International and Heritage Languages
Special Language Credit Option (SPLCO)
Overview
The Special Language Credit Option is a credit granting mechanism that allows students in high school to obtain credits for proficiency in languages other than English or French, which are the two official languages of instruction in Manitoba. Following consultation with schools, Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning is pleased to announce that changes to the Special Language Credit Option are being implemented in the 2013/2014 school year. The changes will allow Senior Years schools to award special language credits through an additional path, the recognition of non–Manitoba Education credentials (transcripts, report cards, certificates of standing, etc.) that demonstrate prior instruction or proficiency in languages other than English or French. Previously, students could only be awarded special language credits by successfully completing special language examinations to challenge for credit. School Forms and Templates are available in the handbook.
The revised Special Language Credit Option: A Policy and Administrative Handbook for Grades 9 to 12, with Reponses to Frequently Asked Questions describes the basic procedures and requirements established by Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning and provides new fillable forms for awarding and reporting credits.
Educators should also review the new Evaluating Non-Manitoba Education Course Completions for Senior Years Credits and the Evaluation of Non-Manitoba Education Course Completions for Senior Years Credits: Recording Form (
665 KB). The newly revised document is intended to assist school principals in evaluating non-Manitoba Education course offerings for Manitoba Senior Years credits. It takes into account the changes that were made to the course codes to facilitate the recording of credits on the graduation chart of the provincial report card. These changes were previously communicated to educators through correspondence related to the provincial report card.
Policy and Administrative Handbook for Grades 9-12, with Responses to Frequently Asked Questions
This handbook is designed to help schools administer the Special
Language Credit Option. It describes the basic procedures and requirements established by
Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning. The document outlines the Special Language
Credit Option policy and administrative information. This revised document reflects changes in
policy that allow for the awarding of special language credits through two paths:
- as of September 2013, by students presenting recognized non-Manitoba credentials (transcripts, report cards, certificates of standing, etc.) that demonstrate prior instruction or proficiency in languages other than English or French
- by students challenging for credit by successfully completing special language examinations
American Sign Language
As of the 2004-2005 school year, students may be eligible for up to 4 Senior Years credits for American Sign Language (ASL) through the Special Language Credit Option. There are special procedures for American Sign Language (ASL) examinations. For more detailed information, see American Sign Language and The Special Language Credit Option (Revised January 2024).
SPLCO and Manitoba’s Graduation Requirements
Special Language Credit Option credits may be used to meet Manitoba ’s Senior Year’s graduation requirements. For further information on the graduation requirements see School Programs and Graduation Requirements.
Course Codes
Computer course codes for reporting Special Language Credits may be found in the Subject Table Handbook.
List of Examiners
Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning maintains a list of registered examiners for Special Language Credit Option purposes. Examiners may not be available for all languages. For a list of examiners or to register as an examiner, please contact the Learning and Outcomes Branch at lobdirector@gov.mb.ca.
Range of Languages
The specific languages which are examined on a year to year basis varies according to student requests and
availability of examiners. Below is a chart which provides a list of languages for which students have been
examined and awarded credits in the last few years.
| Special Language Credit Option: Languages Reported | ||
|---|---|---|
| American Sign Language | Albanian | Afrikaans |
| Amharic | Arabic | Bangla (Bengali) |
| Bembe (Ebembe) | Bosnian | Bulgarian |
| Burmese | Cambodian | Chinese - Cantonese |
| Chinese - Mandarin | Cree | Creole |
| Croatian | Czech | Dakota |
| Dari | Dinka | Dene (Chipewyan) |
| Dutch | Farsi (Persian) | Filipino (Tagalog) |
| Finnish | Flemish | Gaelic |
| German | Greek | Gujarati |
| Hebrew | Hindi | Hokkien |
| Hungarian | Icelandic | Igbo |
| Inuktitut (Inuit) | Island-Lake Dialect | Italian |
| Japanese | Korean | Krio |
| Kurdish | Laotian | Latin |
| Luganda | Macedonian | Malay |
| Malayalam | Nepali | Norwegian |
| Ojibwé (Saulteaux) | Pashto | Polish |
| Portuguese | Punjabi | Romanian |
| Russian | Serbian | Sinhalese |
| Slovak | Somali | Spanish |
| Swahili | Tamil | Thai |
| Tigrinya (Eritrean) | Turkish | Twi |
| Ugandan | Ukrainian | Urdu |
| Vietnamese | Yoruba | |
