Foreign Language requirement question

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A word of advice from a parent of high schoolers:
- Have your kids take the technology credit in middle school.
- Consider having your kids start a foreign language later in middle school or in high school instead of 6th grade. That way they can appease colleges by taking 2-4 years of the same foreign language without having to take the AP level course. My son earned three credits of Spanish in middle school and now feels pressured to do two more levels even though he greatly dislikes foreign language and would rather focus more on STEM. I think it would have benefitted him more to skip foreign language in middle school and take Spanish 1 and 2 in high school.

This is my pet peeve as well - MCPS encourages students to start FL early, but without explaining the impact. If we had known, DC would have started in grade 7 and stopped at level 4 in tenth grade. Instead they ended up having to take level 5 in tenth grade.

And, I don't think all MSs offer a class that would provide HS technology credit.

We/DS selected Spanish 1A/B for 6th grade in part because the non-instrumental music/non-FL option (the "rotations") didn't seem super duper interesting to him (we just insisted on Band but he had a choice between the other two). If he finds it too challenging, we may ask for Spanish 2A in 7th and Spanish 2B in 8th - or there's nothing actually stopping him from not taking FL for one year, then getting back to it, right? I realize that if he continues with both Band and FL though MS there wouldn't be any more time for "rotations," but he does get some enrichment through other activities and summer camps. If he decides to quit Band after 6th grade that's also fine, we were just repeatedly told that it's harder to come back to that later, hence insisting on it for 6th.*

* Yes, I realize that that can also be the case with a FL, but DH and I both have experience with being able to get back into the flow of a FL after a break. I think that's different from Orchestra/Band after a year of no practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A word of advice from a parent of high schoolers:
- Have your kids take the technology credit in middle school.
- Consider having your kids start a foreign language later in middle school or in high school instead of 6th grade. That way they can appease colleges by taking 2-4 years of the same foreign language without having to take the AP level course. My son earned three credits of Spanish in middle school and now feels pressured to do two more levels even though he greatly dislikes foreign language and would rather focus more on STEM. I think it would have benefitted him more to skip foreign language in middle school and take Spanish 1 and 2 in high school.

This is my pet peeve as well - MCPS encourages students to start FL early, but without explaining the impact. If we had known, DC would have started in grade 7 and stopped at level 4 in tenth grade. Instead they ended up having to take level 5 in tenth grade.

And, I don't think all MSs offer a class that would provide HS technology credit.

We/DS selected Spanish 1A/B for 6th grade in part because the non-instrumental music/non-FL option (the "rotations") didn't seem super duper interesting to him (we just insisted on Band but he had a choice between the other two). If he finds it too challenging, we may ask for Spanish 2A in 7th and Spanish 2B in 8th - or there's nothing actually stopping him from not taking FL for one year, then getting back to it, right? I realize that if he continues with both Band and FL though MS there wouldn't be any more time for "rotations," but he does get some enrichment through other activities and summer camps. If he decides to quit Band after 6th grade that's also fine, we were just repeatedly told that it's harder to come back to that later, hence insisting on it for 6th.*

* Yes, I realize that that can also be the case with a FL, but DH and I both have experience with being able to get back into the flow of a FL after a break. I think that's different from Orchestra/Band after a year of no practice.

So, in our MS they offer 1A full year, 1B full year, but then 2 A/B no 2 A full year. So, if the 1A/B doesn´t work, suggest quickly dropping down to the full year 1A. If child likes band, the bigger deal is taking it in 8th so you have the HS prereq. If child doesn´t like band, it doesn´t matter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A word of advice from a parent of high schoolers:
- Have your kids take the technology credit in middle school.
- Consider having your kids start a foreign language later in middle school or in high school instead of 6th grade. That way they can appease colleges by taking 2-4 years of the same foreign language without having to take the AP level course. My son earned three credits of Spanish in middle school and now feels pressured to do two more levels even though he greatly dislikes foreign language and would rather focus more on STEM. I think it would have benefitted him more to skip foreign language in middle school and take Spanish 1 and 2 in high school.

This is my pet peeve as well - MCPS encourages students to start FL early, but without explaining the impact. If we had known, DC would have started in grade 7 and stopped at level 4 in tenth grade. Instead they ended up having to take level 5 in tenth grade.

And, I don't think all MSs offer a class that would provide HS technology credit.

We/DS selected Spanish 1A/B for 6th grade in part because the non-instrumental music/non-FL option (the "rotations") didn't seem super duper interesting to him (we just insisted on Band but he had a choice between the other two). If he finds it too challenging, we may ask for Spanish 2A in 7th and Spanish 2B in 8th - or there's nothing actually stopping him from not taking FL for one year, then getting back to it, right? I realize that if he continues with both Band and FL though MS there wouldn't be any more time for "rotations," but he does get some enrichment through other activities and summer camps. If he decides to quit Band after 6th grade that's also fine, we were just repeatedly told that it's harder to come back to that later, hence insisting on it for 6th.*

* Yes, I realize that that can also be the case with a FL, but DH and I both have experience with being able to get back into the flow of a FL after a break. I think that's different from Orchestra/Band after a year of no practice.

