Middle School Foreign Language (FCPS)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Former WL teacher here.

Middle schools can run 3 options:
1. Level 1 Part A as a semester course (Grade 7), Level 1 Part B as a year-long course (Grade 8).
2. Level 1 Part A as a yr-long (7th), Level 1 B as a yr-long (8th).
3. Level 1 as a single year course in 8th (note: I've heard that some schools offer Level 1 in Grade 7 so that they can offer Level 2 in 8th, but can't confirm).

I've taught all 3 sequences. My favorite is the yr-long each Part A and Part B--we got to do so much enrichment, lots of fun projects, etc. The semester-long Part A/year-long Part B is just the right amount of time to cover all of the requirements of the course. The single-year Level 1 is tough--it's bare-bones, teach-to-the-test, at breakneck speed.

If you have a choice, and language learning is a priority, I would recommend the two-part program, regardless of how it's divided up. Making sure your student has the foundation and fundamentals of whatever language s/he has chosen is paramount to success in the subsequent levels--everything spirals upon itself (similar to math). It is a skills-based course.

If your student prefers to sample other offerings in Grade 7, and s/he wants to just "try out" language learning, then maybe the single year Level 1 class is enough.

OP, if you have other questions, you can quote me and I'll check back.

Thank you very much! This is really helpful - with regard to foundation/fundamentals, what do you recommend? We have access to Mango through the library, and they already know colors/some numbers/etc. from younger years, but I don’t know what verbs or grammar they know. They’re really interested in learning Spanish, which kind of surprised me. (I’d assumed they’d want to do art or theater more.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former WL teacher here.

Middle schools can run 3 options:
1. Level 1 Part A as a semester course (Grade 7), Level 1 Part B as a year-long course (Grade 8).
2. Level 1 Part A as a yr-long (7th), Level 1 B as a yr-long (8th).
3. Level 1 as a single year course in 8th (note: I've heard that some schools offer Level 1 in Grade 7 so that they can offer Level 2 in 8th, but can't confirm).

Our FCPS middle school absolutely offers Spanish 1 in seventh grade and Spanish 2 in eighth grade.
Students can also opt to take Spanish 1 in eighth grade or split Spanish 1 into the two parts, which are both full-year courses.

I don't think this school offers the same for French. I think the only options for French are French 1 in eighth grade OR full-year Part A/Part B over the two years of middle school.

Is it Longfellow or some other large % of AAP students? I thought I had heard years ago that Longfellow offered the Level 1 for 7th and Level 2 for 8th, but again, that information is OLD and I can't confirm.

No, it is Franklin.

[Anonymous]

If they take Spanish 1 in 7th and Spanish 2 in 8th, do they really only need one year of language in HS??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they take Spanish 1 in 7th and Spanish 2 in 8th, do they really only need one year of language in HS??

Yes, pretty much. Both Level 1 and Level 2 carry a high school credit. The 2 options for HS language credits are 3 years of the same language (in your example, your student will need to take Level 3 Spanish) or 2 years of 2 different languages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Former WL teacher here.

Middle schools can run 3 options:
1. Level 1 Part A as a semester course (Grade 7), Level 1 Part B as a year-long course (Grade 8).
2. Level 1 Part A as a yr-long (7th), Level 1 B as a yr-long (8th).
3. Level 1 as a single year course in 8th (note: I've heard that some schools offer Level 1 in Grade 7 so that they can offer Level 2 in 8th, but can't confirm).

I've taught all 3 sequences. My favorite is the yr-long each Part A and Part B--we got to do so much enrichment, lots of fun projects, etc. The semester-long Part A/year-long Part B is just the right amount of time to cover all of the requirements of the course. The single-year Level 1 is tough--it's bare-bones, teach-to-the-test, at breakneck speed.

If you have a choice, and language learning is a priority, I would recommend the two-part program, regardless of how it's divided up. Making sure your student has the foundation and fundamentals of whatever language s/he has chosen is paramount to success in the subsequent levels--everything spirals upon itself (similar to math). It is a skills-based course.

If your student prefers to sample other offerings in Grade 7, and s/he wants to just "try out" language learning, then maybe the single year Level 1 class is enough.

OP, if you have other questions, you can quote me and I'll check back.

