ADHD and foreign language learning

[Anonymous]

DC1 has ADD and is fluent in 3 languages so no but he's missing the H part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My middle schooler as inattentive ADHD. From my observations, it's not so much the in attention, but cognitive aspects of executive functioning like weak working memory and processing speed that makes foreign language learning challenging. DC is very good at learning vocab and mastering grammar rules. However, composition is very taxing on his ADHD brain. When he has to read a passage, understand what the question is asking, and plan a response in French while incorporating the new vocabulary, the correct verb endings, and adjective agreement, or whatever grammar rule of the week -- everything slows down. And many careless mistakes ensue.

I have a rising middle schooler and I totally can see this with him. He has a really slow processing speed and I fear Spanish will be hard for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My middle schooler as inattentive ADHD. From my observations, it's not so much the in attention, but cognitive aspects of executive functioning like weak working memory and processing speed that makes foreign language learning challenging. DC is very good at learning vocab and mastering grammar rules. However, composition is very taxing on his ADHD brain. When he has to read a passage, understand what the question is asking, and plan a response in French while incorporating the new vocabulary, the correct verb endings, and adjective agreement, or whatever grammar rule of the week -- everything slows down. And many careless mistakes ensue.

I have a rising middle schooler and I totally can see this with him. He has a really slow processing speed and I fear Spanish will be hard for him.

This is my kid, too.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it is harder for ADHD kids to learn a foreign language. I think it is dependent on other factors (like poor working memory, etc.). Most kids find level 3+ of a language harder. You are not just memorizing vocabulary. You are expected to read and write in the language and use more complex grammar structures.

[Anonymous]

Does he 'have' to take Spanish? Can he take ASL? (ASL is a language)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ADHD adult here, also LDs. I struggled with foreign language in HS but learned pretty quickly in an immersion program in college when I studied abroad. I think I needed to be hearing the language and using the language and not just learning vocab and verb conjucation in the classroom for the language to sink in. I suspect that many people would learn better in immersion. I wonder if there are immersion summer camp opportunities that might count for high school language credits. I have an ES student so I have not looked at the high school options yet.

OP here. This is exactly what I was thinking. I think DC might benefit from an immersion experience. If anyone has any suggestions for this, let me know. I was thinking of perhaps setting DC up with someone just to speak Spanish with on iTalki or something similar, if I don't find anything else.

I guess it's a less preferred task, although DC enjoys the class itself. It seems to be how much practice and repetition is necessary. Perhaps making it a more natural way to learn a language (or at least supplementing with that) would help make it less of a slog.

Thanks again!

You don’t want to try to learn a second language the “natural” way. Think how long it too you to learn English fluently. Over a year of constant exposure, probably, with no other options for communicating, and even after that, grammar is pretty bad. People think immersion is great, and it is, but without memorizing grammar rules and vocabulary, and practicing those specific things as you are immersed, really good language skills probably won’t happen.

I don’t think there is a great program for immersion for a middle schooler. My kid does a month of Concordia language villages every year and it’s fun but unless you’re doing the high school credit program, there isn’t enough intensive language instruction for it to be more than exposure to the language. But that’s fine. At this age and with these options, I think it’s all about having an enjoyable experience with the language rather than going for fluency.

My immersion program included a daily class that covered grammar rules and all the things you covered in a class. I was also living in an apartment with three native speakers so I was using the language and had homework help. I understand that immersion programs for a high schooler would be different but you can include the classroom element to help with the grammar bit while still including the conversational element that is useful as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle School DC has ADHD and has been having great difficulty learning Spanish. DC notes it is so hard to concentrate, especially when studying due to the repetitive nature of the practice needed. DC has extremely strong verbal skills in English, but has really struggled with Spanish. Any tips or strategies that might be helpful? Do other kids with ADHD notice this issue too?

My ADHD DC also had trouble with Spanish, but also has strong verbal English skills. Middle School was ok because the teachers offered lots of support, but freshman year Honors Spanish 3 was tough. Thankfully that was the year MCPS closed mid year for the pandemic, and it was significantly easier with lots of retakes and easy assignments when they went virtual. She stopped after Spanish 3 and started taking ASL. She loves it! My non ADHD child is doing well in her freshman year of Honors French 3 and plans to continue into the higher levels and AP foreign language classes.

Wow, could have written this same post for my DD except we were dealing with French. They put DD in an honors French 3 class which really ticked me off because it moved too fast for her. When I told them that she signed up for French 3 (not honors) they told me they only had honors classes for level 3 and up. That was the end of French - moved on to ASL which was wonderful and to this day she still loves it and will likely be able to incorporate it into her profession in healthcare.

[Anonymous]

Our home school in MCPS is a dual-language immersion elementary program, not a lottery or choice to participate in the program.

My 7 year old, newly diagnosed with ADHD, just started first grade last Fall and absolutely hates it. It's actually created a school avoidance issue for him. I'm considering applying for a COSA to move him out of the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ADHD adult here, also LDs. I struggled with foreign language in HS but learned pretty quickly in an immersion program in college when I studied abroad. I think I needed to be hearing the language and using the language and not just learning vocab and verb conjucation in the classroom for the language to sink in. I suspect that many people would learn better in immersion. I wonder if there are immersion summer camp opportunities that might count for high school language credits. I have an ES student so I have not looked at the high school options yet.

OP here. This is exactly what I was thinking. I think DC might benefit from an immersion experience. If anyone has any suggestions for this, let me know. I was thinking of perhaps setting DC up with someone just to speak Spanish with on iTalki or something similar, if I don't find anything else.

I guess it's a less preferred task, although DC enjoys the class itself. It seems to be how much practice and repetition is necessary. Perhaps making it a more natural way to learn a language (or at least supplementing with that) would help make it less of a slog.

Thanks again!

You don’t want to try to learn a second language the “natural” way. Think how long it too you to learn English fluently. Over a year of constant exposure, probably, with no other options for communicating, and even after that, grammar is pretty bad. People think immersion is great, and it is, but without memorizing grammar rules and vocabulary, and practicing those specific things as you are immersed, really good language skills probably won’t happen.

I don’t think there is a great program for immersion for a middle schooler. My kid does a month of Concordia language villages every year and it’s fun but unless you’re doing the high school credit program, there isn’t enough intensive language instruction for it to be more than exposure to the language. But that’s fine. At this age and with these options, I think it’s all about having an enjoyable experience with the language rather than going for fluency.

+1. It depends on how well the immersion program is done. My DS with ASD/ADHD went to a Mandarin immersion school from prek-5 and is now taking Mandarin in middle school. DS much prefers Mandarin classes as opposed to immersion. Learning a second language naturally at a school without native speakers doesn’t work well specially if there isn’t enough structure and the culture doesn’t support learning language naturally. Most importantly, DS enjoys his language classes now and his vocabulary and especially his writing has improved greatly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Yes, we are bilingual and DS had significantly more trouble learning our native language than his siblings. However, since he's also more dogged at learning, he remembers a host of grammatical rules and details that his sister learned and then promptly forgot... so in the end, they both have mastery, but acquired in a different way. My point is, just because it's laborious at first, it doesn't mean your child can't reach advanced levels in a language! Frequent review and practice are key.

Spanglish speaking family here, and our ADHD daughter is FAR better than her neurotypical brother (who funny enough is more tan and has the more Latino name). In both Spanish and English, she just absorbs new vocabulary and picks up on grammar easily. I’m glad she’s a natural at it, because there’s no way she’d be good at languages if she had to sit down and learn grammar.