In my line of work, I often have to deal with two sides of education – explaining content to students, and then interpreting matters to parents. The two can often follow similar paths, but because contact with parents can be infrequent and fleeting, I try to give family members a bird’s eye view of the student’s educational plan; meanwhile, the pupil trudging along needs only to know what’s coming around the bend. So, while we’ve talked about approaches to encouraging students towards approaching, undertaking, and eventually, succeeding at language proficiency exams, we’ve not yet explored approaches to getting the families on board.
Explain the “Why,” Not Just the Logistics
One of the biggest hurdles in getting families invested in language proficiency assessments is that many parents simply do not know what assessments like the AAPPL are, let alone what they’re actually measuring. Traditional testing is familiar territory for parents: “Did you study the packet? Memorize the material? Take the quiz? Get your grade? Obviously, even “normal” quizzes and tests are actually more involved than that. But, in comparison, performance-proficiency assessments can feel far more abstract.
That’s why it is so important that we explain not only what the AAPPL is, but why it matters. The families of your students should ideally understand that these assessments are not merely evaluating whether students can conjugate verbs correctly in the preterit or remember the fruits and vegetables vocabulary from Chapter 6. Rather, they are designed to measure whether students can communicate meaningfully in another language in authentic situations. In many ways, the exam is less about perfection and more about functionality. And, depending on the age of the parents, this might be an altogether novel concept! Couching it as a ‘practical,’ or a ‘field test’ might paint a better picture for them than referring to it as just another ‘language exam.’
When parents understand the broader mission — equal parts college and career readiness, confidence in global communication, the ability to meaningfully engage with other cultures and the Seal of Biliteracy— they are far more likely to encourage and support the process at home. Families will generally support academic endeavors when they understand the purpose. If proficiency assessment is framed merely as “another exam,” enthusiasm will understandably be limited, and support from the homefront might remain weak. But when it’s framed as a milestone in a student’s growth as a multilingual communicator, the conversation changes dramatically.
Exposure Over Studying
“This sounds great! What should my son be studying to prepare?” This is pretty much the reaction you can expect from family members when you’re talking to them about a proficiency-based assessment like the AAPPL. However, another important conversation to have with families is that language proficiency rarely develops through cramming. We know that students do not suddenly become stronger communicators because they spent two frantic nights memorizing Quizlet sets and staring at their notes on the use of the imperfect versus the preterit tense. Proficiency grows through repeated exposure, consistent interaction, scaffolding, and comfort with communication.
Parents and guardians will understand this approach even if they do not speak another language if we support them in this process. I have a lot of go-to ‘extra practice’ activities that I keep at the ready for these conversations with parents. Encouraging students to listen to music in the target language during a car ride, watch a television series with subtitles, follow social media creators from another country, order food in the language at a restaurant, or simply teach a few phrases to family members can all help normalize language use beyond the classroom walls. These everyday activities in the new language reinforce an important idea: language is not just an academic subject: it’s a living tool for communication.
Reframing language proficiency in such a way is especially important because many students still mentally separate “school language” from “real language.” The more families can help bridge that divide, the more confidence students tend to develop when approaching interpersonal speaking and writing tasks on proficiency exams.
Reduce Anxiety Around the Word “Test”
For many families, the word “exam” immediately triggers stress. Parents often begin thinking in terms of percentages, rankings, and pass-or-fail outcomes, while students envision a giant grammar quiz waiting to punish every mistake. Then things spiral when parents try to get involved, ensuring their kids have adequately prepared, trying to assist and often micromanaging the situation. Unfortunately, this mindset can sometimes create anxiety that actively works against language acquisition.
Therefore, I think one of the most helpful things we educators can do is reframe what success looks like on a proficiency assessment. Perfectionism is often one of the highest triggers of anxiety amongst young people, but we can remind students that they do not need to sound perfect to demonstrate proficiency. In fact, some of the strongest communicators are simply the students willing to keep communicating when things become difficult. They circumlocute, improvise, and clarify. They take risks in the target language, just as they can in their first language. And in real communication, those skills matter enormously.
Families should understand that occasional pauses, self-corrections, and grammatical imperfections are not signs of failure; they are often signs that students are genuinely attempting to function in the language independently! It’s what happens in class, and it’s what happens in real life. Getting parents to view the assessment as an opportunity to demonstrate growth rather than achieve perfection can lead to students feeling more empowered to approach the experience with confidence through support instead of fear.
Conclusion
Ultimately, helping students succeed on proficiency assessments is not solely about what happens in the classroom: the home environment matters as well. If families understand the purpose behind the assessment, reinforce authentic exposure to the language, and help reduce anxiety surrounding the testing process, students are far more likely to approach proficiency with confidence and investment. Plus, it’s an exciting process and (hopefully) a big win for everyone involved!
The most successful students are often not the ones who memorized the most vocabulary the night before the exam. They’re the ones surrounded by people who consistently reinforced the idea that language learning matters, and that becoming multilingual is something for the whole family!
Interested in bringing the AAPPL to your school or district, contact us today.
