New York state offers exam testing knowledge of Ukrainian (03/08/98)

New York state offers exam testing knowledge of Ukrainian

HIGHLAND, N.Y. - The Committee for Preparation of the New York State Ukrainian Language Examination reminds all interested high school students and their parents that the annual test in the Ukrainian language will take place in June. Students usually apply for all the foreign language testing early in the school year. Therefore, it is important for these who have not yet done so to file their request immediately. School principals place their test orders with the State Education Department by March 10, at the latest.

This examination corresponds fully in its format to the Regents exams; upon passing, students will receive three credits toward their high school foreign language requirement. Since Ukrainian is among the languages not taught regularly at high schools in this country (others being Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Polish, Hebrew and Russian), the test is placed under the heading Sample Comprehensive Examination in Ukrainian. Such tests are prepared by special committees of teachers and submitted yearly to the State Education Department, which makes them available upon request to students of these ethnic groups.

This exam will be given at the following schools: Guilderland Central H.S., Albany; Shaker H.S., Latham; Troy H.S., Troy; Frontier S.H.S., Hamburg; Chittenango H.S., Chittenango; George Hewlett H.S., Hewlett; St. George Academy, New York; Benjamin Cardozo H.S., Bayside; Great Neck South H.S., Great Neck; Sacred Heart H.S., Yonkers; New Rochelle S.H.S., New Rochelle; Ossining S.H.S., Ossining; Ward Melville S.H.S., East Setauket; Rondout Valley H.S., Accord; Monroe Woodbury H.S., Monroe; Penfield S.H.S., Penfield; Christian Brothers Academy, Syracuse; and Riverside H.S., Buffalo.

Students should register their request with their principal's office, whereupon that office should contact Karen Kolanowski, Curriculum and Assessment - 1, R.760 EBA, State Education Department, Albany, N.Y. 12234; telephone, (518) 474-3799.

Students who do not attend a school on the above list must apply to the principal of their school, who will make arrangements for the student at one of the nearest schools.

The exam evaluates Ukrainian language proficiency on an intermediate level. Students who attended or completed their community Saturday school and attained an intermediate or advanced level, or those whose knowledge of basic Ukrainian is quite satisfactory, should pass this test. It reflects the contemporary approach to language learning, i.e. speaking and comprehension ability in a realistic context, vocabulary skill, understanding and application of grammar structures in the oral and written form.

Part 1 of the exam, the oral test (24 points), is conducted separately, several weeks prior to the rest of the exam. The written parts, 2, 3 and 4, are given in June. Part 2 tests listening (aural) comprehension (30 points); part 3 tests reading comprehension (30 points); part 4 tests writing (16 points). Teachers who have conducted this test at their high school may use copies of the previous Ukrainian exams to help prepare interested students. A video cassette of a sample oral language test is available for teachers at every high school.

The present Ukrainian exam committee is composed of Maria Olynec, Stefania Hawryluk and Oksana Bakum, coordinator. Mrs. Bakum expressed her gratitude and appreciation to former committee members Daria Jakubowycz and Aurelia Slusarczuk for their devoted efforts.