A. The Seal of Biliteracy is an opportunity for both World Language students and English-Language Learners to demonstrate that they are able to read and write at an intermediate-high level of proficiency in two languages, and a chance for students and families to celebrate the hard work that students have completed during their time at Shen. Students who obtain the Seal are not expected to demonstrate fluency; that will only come with years of practice and dedication to the language. The goals of the Seal of Biliteracy program are aligned with our Profile of a Shen Graduate, as we strive for graduates to be Critical and Innovative Thinkers who are also Globally Competent Persons. Because upper-level world language courses at Shen have always been rigorous, the components of the project are not actually new to most world language courses; they already existed in some form in the world language curricula, and were never optional. Students in years past completed the same projects, but without the benefit of earning the Seal. The only new component is the brief presentation that students will present as the culminating piece of the project; this component is optional.
The Seal of Biliteracy is not unique to Shen; it exists in some form in 48 other states, and in most schools in our region. You can click here to learn more about the program: https://sealofbiliteracy.org/
