{"id":5413,"date":"2026-03-09T01:55:49","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T01:55:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/?p=5413"},"modified":"2026-03-09T01:55:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T01:55:49","slug":"so-what-actually-happens-when-a-school-tries-the-seal-of-biliteracy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/so-what-actually-happens-when-a-school-tries-the-seal-of-biliteracy\/","title":{"rendered":"So\u2026 What Actually Happens When a School Tries the Seal of Biliteracy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Conversation with a Seal Practitioner \u00a0<\/em><\/h4>\n

Any time the phrase\u00a0<\/span>new initiative<\/span><\/i>\u00a0enters a department meeting, language teachers start running diagnostics in their heads. Time. Testing. Curriculum\u00a0creep. Paperwork.\u00a0\u2026.<\/span>meetings\u2026.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So rather than\u00a0speculate\u00a0about what the Seal of Biliteracy<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>should<\/span><\/i>\u00a0do, I wanted to hear from someone\u00a0who\u2019s\u00a0lived\u00a0it.\u00a0Andrea Hartle has taught Spanish in New Jersey public schools for more than twenty years and has worked to implement the Seal of Biliteracy at two different high schools.\u00a0I asked her the questions teachers\u00a0actually ask\u2014what changed, what didn\u2019t, what surprised her, and whether it was worth the effort.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Breaking the Seal<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

I started by asking Andrea about her first encounter with the Seal of Biliteracy.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was really positive,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen our supervisor brought it to our attention and told us we were going to try this at our school, the students were excited\u2014but nervous too.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That combination\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0last long.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnce they went through the process, and the majority experienced success and were able to\u00a0attain\u00a0the Seal of Biliteracy, it\u00a0was like, \u2018Wow. I really\u00a0<\/span>have<\/span><\/i>\u00a0gone far with my language study.\u2019\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For Andrea, that\u00a0<\/span>a-ha<\/span><\/i>\u00a0moment stood out.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0just, \u2018I passed a test.\u2019 It was this feeling\u00a0of, \u2018I can\u00a0actually say\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0biliterate. I can really use my language.\u2019\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That distinction matters,\u00a0<\/span><\/i>I thought. The Seal\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0just mark completion. It gave students language for their own ability, something far more durable than a grade on a transcript.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

No Change, No Problem<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

This is where I asked what most teachers want to know\u00a0immediately: \u201c<\/span>Did this change how you teach? Did you have to do something\u00a0totally different\u00a0once the Seal became a goal?\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Andrea\u2019s answer was simple\u00a0and telling.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0actually\u00a0the\u00a0really\u00a0nice thing\u00a0about it. I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0stop what I was doing and say, \u2018Okay, now we\u2019re going to do something special just for the Seal.\u2019 My colleagues and I just kept doing what we were already doing.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She explained what that meant in practice.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were already giving students opportunities to use all the language skills, to share their opinions, to be creative, to make comparisons between their culture and another culture.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And that continuity mattered.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEverything we were doing\u00a0on a daily basis\u2014from the beginning of their language learning to their final years\u2014was already preparing them. We\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0really have to change anything for them to be successful.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words:\u00a0the Seal\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0demand better teaching\u2014it revealed it.\u00a0When assessment aligns with instruction, nobody\u00a0has to\u00a0hit the reset button.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Listening Is Scary<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

I asked Andrea which skill students struggled with the most; she didn\u2019t hesitate.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cListening comprehension,\u201d she said. \u201cEspecially in Spanish.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And she explained why.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many different accents, and the speed of the language can be really challenging.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0the skill where students often feel the least successful.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking comes next,\u00a0but for a different reason.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith speaking,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0more about confidence. Students worry about how they sound.\u00a0They\u2019re\u00a0hesitant.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But she also emphasized that this\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0a dead end.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you build the right environment and culture in the classroom, students become more comfortable taking those risks. But listening\u2014that\u2019s\u00a0usually the toughest one.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is where proficiency-based assessment earns its\u00a0keep.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0When students know\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0being evaluated on what they can\u00a0<\/span>do<\/span><\/i>, not how perfect they sound, the intimidation factor starts to shrink.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Are You Planning to Do\u00a0with\u00a0<\/span><\/b>That Thing?<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

I wanted to know whether the Seal\u00a0actually followed\u00a0students once they left high school, and Andrea immediately shared a specific example.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne student in particular\u00a0stands\u00a0out,\u201d she said. \u201cHe had earned the Seal of Biliteracy, and later, when he was in college, he helped start a club\u00a0similar to\u00a0one we had at\u00a0the high\u00a0school. His language background and having the Seal gave him the confidence to do that. It helped the school see that this was something worth pursuing.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Other students came back with different stories, reporting back that,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cthey\u2019re\u00a0using the language at work.\u00a0They\u2019re\u00a0studying abroad. They want to keep going with the language even after earning the Seal.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And sometimes, the biggest reaction is disbelief.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere were students who were just so excited\u2014like, \u2018I can\u2019t believe I got this.\u2019 I love hearing that.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What stands out here\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0r\u00e9sum\u00e9 value.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0identity.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0Students stop saying,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI took Spanish\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0and start saying,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI can use Spanish,\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i>which is\u00a0sort of the\u00a0point of all our efforts as language educators, is it not?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nothing to Lose<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