NP. What do you recommend for kids who have taken years of Spanish in elementary school, but languages not their strong subject. Ok to take Spanish 1 in 8th?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former WL teacher here.

Middle schools can run 3 options:
1. Level 1 Part A as a semester course (Grade 7), Level 1 Part B as a year-long course (Grade 8).
2. Level 1 Part A as a yr-long (7th), Level 1 B as a yr-long (8th).
3. Level 1 as a single year course in 8th (note: I've heard that some schools offer Level 1 in Grade 7 so that they can offer Level 2 in 8th, but can't confirm).

I've taught all 3 sequences. My favorite is the yr-long each Part A and Part B--we got to do so much enrichment, lots of fun projects, etc. The semester-long Part A/year-long Part B is just the right amount of time to cover all of the requirements of the course. The single-year Level 1 is tough--it's bare-bones, teach-to-the-test, at breakneck speed.

If you have a choice, and language learning is a priority, I would recommend the two-part program, regardless of how it's divided up. Making sure your student has the foundation and fundamentals of whatever language s/he has chosen is paramount to success in the subsequent levels--everything spirals upon itself (similar to math). It is a skills-based course.

If your student prefers to sample other offerings in Grade 7, and s/he wants to just "try out" language learning, then maybe the single year Level 1 class is enough.

OP, if you have other questions, you can quote me and I'll check back.

NP. What do you recommend for kids who have taken years of Spanish in elementary school, but languages not their strong subject. Ok to take Spanish 1 in 8th?

That person posted 4 years ago. I’m not a language teacher but my kid is taking the entire year in 8th next year. My older kid did this and wasn’t strong in languages and it worked well. It was more that we wanted them to have two electives in 7th and not have their high school transcript be only the second, harder half of the year if they took part 2. I know it goes slower since it’s spread out over a year but our thought was the full course could always be expunged if the year didn’t go well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former WL teacher here.

Middle schools can run 3 options:
1. Level 1 Part A as a semester course (Grade 7), Level 1 Part B as a year-long course (Grade 8).
2. Level 1 Part A as a yr-long (7th), Level 1 B as a yr-long (8th).
3. Level 1 as a single year course in 8th (note: I've heard that some schools offer Level 1 in Grade 7 so that they can offer Level 2 in 8th, but can't confirm).

I've taught all 3 sequences. My favorite is the yr-long each Part A and Part B--we got to do so much enrichment, lots of fun projects, etc. The semester-long Part A/year-long Part B is just the right amount of time to cover all of the requirements of the course. The single-year Level 1 is tough--it's bare-bones, teach-to-the-test, at breakneck speed.

If you have a choice, and language learning is a priority, I would recommend the two-part program, regardless of how it's divided up. Making sure your student has the foundation and fundamentals of whatever language s/he has chosen is paramount to success in the subsequent levels--everything spirals upon itself (similar to math). It is a skills-based course.

If your student prefers to sample other offerings in Grade 7, and s/he wants to just "try out" language learning, then maybe the single year Level 1 class is enough.

OP, if you have other questions, you can quote me and I'll check back.

NP. What do you recommend for kids who have taken years of Spanish in elementary school, but languages not their strong subject. Ok to take Spanish 1 in 8th?

This is us now. Perfectly fine to take it in 8th. We wanted our child to have a break from Spanish in 7th and take some fun electives. Spanish 1 is proving to be quite a bit of work but they are rising it the challenge and doing very well.

[Anonymous]

What Spanish class should a student take in 9th grade after Spanish 2 in middle school? Is the 8th grade Spanish class really equivalent to that taught in the HS? Should they take Spanish 2 freshman year or will they be prepared enough to successfully take Spanish 3 if getting A in S2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What Spanish class should a student take in 9th grade after Spanish 2 in middle school? Is the 8th grade Spanish class really equivalent to that taught in the HS? Should they take Spanish 2 freshman year or will they be prepared enough to successfully take Spanish 3 if getting A in S2.

