Leaving immersion school after 5th grade

[Anonymous]

Not DC area.

My city has a handful of k-5 language immersion schools where all instruction is in a different language. They all feed into a single 6-12 language immersion high school/middle school. My daughter will start 5th grade next year at the language immersion elementary and most kids go onto the 6-12 immersion MS. But it's farrrrr from us and not entirely sure it's a good fit. Our "regular" neighborhood middle (and high school) are really good and we would be happy to have her go there. But it kind of feels like a waste to just stop immersion at 5th grade. Anyone BTDT?

[Anonymous]

English was my second language but I’ve forgotten much of my mother tongue after I stopped using it in grade school. If I could go back in time, I would repeat that decision. While it is always sad to lose something special, I did other things with my time and energy that I value more.

[Anonymous]

It would be a shame/waste to have your child abandon the language, but an immersion MS/HS is not the only path to keep/grow facility in a foreign language. My child finished an elementary immersion and did not continue to a MS program, but he is in a weekend school for the language. EC classes, online resources, books, media, language/culture enthusiast groups should be pursued.

[Anonymous]

Kids leave immersion schools if they are struggling in the language. Or if they are struggling in basics such as math and English then better to spend time in that than another language.

If you kid is either of the above, I would not pursue more languages in middle school. The expectations in the languages in addition to core subjects just continues to increase.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not DC area.

My city has a handful of k-5 language immersion schools where all instruction is in a different language. They all feed into a single 6-12 language immersion high school/middle school. My daughter will start 5th grade next year at the language immersion elementary and most kids go onto the 6-12 immersion MS. But it's farrrrr from us and not entirely sure it's a good fit. Our "regular" neighborhood middle (and high school) are really good and we would be happy to have her go there. But it kind of feels like a waste to just stop immersion at 5th grade. Anyone BTDT?

Similar situation but I don't look at it as a waste to stop the language immersion at the end of elementary. Some is better than none. In our case, it was a heritage language. But DCs just didn't care about their father's heritage and have no interest in the language especially since their father only speaks English to them. They excel in other subjects and have other interests. If your kids ever rekindle their interest in the language, it will come back and it will be much easier for them to relearn than if they had never had any exposure at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:English was my second language but I’ve forgotten much of my mother tongue after I stopped using it in grade school. If I could go back in time, I would repeat that decision. While it is always sad to lose something special, I did other things with my time and energy that I value more.

English was my second language as well, I've forgotten all of my mother tongue as my mother stopped speaking it to me when she was told in elementary it was hindering me (the 70s were a stupid time). If I could go back, I would push my mother to stick with it. I regret losing the language.

[Anonymous]

Does your kid have friends who will be going to the local junior high and high school?

What language is it?

If the local school is a better fit and they have friends there, I'd not worry about dropping the language immersion. Try to get her into 2nd or 3rd year of the language she has been learning, whatever is appropriate, and send her to immersion summer programs a few times if you can afford to. Like once she is a teenager she could spend a summer in Spain or wherever.

I would also give your kid a lot of agency in this decision, especially if there is a bus to the immersion school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids leave immersion schools if they are struggling in the language. Or if they are struggling in basics such as math and English then better to spend time in that than another language.

If you kid is either of the above, I would not pursue more languages in middle school. The expectations in the languages in addition to core subjects just continues to increase.

My kid is neither of the above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does your kid have friends who will be going to the local junior high and high school?

What language is it?

If the local school is a better fit and they have friends there, I'd not worry about dropping the language immersion. Try to get her into 2nd or 3rd year of the language she has been learning, whatever is appropriate, and send her to immersion summer programs a few times if you can afford to. Like once she is a teenager she could spend a summer in Spain or wherever.

I would also give your kid a lot of agency in this decision, especially if there is a bus to the immersion school.

Does your kid have friends who will be going to the local junior high and high school?
Yes, not a ton, but most of the kids in our neighborhood go there.
What language is it?
French
If the local school is a better fit and they have friends there, I'd not worry about dropping the language immersion. Try to get her into 2nd or 3rd year of the language she has been learning, whatever is appropriate, and send her to immersion summer programs a few times if you can afford to. Like once she is a teenager she could spend a summer in Spain or wherever.

I would also give your kid a lot of agency in this decision, especially if there is a bus to the immersion school.
There is a bus. It will ultimately be up to her.

[Anonymous]

My kids were in immersion K-3 (French) and then left for another program. I wouldn’t say it was a waste. One switched to Spanish in middle school. I think since it’s a romance language, it helped them learn Spanish, although her teacher said they spoke with a French accent. When we took a family trip to France, they were frustrated with how much they had list, but were still able to communicate.

My other child, went back to French later, although they were able to skip some levels. Their accent is amazing.

The program they both pursued involved a lengthy commute. I left the choice up to them. I made sure they understood that if they wanted the program, they’d have to accept that the bus ride was (a significant) part of their daily schedule. One was very extroverted and spent the time socializing with griends on the bus. The other chose to either sleep or do homework.

For them, giving up the immersion program was a good decision (although it might not be for everyone), and I think they benefitted greatly from their four years of French. Going to a program on the other side of the county, I also think was a good decision for them (although it might not be for everyone). In neither case was it a question of making the right/wrong decision. All options had benefits and opportunity costs. Staying at immersion (which would have also involved a lengthy commute) or going to the neighborhood school, I think would have also been good decisions. We made sure the options were acceptable to us, made sure the kids had information about the available options, and let them choose.