of Admission, Hamilton College
- “This student is likely to be disciplined, have a strong basis for further learning, be a little more creative toward intellectual pursuits than most.” Michael C. Behnke, Vice President for Enrollment, University of Chicago
- “Classical languages on a transcript indicate seriousness of purpose and true devotion to a rigorous program of study.” Fred Zuker, Vice President and Dean of Student Services, University of Dallas
But Latin has relatively small numbers, no question (although strong growth, which seems to be obscured by the way the data is presented in the report). Yet here is my question to you: how can you compare it with your leading exams, the ones that don’t require the same years of dedication of study? Here are the leading exams from your report:
1. AP U.S. History
2. AP English Literature and Composition
3. AP English Language and Composition
4. AP Calculus AB
5. AP U.S. Government and Politics
6. AP Biology
7. AP Psychology
8. AP Statistics
9. AP Spanish Language
10. AP Chemistry
With the exception of Spanish, which most assuredly has high numbers because of the high number of native speakers and opportunities for immersion outside of the classroom, none of these compares to taking a test like Latin Literature with years of study and rigor. If AP Latin tests are not able to be offered because classes can’t make, students will turn to the above exams simply to have another AP class on the transcript, and not because they demonstrate a true devotion to the field of study.
Closing the Achievement Gap
There is no question that the Latin exam does not serve a large enough percentage of traditionally underserved students. It is not, however, a topic that goes unaddressed among classicists. As we all know, the causes are complex, multifaceted and difficult to address. However, we Latinists are not alone; Black/African American enrollment across all of the foreign languages is low:
- French Language: 5.7%
- French Literature: 6.0%
- German Language: 2%
- Italian Language & Culture: 1.4%
- Japanese Language & Culture: 1.8%
- Latin Literature & Vergil (why aren’t these listed separately?): 2.7%
- Spanish Language: 2.3%
- Spanish Literature: .9%
Outside of French, the traditional language (I believe) at historically Black colleges and universities, all of the languages have low numbers, though it is worth noting that Latin has the highest percentage of these low numbers. But we could all do better.
(I might add here, that I would think one argument to keep the French Literature exam would be that this is the only foreign language that Blacks/African Americans have relatively significant enrollment. This should be encouraged to continue, not discontinued for the sake of the “neatness” of having pinnacle exams. The concept of pinnacle exams sounds neat and probably looks good on paper as a marketing strategy, but once again ignores the realities and the needs of true education. We are not surprised by these marketing strategies from our politicians, but we expect and need more organizations directly involved in education.)
These numbers are low, but so is Black/African American participation in general in the AP exams, with the highest percentages being in Human Geography (9.7%), World History (7.8%), U.S. History (6.4%), English Language and Composition (7.1%), English Literature and Composition (7.4%), and Environmental Science (5.7%)—and please note that the French Literature exam does have a higher percentage than Environmental Science. All of these percentages are more than double of those of foreign languages (except, of course, the French). Perhaps the next question should be why is this so?
One of the problems is that to take an AP exam in a foreign language, you generally have to take 3-4 years of a foreign language, thus you need to begin your study of the foreign language early. However, students who are traditionally underserved are also students that—usually beginning in middle school or late elementary—struggle with other standardized tests, especially those mandated by No Child Left Behind. Typically such strugglers, whether they are failing or merely borderline, are put in extra math and English classes. Electives are limited for these students, if offered at all. And yet these are the very students that need to begin their foreign language study in middle school to have that extra time to build a firm foundation in the language!
I applaud your initiatives via your SpringBoard program, targeting math and English in middle school for early enrichment and engagement. I think, however, that we could effect greater change by also incorporating foreign languages in this program, and working toward getting more highly trained language teachers who are geared toward AP in those classrooms and who are also trained to teach middle school students. Furthermore, I think that these strugglers, these students that are traditionally underserved, need to be in these classes getting early exposure to foreign languages in order to become better overall students in school.