Spanish 3. Level 1 & 2 are the same classes (and the same credits) whether they are taken in MS or HS. And upon satisfactory completion, the language requirement for graduation is satisfied. It is always my recommendation that students continue into higher level language classes (esp. if they have an aptitude for language learning), but YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What Spanish class should a student take in 9th grade after Spanish 2 in middle school? Is the 8th grade Spanish class really equivalent to that taught in the HS? Should they take Spanish 2 freshman year or will they be prepared enough to successfully take Spanish 3 if getting A in S2.

Are you serious? After Spanish 2 comes Spanish 3 unless your kid bombed the course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former WL teacher here.

Middle schools can run 3 options:
1. Level 1 Part A as a semester course (Grade 7), Level 1 Part B as a year-long course (Grade 8).
2. Level 1 Part A as a yr-long (7th), Level 1 B as a yr-long (8th).
3. Level 1 as a single year course in 8th (note: I've heard that some schools offer Level 1 in Grade 7 so that they can offer Level 2 in 8th, but can't confirm).

I've taught all 3 sequences. My favorite is the yr-long each Part A and Part B--we got to do so much enrichment, lots of fun projects, etc. The semester-long Part A/year-long Part B is just the right amount of time to cover all of the requirements of the course. The single-year Level 1 is tough--it's bare-bones, teach-to-the-test, at breakneck speed.

If you have a choice, and language learning is a priority, I would recommend the two-part program, regardless of how it's divided up. Making sure your student has the foundation and fundamentals of whatever language s/he has chosen is paramount to success in the subsequent levels--everything spirals upon itself (similar to math). It is a skills-based course.

If your student prefers to sample other offerings in Grade 7, and s/he wants to just "try out" language learning, then maybe the single year Level 1 class is enough.

OP, if you have other questions, you can quote me and I'll check back.

NP. What do you recommend for kids who have taken years of Spanish in elementary school, but languages not their strong subject. Ok to take Spanish 1 in 8th?

That person posted 4 years ago. I’m not a language teacher but my kid is taking the entire year in 8th next year. My older kid did this and wasn’t strong in languages and it worked well. It was more that we wanted them to have two electives in 7th and not have their high school transcript be only the second, harder half of the year if they took part 2. I know it goes slower since it’s spread out over a year but our thought was the full course could always be expunged if the year didn’t go well.

I was the person who posted that information. It is very common for students to take Level 1 in a single year. Here are my recommendations for what to take based on the individual student:

Scenario 1: Student has an aptitude for languages and wants to start "earlier" and dive deep into language learning. I would recommend Part A/B for Level 1 (in the absence of Level 1/2 both being offered at the MS level). If the student is a high performing student w/ an aptitude for languages and Level 1 AND 2 are offered, that is certainly an option. It seems like schools that have Levels 1 & 2 don't also have Part A & B (but I'm guessing based on the posts in this thread).
Scenario 2: Student wants to take other electives in 7th grade and take the 1 year Level 1 in 8th grade. If the student is a strong student, they most likely will be successful. If the student is not a strong student, but wants to start language learning anyway, I still say go for it, just understand that the grades may not be what the parent/student want them to be, and if they aren't, a decision will have to be made whether to keep or expunge the grades upon completion of the course.
Scenario 3: Student struggles with academics but is interested in language learning. I recommend that student takes Level 1 Part A & Part B. It is a slower pace and there is more time for extended learning, projects, remediation, etc.
Scenario 4: Student struggles with academics and is not interested in language learning. I recommend that the student wait until 9th grade in HS to start Level 1. Students need 3 years of 1 language or 2 years each of 2 languages to graduate. Starting in 9th grade still allows the student the opportunity to fulfill the requirements. The only downside to waitiing until 9th grade can prevent students from taking a full 5 years of a language (which means the upper level AP/IB courses).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former WL teacher here.

Middle schools can run 3 options:
1. Level 1 Part A as a semester course (Grade 7), Level 1 Part B as a year-long course (Grade 8).
2. Level 1 Part A as a yr-long (7th), Level 1 B as a yr-long (8th).
3. Level 1 as a single year course in 8th (note: I've heard that some schools offer Level 1 in Grade 7 so that they can offer Level 2 in 8th, but can't confirm).

I've taught all 3 sequences. My favorite is the yr-long each Part A and Part B--we got to do so much enrichment, lots of fun projects, etc. The semester-long Part A/year-long Part B is just the right amount of time to cover all of the requirements of the course. The single-year Level 1 is tough--it's bare-bones, teach-to-the-test, at breakneck speed.