I pushed Andrea on student hesitation: \u201c<\/span>What do you say to a student who\u2019s pretty good at the language but doesn\u2019t see the point,\u00a0or is nervous about not getting the Seal?\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her answer was pragmatic.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI always approach it as:\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0really nothing to lose and a lot to gain.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0a chance to be creative with the language and really show what you know. And even if you\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0attain\u00a0it, a lot of students surprise themselves.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That surprise often changes how students see themselves.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey realize, \u2018Wow, I actually\u00a0<\/span>can<\/span><\/i>\u00a0do this.\u2019 And that confidence carries over into other things\u2014applying for internships, jobs, opportunities they might not have considered\u00a0before.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her answer, for me,\u00a0reframes\u00a0the assessment entirely. The Seal becomes less about a line on paper and more about permission\u00a0to try, to apply, to step forward.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And even then, Andrea has also seen students fall short\u2014and come back stronger.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019ve had students who didn\u2019t get it the first time,\u201d she said. \u201cThey were juniors, and they realized, \u2018I\u2019m so close.\u2019\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That realization led to focus.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey identified the skill they needed to work on\u2014often speaking\u2014and they were motivated to practice more.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The result?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs seniors, they tried again and were able to\u00a0attain\u00a0the Seal of Biliteracy. That was\u00a0really positive\u00a0to see.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That’s\u00a0growth\u00a0mindset with\u00a0return\u00a0on investment.<\/i>\u00a0The Seal\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0shut doors. It gives students a reason to reopen them.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

And\u00a0here\u2019s\u00a0another\u00a0important element\u00a0to consider: With the right assessments, such as the AAPPL, students receive an ACTFL certificate, regardless of whether they\u00a0attained\u00a0the Seal or not. This can be\u00a0very powerful\u00a0to students, because even those who do\u00a0not meet the minimums for the Seal can still\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0language ability\u00a0with a real certificate\u00a0to prove it.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not Just Spanish<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Because Andrea has worked in multilingual departments, I asked how this plays out beyond Spanish.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the other languages are a little more of a struggle,\u201d she admitted. \u201cBut there has definitely been success.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And the mindset matters.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStudents are motivated. They see friends pursuing the Seal, and they want to try too.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She also described an unexpected outcome.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSome students\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0just pursue the Seal in the language they studied in school. They spoke Italian or French at home and asked if they could try for the Seal in those languages too.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That momentum grew.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe had several students who earned it in multiple languages, and that was\u00a0pretty amazing. It really raised awareness in the school community\u2014people realizing how multilingual students\u00a0actually are.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Visibility changes culture.<\/i>\u00a0Once multilingualism becomes public, it becomes aspirational.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Make It Visible<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

I asked how schools recognize students who earn the Seal. Andrea smiled.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve\u00a0done ceremonies.\u00a0We\u2019ve\u00a0written letters to\u00a0parents. We had a bulletin board with the names of students who earned it over the years.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That visibility matters.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIncoming\u00a0freshmen\u00a0see that and think, \u2018Wow,\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0going on here? These students did something important.\u2019\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Recognition signals value.<\/i><\/strong>\u00a0And students notice what schools choose to celebrate.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The English Question<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Before wrapping up, I asked the question that always comes up.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why keep pushing this in a world where English dominates everything?<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Andrea\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0hesitate.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLanguage education isn\u2019t always promoted positively,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s not always seen as important as other subjects.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For her, the Seal helps shift that\u00a0perception.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt motivates students to continue their language\u00a0study. It gives schools a reason to strengthen their programs.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And the payoff is real.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need people who can communicate, understand other cultures, and use language skills in the world we live in now.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In a system that often undervalues language learning, the Seal gives it weight\u00a0and legitimacy.<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Final Word<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

I liked\u00a0talking shop\u00a0with a fellow language educator, and hearing about the implementation of the Seal of Biliteracy over\u00a0a couple of\u00a0schools: Andrea never talked about the Seal as some disruptive force that upended her program or sent teachers scrambling. What she described instead was something much quieter\u00a0and more powerful.\u00a0The Seal clarified what students could\u00a0actually\u00a0<\/span>do<\/span><\/i>\u00a0with language, validated the impact of strong, consistent instruction, and made multilingualism visible in a way grades alone never manage to accomplish.\u00a0And when students start asking whether they can earn it in\u00a0<\/span>three<\/span><\/i>\u00a0languages, that\u2019s not mission creep\u2014that\u2019s momentum, and\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0probably worth\u00a0paying attention to.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ready to start testing for the Seal with the Gold Standard of language assessments?\u00a0<\/span>Contact us<\/span><\/a>\u00a0today\u00a0to bring\u00a0the AAPPL and other ACTFL assessments to your program.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Conversation with a Seal Practitioner \u00a0 Any time the phrase\u00a0new initiative\u00a0enters a department meeting, language teachers start running diagnostics in their heads. Time. Testing. Curriculum\u00a0creep. Paperwork.\u00a0\u2026.meetings\u2026.\u00a0 So rather than\u00a0speculate\u00a0about what the Seal of Biliteracy\u00a0should\u00a0do, I wanted to hear from someone\u00a0who\u2019s\u00a0lived\u00a0it.\u00a0Andrea Hartle has taught Spanish in New Jersey public schools for more than twenty years […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":5414,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[183],"tags":[80,230],"class_list":["post-5413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic","tag-aappl","tag-seal-of-biliteracy"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/shutterstock_2417020001.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5413"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5413\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5418,"href":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5413\/revisions\/5418"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.languagetesting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}