Starting foreign language in 8th or 9th grade?

[Anonymous]

When do you recommend starting a foreign language- 8th or 9th grade? Our 7th grader wants an advanced or IB diploma (we are not sure of options/choices yet because we aren’t experienced yet). They currently take all honors classes and math 7 honors with straight As. No music or other full year electives.

Does starting the language in 8th grade have benefits? I know that the grade counts towards the HS GPA. We’d appreciate any info you can share. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

If you want the IB diploma, you MUST take language in middle school in order to have enough time for all the prerequisites.

[Anonymous]

Benefit of starting in 8th grade is being able to take AP in senior year, which is an expectation of UVA and top privates.

[Anonymous]

While middle school language grades go on the high school transcript, you have the option of expunging the grade and the credit from the high school transcript.

[Anonymous]

thank you for the replies! that is very helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Benefit of starting in 8th grade is being able to take AP in senior year, which is an expectation of UVA and top privates.

Wrong. He can still take an AP class after 3 years. DS started in 9th. He took AP exam his senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Benefit of starting in 8th grade is being able to take AP in senior year, which is an expectation of UVA and top privates.

Wrong. He can still take an AP class after 3 years. DS started in 9th. He took AP exam his senior year.

You almost want to do the AP class senior year because you don't want the results of the AP exam to go forward, unless your kid is good in the foreign language.

[Anonymous]

I have 3 kids - oldest is in 9th and middle is in 6th. I also worked as a college admissions counselor for a short period of time after college. My oldest is taking Spanish 1 in 9th grade now. His guidance counselor last year randomly told me that she thought it was nice I wasn't forcing him to take a language in 8th grade. He was already taking Geometry in 8th grade (and he much prefers math to a foreign language) and I think he'll be able to do just fine with his course selection without me micromanaging him. I just know language is not his forte so I didn't see a benefit to forcing him to do it before 9th grade.

My middle one actually excels in foreign languages and he said he was considering taking one in 7th. Now, I think he might likely take one in 8th - but he said he was also considering band and engineering and I said - you HAVE to take a language in HS, so you might want to try another elective in MS while you can.

Luckily my oldest wants to get the advanced diploma on his own so he knows he needs 3 years of Spanish for that. From my admissions experience, I did not think language in MS was a necessity but I think my kids really should have 4 years of language in HS regardless of whether they take it in MS. I think / hope my oldest will realize after he's done the 3 years - that he needs to add a 4th for college and I won't have to fight with him about it.

[Anonymous]

^^ Also we are not at an IB school so I don't know those requirements

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately you have to start in 8th if you're planning on getting the IB diploma. We are facing this dilemma with my rising 7th grader. She has dyslexia and learning a language will be challenging for her. But if we don't start in 8th, I'm effectively shutting her out from getting the IB diploma should she decide she wants to go that route in the future. I hate that you have to make decisions NOW that will affect you five years from now when it comes to diploma types. And it's not even really that well explained when your kid is just going into 7th grade. The barely touch on the IB requirements so a lot of parents have no idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately you have to start in 8th if you're planning on getting the IB diploma. We are facing this dilemma with my rising 7th grader. She has dyslexia and learning a language will be challenging for her. But if we don't start in 8th, I'm effectively shutting her out from getting the IB diploma should she decide she wants to go that route in the future. I hate that you have to make decisions NOW that will affect you five years from now when it comes to diploma types. And it's not even really that well explained when your kid is just going into 7th grade. The barely touch on the IB requirements so a lot of parents have no idea.

This.

[Anonymous]

When did AP become a 5th year thing? Just curious as I recall French Language AP was 4th year class back when I was in school, there was no "non-AP" 4th year class in a language. There was also the option for the French Literature AP class for 5th year, which College Board did away with back in 2010. So did the Language AP shift from a 4th year to 5th year class concurrent with the elimination of the French Literature AP?

[Anonymous]

I have no idea about AP and IB, but starting as young as possible in language is always a benefit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Benefit of starting in 8th grade is being able to take AP in senior year, which is an expectation of UVA and top privates.

Wrong. He can still take an AP class after 3 years. DS started in 9th. He took AP exam his senior year.

You almost want to do the AP class senior year because you don't want the results of the AP exam to go forward, unless your kid is good in the foreign language.

NP, but with a question... If you start with Spanish 1 in 8th grade, you can either do Spanish 4 by junior year and AP in senior year OR in junior year, you dual enroll (term used on the Woodson HS site) in Spanish 4 and AP.
Is your suggestion to hold off on the AP level until senior year so you can show that you are taking it, but the final grade doesn't hurt as much?
Just want to make sure I understand this line of thought. THANKS!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately you have to start in 8th if you're planning on getting the IB diploma. We are facing this dilemma with my rising 7th grader. She has dyslexia and learning a language will be challenging for her. But if we don't start in 8th, I'm effectively shutting her out from getting the IB diploma should she decide she wants to go that route in the future. I hate that you have to make decisions NOW that will affect you five years from now when it comes to diploma types. And it's not even really that well explained when your kid is just going into 7th grade.

The barely touch on the IB requirements so a lot of parents have no idea.

Wow thank you for this. Do you have any links or references about this? We are at an IB school so this matters. Did your child pursue the IB diploma? Appreciate the shared wisdom! This is my oldest child and we’re trying to figure out the little details.