Spanish 1A or Spanish 1A/1B

[Anonymous]

DS is going into 7th grade next year and we are trying to decide between taking Spanish 1A FY or 1A/1B. If Spanish 1A then it is slower and takes time. However is there any disadvantage to taking the slower Spanish? Are they required to take certain amount of foreign language. I just don't think DS is into the languages but I don't want to give him bad advice. Anyone take this before?

[Anonymous]

DS is starting middle school next year, and I'm surprised to learn that middle school offerings differ so much. I've heard of the 1A option, but it doesn't seem to be offered at our school. DS's fifth grade teacher recommended that he take 1A/1B next year in sixth grade. We were told that all students were expected to take foreign language 1AB in sixth grade as long as they are reading at grade level. As far as I can tell, DS will have to complete by the end of sixth grade what some other schools don't require until the end of eighth grade.

[Anonymous]

I have two kids who started out in Spanish 1A/1B. For the one who is good with language, it's been great. For the one who is not language inspired, he repeated 1B, which helped develop a stronger foundation and was more fun than going at the quick pace.

There's no rush. The strong foundation matters more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is starting middle school next year, and I'm surprised to learn that middle school offerings differ so much. I've heard of the 1A option, but it doesn't seem to be offered at our school. DS's fifth grade teacher recommended that he take 1A/1B next year in sixth grade. We were told that all students were expected to take foreign language 1AB in sixth grade as long as they are reading at grade level. As far as I can tell, DS will have to complete by the end of sixth grade what some other schools don't require until the end of eighth grade.

Which middle school? We were told at Pyle that most sixth graders take the reading class (called something like digital literacy) and start a language in 7th grade. Like op I wasn't clear whether it is more common to do 1A/B in one year or split it over two years as 1A and 1B.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is starting middle school next year, and I'm surprised to learn that middle school offerings differ so much. I've heard of the 1A option, but it doesn't seem to be offered at our school. DS's fifth grade teacher recommended that he take 1A/1B next year in sixth grade. We were told that all students were expected to take foreign language 1AB in sixth grade as long as they are reading at grade level. As far as I can tell, DS will have to complete by the end of sixth grade what some other schools don't require until the end of eighth grade.

Which middle school? We were told at Pyle that most sixth graders take the reading class (called something like digital literacy) and start a language in 7th grade. Like op I wasn't clear whether it is more common to do 1A/B in one year or split it over two years as 1A and 1B.

SSIMS is the middle school.

[Anonymous]

At our MCPS middle (W feeder) kids take reading in 6th and start foreign language in 7th. The school suggests 1A for most kids in 7th and 1B in 8th. There are more than enough years to get the language requirement out of the way so there's no need to push. With that said, my DD decided she wanted to take Spanish for the first time in 8th grade and chose the A/B option and she hasn't found it too difficult. There are mostly 7th graders in her class so even though they recommend the slower pathway, students can opt to move more quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids who started out in Spanish 1A/1B. For the one who is good with language, it's been great. For the one who is not language inspired, he repeated 1B, which helped develop a stronger foundation and was more fun than going at the quick pace.

There's no rush. The strong foundation matters more.

I agree. My kid took Spanish 1A/1B in 6th; did OK; got Bs, but I didn't think she had really learned is so I had him repeat it. He got As and a really good foundation for later classes.

[Anonymous]

Just wanted to add that if your child struggles with language, they can take one year of two different languages to fulfill the requirement.

[Anonymous]

Our middle school recommended the A/B option saying that if it was too much for a child, they could easily shift into the full-year A option, whereas a child who felt the full-year option was too slow wouldn't be able to transfer into A/B because they would have missed material.

[Anonymous]

My child took Spanish 1A/B in 6th and found it easy. He will take 2 A/B in 7th.

I think what your child should take depends on two things - student's aptitude for languages as well as the quality of teaching in the school. We have good teachers at the school, and DC has a flair for languages.

[Anonymous]

DH teaches Spanish at a MS with a magnet program. I asked him about the difference, and his comment was that magnet kids take 1A/1B and the "regular" kids take 1A full year. He teaches both. Most kids do well in both classes. If your child is a great student and/or a talent for languages, then go 1A/1B. If your child is a good/average/not so great student and/or is not as interested in languages, 1A would be the better choice.

[Anonymous]

My child is taking Spanish 1A -- that is all that my child's school offers. The school does not offer a 1A/1B option. Half a year of high school Spanish in a full year of middle school is slow, slow, slow.

[Anonymous]

Our MCPS MS does not have an option for 1A to go a full year. All of the languages are A/B.

[Anonymous]

Our daughter took 1A in 7th and 1B in 8th and did fine. She just finished 2A in HS this past semester and is now on to 2B in the 2nd semester.

In my opinion there is no need to rush through it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our MCPS MS does not have an option for 1A to go a full year. All of the languages are A/B.

Same for us. Is your school an IB MYP school? Ours is, and I wonder if that is the reason for ore stringent foreign language requirements.