Early foreign language study, particularly Latin, is known to enrich a student’s English vocabulary and sharpen a student’s understanding of grammar. Latin is also ideal for students with certain reading disabilities because of the consistent phonetic nature of the language. Languages taught in middle school begin at a slower pace, mainly splitting between the 7th and 8th grade year what is taught in one year at the high school. The slower pace would allow these students time to develop a firm foundation in the language, one that can be built upon and can lead to AP classes.
In the annual report you state, “If we are to succeed in democratizing what really counts—successful college degree completion—the gulf between high school graduation standards and freshman college course requirements must be eliminated.” But there’s more to successful college degree completion than eliminating this gulf. We must also develop perseverance—a quality that is nurtured in foreign language classes in order for students to achieve a true level of proficiency in the language. Rigor, yes, rigor is important, but without perseverance most students will not finish several years of study, whether it is at the university level or high school. Perhaps this is why the drop-out rate in this country is climbing.
Opening the door to increasing early access to foreign languages in middle school can provide the type of meaningful, long-term exposure to a subject that builds perseverance. We see this in band students, who pick up an instrument in middle school because it might be fun, but who stay year after year, steadily increasing skills and developing talent. And we know that many skills involved in success—discipline, perseverance, dedication—are transferrable skills. We see this in our language students who do get the opportunity to begin their study early at an age when there is still so much wonder and enjoyment with language!
So my question is, instead of eliminating the Latin Literature exam, why don’t we instead not only keep it in order to preserve the integrity of established Latin programs nationwide, but also develop more initiatives tied to College Board that strengthen and enrich foreign language study at an earlier age to see if we can make some significant headway in closing the achievement gap? I hypothesize that if we could increase the number of students—especially traditionally underserved students—participating in foreign language AP exams, that we would see the numbers rise across the board in all exams.
A Worthy Investment
I understand that your smaller exams, like the foreign language exams, are subsidized by the larger exams. I would like to suggest that this is not a detriment or even a difficulty to be managed, but simply the investment that needs to be made in order to close the achievement gap. Traditionally underserved students cannot hope to “connect to college success” without such an investment. There can be no themes of “equity and excellence” unless we do find meaningful, long-lasting ways of closing the achievement gap.
At the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) website, you can find numerous studies that maintain that second language learning supports academic achievement. This includes information about improved scores on standardized tests, improved reading skills, correlations between language learning and students’ ability to hypothesize in science, as well as correlations between high school foreign language study and higher academic performance at the college level.
Is this not what you are truly after? The section of the report titled “Theme 2: The Work Ahead—Closing Equity and Excellence Gaps” speaks to these issues. The report mentions various initiatives, some which I may be looking into myself this summer (like the Advanced Placement Incentive Program). But we already know something that can close the achievement gap: foreign language study. (And if you ask a Latin teacher, they will tell you that Latin is the language that does this best!)
Creating an Advisory Group
I understand that you are forming an advisory group. I would like to encourage you to include not only college professors but also master teachers from both high school and middle school. Decisions made about AP Latin exams effect our whole profession, and the whole profession needs to be a part of the decision-making process.
In closing, I would like to thank you for your time. I am sure you have received many letters on the subject of our Latin Literature exam and that mine is just one of many to add to the pile. For the record, I am the former chair for CAMWS’s Committee for the Promotion of Latin, a position I held while teaching Latin at an inner city middle school (usually this is a position held by professors). I currently teach at Dripping Springs High School, southwest of Austin, TX, where I teach 7th-12th graders in levels 1-3 of Latin. Although I am not currently teaching AP Latin at this school (the program is relatively new), I intend to be in a few years beginning with this year’s large level 1 (3 sections) once they are in level 4. I have always taught my classes as if all of my students would one day be in AP Latin, keeping my eye on the works of Vergil, Catullus, Ovid, Cicero, and Martial, incorporating them into my classes at every chance.
So I am invested in the outcome of your decision regarding Latin.
***
I was going for a different angle from the other letters people have sent, trying to find a way to appeal to why it would be of value to College Board to keep such a small exam. You know, the ol' what's in it for me strategy.
We shall see what happens.... I only just sent it last night.
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