Taking the NLE online versus paper...

[pickandgrin]

Penny for your thoughts?

Show of hands for those who have taken the National Latin Exam using the online option versus the paper option? Observations? Hints? Cautions? Success stories? Registration tips?
We have done paper for five years and are big lovers of marking that colored paper test, but I'm thinking of making the switch this year. It's a bit of a headache for the number I have to coordinate getting all the papers and instructions where they belong. Plus, covid. So who even know what March will look like?

TIA!

Those who are new can read more about the test here: www.nle.org

[SaintJude7]

I was considering having my children take the NLE this year. But then I found this statement on their "ACL Commits to Grow and Do Better" page:

"America’s history of racism sets up structures that privilege whiteness while marginalizing and dehumanizing Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color. The American Classical League and all its subsidiaries acknowledge that we have been at fault; the ACL has been involved in, perpetuated, and tolerated acts of racism and intolerance within our organization and we apologize for the harm these acts have caused."
........
"For too long, Classics have been used to justify a wide variety of racist practices and beliefs in our country. For too long the ACL has been complicit. It is time that the American Classical League and all its subsidiaries stand up and hold ourselves accountable to dismantling white supremacy. Part of our educational mission now has to be a commitment to anti-racist pedagogy and restorative justice that actively works to dismantle the systemic oppression of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color. It is the duty of ACL members to combat and condemn the racist views that have been perpetuated and tolerated by ACL."

Here is step #1 (of 15 steps) of their plan:

1. Started the process of examining, identifying, and removing problematic materials from further distribution (e.g. NCLG materials that promoted Latin in an elitist fashion, JCL and ACL brochures that contained language promoting ideals of the “western civilization” construct, objectionable and offensive passages and questions from previous National Latin Exams, etc.).

So that is going to be a hard pass for my family. We are pro-western civilization.

Blessings,
Jude

[pickandgrin]

Jude,
Thank you for your comments. I have seen all this and, while I don't agree with the pandering because it seems trendy and unnecessary, I know what they are talking about from taking the tests for the last 5 years. Some of the language could be more tidy and there's no reason to talk about a slave being beaten (for example) when there are plenty of other things you can talk about. The NLE is a tiny academic organization. I have no doubt that most tiny academic organizations have different thoughts on many things than me.

With only 40 questions per level and many texts straight from fables and other standard Latin writings, I don't expect anything objectionable or anti-western on
the test itself. We'll see. Personally, until HLS stops taking it I'm planning to continue because I've seen the benefits to my own kids and Latin students in competing through it. It is currently the best outside validation of our Latin study as homeschoolers and we may/may not be able to sit for the AP when the time comes.

I'm very aware that this will be a personal decision for families. We are planning to continue at this time.

[tanya]

HLS will continue to take the NLE for now. Our students are reading all kinds of original texts and translations from ancient times, so they are used to understanding the culture they are reading about and in no way confuse it with the way they should live their lives in their treatment and attitudes toward people. I just hope the NLE people don't go overboard in changes. If we see that happening, we will have to reconsider. I agree with you, Jessica, that with so many topics to choose from, hopefully they will just do minor edits without rewriting a test that has an overt agenda. We just need it to remain true to the writings of Caesar, Cicero, Vergil, etc.

Tanya

[SaintJude7]

Jude,
Thank you for your comments. I have seen all this and, while I don't agree with the pandering because it seems trendy and unnecessary, I know what they are talking about from taking the tests for the last 5 years. Some of the language could be more tidy and there's no reason to talk about a slave being beaten (for example) when there are plenty of other things you can talk about. The NLE is a tiny academic organization. I have no doubt that most tiny academic organizations have different thoughts on many things than me.

With only 40 questions per level and many texts straight from fables and other standard Latin writings, I don't expect anything objectionable or anti-western on
the test itself. We'll see. Personally, until HLS stops taking it I'm planning to continue because I've seen the benefits to my own kids and Latin students in competing through it. It is currently the best outside validation of our Latin study as homeschoolers and we may/may not be able to sit for the AP when the time comes.

I'm very aware that this will be a personal decision for families. We are planning to continue at this time.

I do understand your view on this. For me, it is not only that they are pandering (which in itself is tiresome and detrimental to the common good), but that they are spreading the false narrative of white privilege. That damages my children, my family, and my community, even when it occurs in the tiny domain of a tiny academic organization. If MP released a statement tomorrow parroting the views of ACL, I would drop them like a bad habit and never spend another dime on their materials or online courses. Also, why would we not want to promote the ideals of the western civilization construct?

Removing a question about a slave being beaten is a curious choice. To what end? I think we actually do need to talk about a slave being beaten. And maybe that opens up a discussion about the nature of slavery throughout history and the civilizations which engaged in it.

I don't have a problem with HLS continuing to take the NLE, because I don't have children attending HLS.

Blessings,
Jude

[pickandgrin]

Jude,
I appreciate what you have to share; I really do. And, I need to find out some information about taking the test online. That is the substance is my question. I love to discuss things like this in person but rarely have margin to discuss it online. I'm not trying to avoid a conversation, I just can't invest the time to do that here. Thanks for understanding. I know there are many that agree with you.

[Katie]

I am leaning toward paper for this coming year just because I am starting to mourn the loss of anything paper with so much moving to online. However, it sure does seem like the easiest way to go. I could imagine if you have a cottage school to manage, online would be so much simpler!

[jen1134]

B took the test online this spring, after taking it on paper the previous two years. I'll ask him for feedback when he gets home later.

[pickandgrin]

B took the test online this spring, after taking it on paper the previous two years. I'll ask him for feedback when he gets home later.

That would be super helpful, thanks!

[Mom2mthj]

Is the online test cheaper? The shipping increases were onerous last year. My oldest took it online a couple years ago and it was ok, but she did prefer paper. The interface seemed amateur. We had a page of precautions on considerations on time of day to take it and what to do if.....happens from the teacher as the previous year had problems with the network being overwhelmed.

Has anyone studied what the changes are to the levels this year? New names and such. I also saw something that they were changing what each test covered due to the pandemic.

[Bonnie]

The NLE home page links to a presentation from Sept.16 on changes to the NLE exam in 2021. You can also go to the updated syllabus from the home page. And further down the home page, there is also a link to changes on the Latin III exam specifically.

https://www.nle.org/

Cheers.
Bonnie

[Deb H]

Update to my post. I found another helpful thread!! But feel free to share any additional preparation advice.

Rather than start a new thread, I hope it's fine for me to tack onto this one. The NLE just came onto my radar and I'm wondering if it's too late to have my Third From 7th grader start preparing for the Sprint 2021 test. I have no context for how difficult the test is and how much preparation is required. I will say she has done well in FFL and SFL, both of which she took through MPOA, and TFL is going well for so far.

Thanks for the advice!
Debbie

[pickandgrin]

Update to my post. I found another helpful thread!! But feel free to share any additional preparation advice.

Rather than start a new thread, I hope it's fine for me to tack onto this one. The NLE just came onto my radar and I'm wondering if it's too late to have my Third From 7th grader start preparing for the Sprint 2021 test. I have no context for how difficult the test is and how much preparation is required. I will say she has done well in FFL and SFL, both of which she took through MPOA, and TFL is going well for so far.

Thanks for the advice!
Debbie

Sure, Debbie! She could take the Introduction to Latin Exam, no problem!