Skip language in MS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids didn’t start FL until high school and it worked really well. No need to rush it (unless you’re striving for an ivy- then I might change my opinion).

Is it true that it hurts with taking a new FL from level one, for 3-4 years in high school, if the student's goal is to apply for top colleges (ivy league schools)?

[Anonymous]

Typically students start in 6th, if not 7th. Some students take 3 years in MS, 2 years in HS. Some drop language to take Orchestra, Band, Chorus or another music class in HS. Some students switch language, for example take 3+2 yrs of Spanish, then start with French 1 in 10th taking French 2 as a junior, then French 3 as a senior.

[Anonymous]

^ should be take 3years of MS language + 1yr of the same language in HS, before switching to another language for 10th-12th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Typically students start in 6th, if not 7th. Some students take 3 years in MS, 2 years in HS. Some drop language to take Orchestra, Band, Chorus or another music class in HS. Some students switch language, for example take 3+2 yrs of Spanish, then start with French 1 in 10th taking French 2 as a junior, then French 3 as a senior.

Our guidance counselor is insisting on 4 years in HS (after starting in 6th).

[Anonymous]

To qualify for a magnet program student must be in level 1 by 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

Maybe going to a more challenging level might help? Mine skipped a level and enjoyed her class much more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid took a language in 6th. It wasn’t until I checked the transcript at the end of the year that I realized they only received.25 of a credit. Apparently they slow the instruction down so much that they only cover 1/4 of the material. I’m not sure if that is standard or just how that particular school did things. Either way it was a waste of time.

Sounds like he did 1A over the course of the year, will do 1B the next year, and then do 2A/B in 8th grade. Some middle schools offer that. Ours does not — you must take 1A/B over the year and it moves quickly. I would have like to have had the choice to slow down.

OP - at our school (which is an IB-MYP school) you are required to take a language class unless you have a reading or math intervention class. And as stated above, they don’t let you split level 1 into two years. That means that for kids at our school, the only way to slow down the track is to repeat a course you took before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For IB, your child should already have taken a language by the time they start IB in 11th. You can start language in 9th.

At least when my junior applied, you needed two years of FL in middle school to apply to the magnet IB programs. I think there was some wiggle room, especially with outside classes or other proficiencies, but nominally they wanted to see at least two years to be considered for the magnets. You’d want to check whether this is still the case.

As far as the IB program itself is considered, you can start a FL in 9th grade and still get the diploma—it’s just a modified track called Ab Initio. So there shouldn’t be any problem if you’re looking at an in-house IB program like Einstein or BCC, or joining a magnet program in 11th in a school you’re zoned for.

[Anonymous]

Mine did a year in middle school then chose to double up on other electives. They returned to the language in high school and did four years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids didn’t start FL until high school and it worked really well. No need to rush it (unless you’re striving for an ivy- then I might change my opinion).

Same

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ should be take 3years of MS language + 1yr of the same language in HS, before switching to another language for 10th-12th.

I was told that this is not ideal. Colleges know you're gaming the system to avoid having to take higher level languages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine did a year in middle school then chose to double up on other electives. They returned to the language in high school and did four years.

This is what my 7th grader is interested in doing. She is enjoying the Level 1 A/B class, but wants to take other electives next year for 8th and then go back to language in 9th. I wasn't sure if MCPS would allow skipping a year, so good to know this worked for your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ should be take 3years of MS language + 1yr of the same language in HS, before switching to another language for 10th-12th.

I was told that this is not ideal. Colleges know you're gaming the system to avoid having to take higher level languages.

May not be ideal but students do do it especially if they are trying to focus on a music program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids didn’t start FL until high school and it worked really well. No need to rush it (unless you’re striving for an ivy- then I might change my opinion).

Is it true that it hurts with taking a new FL from level one, for 3-4 years in high school, if the student's goal is to apply for top colleges (ivy league schools)?

Two years of level 1 and 2 in high school reduces the weighted GPA as no honor classes are available. If you’re aiming for top colleges then better to have two years in middle school and 3, 4, 5, AP in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For IB, your child should already have taken a language by the time they start IB in 11th. You can start language in 9th.

Not if you want to be considered for the application IB programs. They require at least one year in middle school.