It is required to take three levels of a language to graduate with an advanced diploma. There are over 1,600 students here at HHS and taking a language in a classroom setting doesn’t fit into every student’s schedule, so a few students take a language as an online class.

Freshman Julia Inouye is taking French 2 as an online class this year.

“I have never taken an online class before. Last year I took French 1 in a classroom setting. All in all, taking French online is harder,” Inouye said. “There are, however, a few things that I think are easier online.For instance, because of the way online classes work, I won’t ever have to worry about other students. I only have myself to keep me from learning, so I can make a conscious decision to get the most out of this class as possible, but it’s mostly harder. It isn’t a self paced class and due dates are much more strict than in regular classes. Also, there is a lot of responsibility involved. I have to choose to take my tests and quizzes. If i don’t, then I just get a zero on them. I also get a zero if I do them late.”

Taking an online class does not mean you won’t have a teacher. When taking an online language with the Virtual Virginia program, you still have a teacher, but they aren’t physically with you like in a classroom setting.

“Even though my class is online, I still have a teacher,” Inouye said. “She isn’t in my classroom with me, but she has working hours. She sends out our assignments and grades them. She also is available through emails if students have questions.”

Freshman Noah Pope is also taking French 2 online with Virtual Virginia. This is Pope’s first year taking an online language class.
“[Taking an online language] is definitely harder because I can’t easily communicate with the online teacher, unlike a teacher in a classroom,” Pope said. “It is definitely more work.”

Some students take an online language because an interactive language classroom doesn’t fit into their schedule. Others, such as freshmen Carrie Yoder who is taking Chinese, are taking language online because the course is not offered. 

“This is my first time taking a language,” Yoder said. “I don’t really have anything to compare [taking and online language] to, but so far it hasn’t been too bad. All my class work is due on Friday afternoon, and the new assignments come out Friday evening, so it’s been nice having a head start during the weekend.”

Every quarter Virtual Virginia has an amnesty week.

“Every quarter we have an amnesty week, “which basically means that we have nothing that is due. During that week we can request to take one test or quiz, so it’s really nice not having anything due,” Yoder said.