Grading and Homework for Mr. Chang’s Latin Courses
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
Latin Students and Parents
Howard Chang
9/10/13; updated 8/27/14
Grading Practices in Latin courses
This document is intended to provide you an overview of the grading system I use in the class in
which I am teaching your child.
General Introduction
In both classes, I use a “total points” system, in which the average is calculated based on the total
number of points available in a given marking period. Specifically, the total number of points
available in a quarter is the denominator, while the total points actually earned by the student is
the numerator, and the percentage produced by this division yields the quarter average. In other
words, if in one quarter we only had 3 assignments, each worth 20 points, and your child
consistently earned 18 points on all three of them, his average would be calculated as follows:
(18 + 18 + 18) ÷ (20 + 20 + 20), or 54/60 = 0.90 X 100 = 90% = A-.
Specifics about Latin II Honors and Latin III
Here are some additional details about Latin II Honors and Latin III.
 Homework assignments, which are assigned regularly, are worth 3 points each if they are
completed on time (by the time the class in which the assignment is due begins).
o Accuracy is not a factor in the awarding of credit.
o A homework that is not complete, even if accurate, is not awarded any points.
Late homework, however, may be turned in for half credit, i.e. 1.5 points, if it is
completed by the beginning of the next class day (regardless of how many
calendar days have passed).
o Students are strongly encouraged to use standard dictionaries to complete their
assignments. They should NOT use William Whitaker’s Words or any other
online tool that allows a student to enter an inflected form (e.g. amātur or oppidī)
and receive a definition. The use of an online translator is a violation of the
Honor Code. A homework found to be in violation of the Honor Code, in
addition to triggering the Honor Code process, will receive 0 points.
 The rest of the points will come in varying amounts from the following types of
assessments, which are all graded for accuracy/quality:
o Class Quizzes – quizzes asking students to demonstrate mastery of fundamental
grammatical paradigms, given in class, and taken twice (one version after
another), with students selecting the higher grade or earning one bonus point for
completing both iterations without error.
o Unit Vocabulary Tests – given near the beginning of a unit, assessing the
student’s mastery of vocabulary, dictionary information, “Word Study”
information, and the student’s ability to apply the unit vocabulary to define
English derivatives.
o Unit Grammar Tests – given at the end of a unit, assessing the student’s mastery
of the grammar and syntax, and ability to synthesize both current and review
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Grading and Homework for Mr. Chang’s Latin Courses
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grammar, syntax, and vocabulary to write a literal translation of Latin, compose
simple phrases in Latin, and comprehend a level-appropriate reading, either
prepared or “at sight,” etc.
o National Latin Exam – a standardized, multiple-choice test given in March but
graded in April based on the results and the student’s performance relative to the
national average for his or her level.
o “Homework Projects” – open-book assessments completed outside of class time
either addressing specific grammatical skills and content or other asking students
to make creative connections between classical content and the modern world.
o Creative Project – a differentiated, creative project on a classical topic, assigned
in September and due in late November, that encourages students to dive deeper
into a self-selected area of interest.
o Classical Paper – an essay in English addressing a classical topic, assigned in late
December/early January and due in early February.
As a general rule, the “larger” the size of an assessment, the more points it is worth.
Overall, the vast majority of the course grade will reflect a student’s mastery of content
(grammar, syntax, and vocabulary) and skills (ability to apply grammatical and syntactical
content to translate Latin at level, comprehension of readings, ability to deduce English
derivatives from a prepared vocabulary knowledge base, etc.). A much smaller portion (less than
10%) will be determined by timely completion of homework. Throughout the year, several
nominal extra-credit opportunities will be become available when they complement the
objectives of the course (e.g. completing additional National Latin Exam practice tests), but
rarely is extra credit offered on an ad hoc basis, if ever.
Specifics about Latin Collegiate Seminar
Here are some additional details about Latin Collegiate Seminar.
 Homework assignments, which are assigned regularly, are worth 2 points each if they are
completed on time (by the time the class in which the assignment is due begins).
o Accuracy is not a factor in the awarding of credit.
o A homework that is not complete, even if accurate, is not awarded any points.
Late homework, however, may be turned in for half credit, 1 point, if it is
completed by the beginning of the next class day (regardless of how many
calendar days have passed). A homework found to be in violation of the Honor
Code will, in addition to triggering the Honor Code process, receive 0 points.
o Students are strongly encouraged to use standard dictionaries to complete their
assignments. They should NOT use William Whitaker’s Words or any other
online tool that allows a student to enter an inflected form (e.g. amātur or oppidī)
and receive a definition. The use of an online translator is a violation of the
Honor Code. A commercial translation of a particular poem may be consulted
prior to engaging the assignment so that the student may become familiar with the
context and overall sense of the poem, but it should not be in use when the student
translates the assigned lines (i.e. the student must put the commercial translation
away).
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Grading and Homework for Mr. Chang’s Latin Courses
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The rest of the points will come in varying amounts from the following types of
assessments, which are all graded for accuracy/quality:
o Review Tests – students may elect to take either the summer vocabulary or
summer forms tests or both, which are offered in September and address standard
vocabulary and grammar.
o Creative Writing – assigned throughout the units, assessing the student’s ability to
apply the theme, conceits, style, and spirit of the Latin literature read to the
creation of a personal piece of writing, either by homage, imitation, allusion,
subversion, parody, or some combination thereof.
o Sight Translations – given periodically throughout the course, assessing the
student’s ability to apply previously learned vocabulary, aspects of poetic style,
grammar, etc. to read unseen Latin without the aid of a dictionary.
o Unit Tests – given at the end of a unit, assessing the student’s mastery of the
poems within the unit. Questions will generally be written in an “AP-style,”
including multiple-choice, short answer, and essays.
o National Latin Exam – a standardized, multiple-choice test given in March but
graded in April based on the results and the student’s performance relative to the
national average for his or her level.
o Creative Project – a differentiated, creative project on a classical topic, assigned
in September and due in late November, that encourages students to dive deeper
into a self-selected area of interest.
o Classical Paper – an essay in English addressing a classical topic, assigned in late
December/early January and due in early February.
As a general rule, the “larger” an assessment is, the more points it is worth.
Overall, the vast majority of the course grade will reflect a student’s mastery of content
(vocabulary, special features of style, rhetorical devices, context and content of the poems
translated) and skills (ability to translate, comprehend, analyze, and write about Latin literature
according to theme, style, ability to translate Latin at sight, etc.). A much smaller portion (less
than 10%) will be determined by timely completion of homework. Throughout the year, several
extra-credit opportunities will be become available when they complement the objectives of the
course (e.g. completing additional National Latin Exam practice tests), but rarely is extra credit
offered on an ad hoc basis, if ever.
Returning Student Work
I will adhere to the Upper School guidelines for entering grades into the grade-book, i.e. a week
for tests and quizzes, two weeks for larger assessments such as projects and papers. I will enter
homework grades a minimum of once per week, which means, necessarily, that I may not enter a
specific homework grade on the particular day that assignment is due.
Please encourage your child to contact me if either you or your child has any questions,
comments, or concerns.
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