Language Placement

The following information and links serve as a guide for first-year students who wish to take foreign language courses at Bates College. The French and Spanish forms are designed to assist students in placing themselves at the appropriate level. Completing a placement form does not guarantee a place in a French or Spanish class.

 

Chinese:

  • If a student has a few years of Chinese and would like to take a placement test, the following information may be important: The textbooks used at Bates for first year, second year, and third year Chinese are New Practical Chinese Reader Volumes 1-4(with 4 volumes of Workbooks).
  • Chinese 101-102 covers Lessons 1 to 20 in Volumes I and II, Chinese 201-202 covers Lessons 21 to 38 in Volumes II and III, and Chinese 301-302 covers Lessons 39 to 50 in Volumes III and IV.
  • If a student is interested in taking the placement test for Chinese 201 in the first semester at Bates, they should read through Lessons 1 to 20 (including the workbooks) before taking it during the orientation week.
  • If a student is interested in taking the placement test for Chinese 301, they should read through Lessons 21 to 38 (including the workbooks) before taking it during the orientation week. If students have further questions, please contact Professor Shuhui Yang at syang@bates.edu.

French: This assessment is designed to assist students in placing themselves at the appropriate level.

German: This assessment is designed to assist students in placing themselves at the appropriate level.

Greek & Latin: AP examinations scores of four or five in Latin may be used toward the college’s graduation requirement and maybe be used to help place students in Latin courses, but may not count toward the major, minor, or general Education Concentration requirements. If students have further questions about opportunities in Greek and Latin, please contact Professor Lisa Maurizio at lmaurizi@bates.edu.

Japanese: Students who have prior experience learning Japanese or living in a Japanese-speaking context should fill out the Japanese Placement Form in order to schedule a placement test, to be given during orientation week. The test includes reading and writing sections as well as a short conversation in Japanese.

Russian: Interested students should contact Professor Dennis Browne at dbrowne@bates.edu.

Spanish: This assessment is designed to assist students in placing themselves at the appropriate level.