Language in 12th grade

[Anonymous]

My son took the AP class in his language this year (junior) year ad there are no more classes in that language at his school. Should he starting a new language or is it fine to stop at the AP level of one language.

[Anonymous]

It's fine to stop if you maxed out your school's offerings.

[Anonymous]

If your child likes the language and wants to continue I’d ask the school and if they could create a “class of one” for him/her. Call it “Applied French” or “Spanish Literature” and have it go beyond language learning into culture, etc. Your child could pace themselves and even help develop the curriculum. Then study independently one period a day and meet with the teacher after school twice a week for assignments and discussions, like a college course. It would make a fabulous topic for a college essay as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your child likes the language and wants to continue I’d ask the school and if they could create a “class of one” for him/her. Call it “Applied French” or “Spanish Literature” and have it go beyond language learning into culture, etc. Your child could pace themselves and even help develop the curriculum. Then study independently one period a day and meet with the teacher after school twice a week for assignments and discussions, like a college course. It would make a fabulous topic for a college essay as well.

College essays for applications? Those are written the summer before senior year or in Sept-Nov - so they would not have the experience yet.

Is the teacher expected to volunteer for this or would they be paid for the extra time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your child likes the language and wants to continue I’d ask the school and if they could create a “class of one” for him/her. Call it “Applied French” or “Spanish Literature” and have it go beyond language learning into culture, etc. Your child could pace themselves and even help develop the curriculum. Then study independently one period a day and meet with the teacher after school twice a week for assignments and discussions, like a college course. It would make a fabulous topic for a college essay as well.

College essays for applications? Those are written the summer before senior year or in Sept-Nov - so they would not have the experience yet.

Is the teacher expected to volunteer for this or would they be paid for the extra time?

EA deadlines are November. An essay can be written in early fall about their move of language and this initiative to pursue it. And yes, a language teacher with a kid who showed this much interest might volunteer. I know because one did for me when I maxed out a subject.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your child likes the language and wants to continue I’d ask the school and if they could create a “class of one” for him/her. Call it “Applied French” or “Spanish Literature” and have it go beyond language learning into culture, etc. Your child could pace themselves and even help develop the curriculum. Then study independently one period a day and meet with the teacher after school twice a week for assignments and discussions, like a college course. It would make a fabulous topic for a college essay as well.

My mediocre high school in the Midwest had an independent study class option for situations like this. I think a lot of good high schools in the DMV area probably have an option like that buried in the course descriptions.

Whether a teacher would be willing to oversee a class like that might be an indicator of whether any teachers at the school think your kid deserves to go to a very selective school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your child likes the language and wants to continue I’d ask the school and if they could create a “class of one” for him/her. Call it “Applied French” or “Spanish Literature” and have it go beyond language learning into culture, etc. Your child could pace themselves and even help develop the curriculum. Then study independently one period a day and meet with the teacher after school twice a week for assignments and discussions, like a college course. It would make a fabulous topic for a college essay as well.

My mediocre high school in the Midwest had an independent study class option for situations like this. I think a lot of good high schools in the DMV area probably have an option like that buried in the course descriptions.

Whether a teacher would be willing to oversee a class like that might be an indicator of whether any teachers at the school think your kid deserves to go to a very selective school.

This. Also, students in my DS's class took a new foreign language (after exhausting all that was given in the first foreign language in their high school) at NVCC and then submitted that for credit to their college upon acceptance. This demonstrates to the AO that the student can handle college-level work

[Anonymous]

You can stop. My DC finished AP Spanish Literature as a junior and had no choice but to stop. He did fine in college admissions which I imagine understood that he had no further course to take.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your child likes the language and wants to continue I’d ask the school and if they could create a “class of one” for him/her. Call it “Applied French” or “Spanish Literature” and have it go beyond language learning into culture, etc. Your child could pace themselves and even help develop the curriculum. Then study independently one period a day and meet with the teacher after school twice a week for assignments and discussions, like a college course. It would make a fabulous topic for a college essay as well.

My mediocre high school in the Midwest had an independent study class option for situations like this. I think a lot of good high schools in the DMV area probably have an option like that buried in the course descriptions.

Whether a teacher would be willing to oversee a class like that might be an indicator of whether any teachers at the school think your kid deserves to go to a very selective school.

Indeed. Most teachers of a language would be more than willing to help out such a dedicated student who wants to go above and beyond. If they aren't, it might be time to consider retirement.

[Anonymous]

I think if a kid was committed to learning multiple languages they wouldn't be starting a new one in 12th. That just doesn't cut it.

My DD started language study in 6th grade and picked up a 2nd language in 9th so by 12th she will have an AP in one if not 2 languages. But that's her thing, not everyone needs to do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think if a kid was committed to learning multiple languages they wouldn't be starting a new one in 12th. That just doesn't cut it.

My DD started language study in 6th grade and picked up a 2nd language in 9th so by 12th she will have an AP in one if not 2 languages. But that's her thing, not everyone needs to do this.

And what would you say your thing is? Being obnoxious on the internet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think if a kid was committed to learning multiple languages they wouldn't be starting a new one in 12th. That just doesn't cut it.

My DD started language study in 6th grade and picked up a 2nd language in 9th so by 12th she will have an AP in one if not 2 languages. But that's her thing, not everyone needs to do this.

And what would you say your thing is? Being obnoxious on the internet?

That post is helpful and practical. Go and attack your cat or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your child likes the language and wants to continue I’d ask the school and if they could create a “class of one” for him/her. Call it “Applied French” or “Spanish Literature” and have it go beyond language learning into culture, etc. Your child could pace themselves and even help develop the curriculum. Then study independently one period a day and meet with the teacher after school twice a week for assignments and discussions, like a college course. It would make a fabulous topic for a college essay as well.

My mediocre high school in the Midwest had an independent study class option for situations like this. I think a lot of good high schools in the DMV area probably have an option like that buried in the course descriptions.

Whether a teacher would be willing to oversee a class like that might be an indicator of whether any teachers at the school think your kid deserves to go to a very selective school.

Indeed. Most teachers of a language would be more than willing to help out such a dedicated student who wants to go above and beyond. If they aren't, it might be time to consider retirement.

Perhaps, but how will that help OP's kid? OP's kid can't make the decision for his school to force that teacher into retirement and hire a new one.

[Anonymous]

If you have maxed out it’s fine to stop. That said, you could also ask them to “add” a level. I have seen where students have skipped a level of a language, taken all available levels through AP (for example, through 5/6 AP) and then been placed again in the AP class as level 7 and continue advanced curriculum. At that level they should be doing literature, culture, etc and a good teacher will be able to add some new elements. Or if that is not an option and your child likes languages, switch to level 1 of a new language. It will probably be a breeze/easy A and not a throwaway class. Shows some commitment to continued language learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think if a kid was committed to learning multiple languages they wouldn't be starting a new one in 12th. That just doesn't cut it.

My DD started language study in 6th grade and picked up a 2nd language in 9th so by 12th she will have an AP in one if not 2 languages. But that's her thing, not everyone needs to do this.

DD did the same and was even able to push her second foreign language to an AP level in 4 yrs. The rest of her electives she filled up with STEM sciences classes, while keeping all 5 core subjects throughout HS.
She views her chosen field of study as a worldwide community and knowing foreign languages & cultures will only assist her in communicating and exchanging ideas with other within that community.