If you have a choice, and language learning is a priority, I would recommend the two-part program, regardless of how it's divided up. Making sure your student has the foundation and fundamentals of whatever language s/he has chosen is paramount to success in the subsequent levels--everything spirals upon itself (similar to math). It is a skills-based course.

If your student prefers to sample other offerings in Grade 7, and s/he wants to just "try out" language learning, then maybe the single year Level 1 class is enough.

OP, if you have other questions, you can quote me and I'll check back.

NP. What do you recommend for kids who have taken years of Spanish in elementary school, but languages not their strong subject. Ok to take Spanish 1 in 8th?

That person posted 4 years ago. I’m not a language teacher but my kid is taking the entire year in 8th next year. My older kid did this and wasn’t strong in languages and it worked well. It was more that we wanted them to have two electives in 7th and not have their high school transcript be only the second, harder half of the year if they took part 2. I know it goes slower since it’s spread out over a year but our thought was the full course could always be expunged if the year didn’t go well.

I was the person who posted that information. It is very common for students to take Level 1 in a single year. Here are my recommendations for what to take based on the individual student:

Scenario 1: Student has an aptitude for languages and wants to start "earlier" and dive deep into language learning. I would recommend Part A/B for Level 1 (in the absence of Level 1/2 both being offered at the MS level). If the student is a high performing student w/ an aptitude for languages and Level 1 AND 2 are offered, that is certainly an option. It seems like schools that have Levels 1 & 2 don't also have Part A & B (but I'm guessing based on the posts in this thread).
Scenario 2: Student wants to take other electives in 7th grade and take the 1 year Level 1 in 8th grade. If the student is a strong student, they most likely will be successful. If the student is not a strong student, but wants to start language learning anyway, I still say go for it, just understand that the grades may not be what the parent/student want them to be, and if they aren't, a decision will have to be made whether to keep or expunge the grades upon completion of the course.
Scenario 3: Student struggles with academics but is interested in language learning. I recommend that student takes Level 1 Part A & Part B. It is a slower pace and there is more time for extended learning, projects, remediation, etc.
Scenario 4: Student struggles with academics and is not interested in language learning. I recommend that the student wait until 9th grade in HS to start Level 1. Students need 3 years of 1 language or 2 years each of 2 languages to graduate. Starting in 9th grade still allows the student the opportunity to fulfill the requirements. The only downside to waitiing until 9th grade can prevent students from taking a full 5 years of a language (which means the upper level AP/IB courses).

Thank you. Should students do Spanish 1-4 before attempting AP (non-native speaker)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former WL teacher here.

Middle schools can run 3 options:
1. Level 1 Part A as a semester course (Grade 7), Level 1 Part B as a year-long course (Grade 8).
2. Level 1 Part A as a yr-long (7th), Level 1 B as a yr-long (8th).
3. Level 1 as a single year course in 8th (note: I've heard that some schools offer Level 1 in Grade 7 so that they can offer Level 2 in 8th, but can't confirm).

Our FCPS middle school absolutely offers Spanish 1 in seventh grade and Spanish 2 in eighth grade.
Students can also opt to take Spanish 1 in eighth grade or split Spanish 1 into the two parts, which are both full-year courses.

I don't think this school offers the same for French. I think the only options for French are French 1 in eighth grade OR full-year Part A/Part B over the two years of middle school.

Is it Longfellow or some other large % of AAP students? I thought I had heard years ago that Longfellow offered the Level 1 for 7th and Level 2 for 8th, but again, that information is OLD and I can't confirm.

Longfellow offered French I in 7th only to those students who were in the French Immersion at Kent Gardens not because of its AAP population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former WL teacher here.

Middle schools can run 3 options:
1. Level 1 Part A as a semester course (Grade 7), Level 1 Part B as a year-long course (Grade 8).
2. Level 1 Part A as a yr-long (7th), Level 1 B as a yr-long (8th).
3. Level 1 as a single year course in 8th (note: I've heard that some schools offer Level 1 in Grade 7 so that they can offer Level 2 in 8th, but can't confirm).

I've taught all 3 sequences. My favorite is the yr-long each Part A and Part B--we got to do so much enrichment, lots of fun projects, etc. The semester-long Part A/year-long Part B is just the right amount of time to cover all of the requirements of the course. The single-year Level 1 is tough--it's bare-bones, teach-to-the-test, at breakneck speed.

If you have a choice, and language learning is a priority, I would recommend the two-part program, regardless of how it's divided up. Making sure your student has the foundation and fundamentals of whatever language s/he has chosen is paramount to success in the subsequent levels--everything spirals upon itself (similar to math). It is a skills-based course.

If your student prefers to sample other offerings in Grade 7, and s/he wants to just "try out" language learning, then maybe the single year Level 1 class is enough.

OP, if you have other questions, you can quote me and I'll check back.

NP. What do you recommend for kids who have taken years of Spanish in elementary school, but languages not their strong subject. Ok to take Spanish 1 in 8th?

That person posted 4 years ago. I’m not a language teacher but my kid is taking the entire year in 8th next year. My older kid did this and wasn’t strong in languages and it worked well. It was more that we wanted them to have two electives in 7th and not have their high school transcript be only the second, harder half of the year if they took part 2. I know it goes slower since it’s spread out over a year but our thought was the full course could always be expunged if the year didn’t go well.

I was the person who posted that information. It is very common for students to take Level 1 in a single year. Here are my recommendations for what to take based on the individual student:

Scenario 1: Student has an aptitude for languages and wants to start "earlier" and dive deep into language learning. I would recommend Part A/B for Level 1 (in the absence of Level 1/2 both being offered at the MS level). If the student is a high performing student w/ an aptitude for languages and Level 1 AND 2 are offered, that is certainly an option. It seems like schools that have Levels 1 & 2 don't also have Part A & B (but I'm guessing based on the posts in this thread).
Scenario 2: Student wants to take other electives in 7th grade and take the 1 year Level 1 in 8th grade. If the student is a strong student, they most likely will be successful. If the student is not a strong student, but wants to start language learning anyway, I still say go for it, just understand that the grades may not be what the parent/student want them to be, and if they aren't, a decision will have to be made whether to keep or expunge the grades upon completion of the course.
Scenario 3: Student struggles with academics but is interested in language learning. I recommend that student takes Level 1 Part A & Part B. It is a slower pace and there is more time for extended learning, projects, remediation, etc.
Scenario 4: Student struggles with academics and is not interested in language learning. I recommend that the student wait until 9th grade in HS to start Level 1. Students need 3 years of 1 language or 2 years each of 2 languages to graduate. Starting in 9th grade still allows the student the opportunity to fulfill the requirements. The only downside to waitiing until 9th grade can prevent students from taking a full 5 years of a language (which means the upper level AP/IB courses).

Thank you. Should students do Spanish 1-4 before attempting AP (non-native speaker)

They are pre requisites. You can’t just join an AP class without the pre reqs. Are you from the US?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former WL teacher here.

Middle schools can run 3 options:
1. Level 1 Part A as a semester course (Grade 7), Level 1 Part B as a year-long course (Grade 8).
2. Level 1 Part A as a yr-long (7th), Level 1 B as a yr-long (8th).
3. Level 1 as a single year course in 8th (note: I've heard that some schools offer Level 1 in Grade 7 so that they can offer Level 2 in 8th, but can't confirm).

Our FCPS middle school absolutely offers Spanish 1 in seventh grade and Spanish 2 in eighth grade.
Students can also opt to take Spanish 1 in eighth grade or split Spanish 1 into the two parts, which are both full-year courses.

I don't think this school offers the same for French. I think the only options for French are French 1 in eighth grade OR full-year Part A/Part B over the two years of middle school.

Is it Longfellow or some other large % of AAP students? I thought I had heard years ago that Longfellow offered the Level 1 for 7th and Level 2 for 8th, but again, that information is OLD and I can't confirm.

No, it is Franklin.

Rocky Run also offers Spanish 1/French 1 in 7th and Spanish 2/ French 2 in 8th. I think they used to also offer Latin in 7th but that appears to be dropped. You can go to the website of any MS or HS to view the course catalog (or course selection sheet) and it will tell you what is offered.