Yeah, no, that's not an option. Languages go full year study both a/b from year 2 onwards

[Anonymous]

PP who mentioned Spanish 1A/B earlier... oops, you are right! There's no full year Spanish 2A. DS can still just skip FL in 7th or 8th if he really wants to though, right? And yes, if he's really struggling, we'll try to switch him to 1A early on. He's doing really well in school right now though we're not sure how FL with work out (I speak another language besides English and I've been having him learn it a bit, but nothing compared to a formal language in school.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP who mentioned Spanish 1A/B earlier... oops, you are right! There's no full year Spanish 2A. DS can still just skip FL in 7th or 8th if he really wants to though, right? And yes, if he's really struggling, we'll try to switch him to 1A early on. He's doing really well in school right now though we're not sure how FL with work out (I speak another language besides English and I've been having him learn it a bit, but nothing compared to a formal language in school.)

Yes, in MS you can take the 1A option for a year and see how it goes. You can also drop language study if it doesn't go well and pick it up again later, in 9th if you prefer.

[Anonymous]

Please do not jump on me for this question. I am a multi-lingual and know the benefit of being able to converse with people in a social environment. I have not learned foreign language in an academic environment so I sometimes wonder, other than the credits for graduation, are there any benefits of continuing higher level courses in foreign language? Appreciate the help.
What do you prefer? Spanish or French? Some school also offer Chinese.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please do not jump on me for this question. I am a multi-lingual and know the benefit of being able to converse with people in a social environment. I have not learned foreign language in an academic environment so I sometimes wonder, other than the credits for graduation, are there any benefits of continuing higher level courses in foreign language? Appreciate the help.
What do you prefer? Spanish or French? Some school also offer Chinese.

The big difference is that you can write properly and translate more complex texts. My kid isn't there yet, but I have been told that from an English-only family a student doesn't reach functional literacy (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in Spanish until the first AP level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please do not jump on me for this question. I am a multi-lingual and know the benefit of being able to converse with people in a social environment. I have not learned foreign language in an academic environment so I sometimes wonder, other than the credits for graduation, are there any benefits of continuing higher level courses in foreign language? Appreciate the help.
What do you prefer? Spanish or French? Some school also offer Chinese.

The big difference is that you can write properly and translate more complex texts. My kid isn't there yet, but I have been told that from an English-only family a student doesn't reach functional literacy (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in Spanish until the first AP level.

Not sure about other schools/languages, but DC's Spanish AP 4 class is mostly verbal/audio and written essays. DC said the difficulty level went up significantly between Spanish 3 and 4. Seems like a lot of kids are struggling in that class right now.

I'm also bilingual (not Spanish), but I can't write much at all, only speak it, and barely read it.

[Anonymous]

are there any considerations for these language courses when kids apply for college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please do not jump on me for this question. I am a multi-lingual and know the benefit of being able to converse with people in a social environment. I have not learned foreign language in an academic environment so I sometimes wonder, other than the credits for graduation, are there any benefits of continuing higher level courses in foreign language? Appreciate the help.
What do you prefer? Spanish or French? Some school also offer Chinese.

The big difference is that you can write properly and translate more complex texts. My kid isn't there yet, but I have been told that from an English-only family a student doesn't reach functional literacy (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in Spanish until the first AP level.

Not sure about other schools/languages, but DC's Spanish AP 4 class is mostly verbal/audio and written essays. DC said the difficulty level went up significantly between Spanish 3 and 4. Seems like a lot of kids are struggling in that class right now.

I'm also bilingual (not Spanish), but I can't write much at all, only speak it, and barely read it.

Being able to read and write in the 2nd language is crucial. Otherwise it's just a nice skill to have without any concrete value.

[Anonymous]

If a child takes, eg, Spanish 1A/B in 6th and continues on in consecutive order, they are at AP Spanish A/B in 11th. Is there an option for 12th at MCPS---total of 7 years of the language at MCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If a child takes, eg, Spanish 1A/B in 6th and continues on in consecutive order, they are at AP Spanish A/B in 11th. Is there an option for 12th at MCPS---total of 7 years of the language at MCPS?

After AP Spanish Language and Culture, there is AP Spanish Literature.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a child takes, eg, Spanish 1A/B in 6th and continues on in consecutive order, they are at AP Spanish A/B in 11th. Is there an option for 12th at MCPS---total of 7 years of the language at MCPS?

After AP Spanish Language and Culture, there is AP Spanish Literature.

Thanks but I don't see that in the course bulletin for Sherwood. My kid is not yet in 12th so we are just thinking ahead and wondering.

[Anonymous]

I know someone who took 3 years of French in middle school with good grades and then started over in French 1 in 9th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know someone who took 3 years of French in middle school with good grades and then started over in French 1 in 9th.

? In MCPS? I wouldn't think the HS would allow that.

DC is taking Spanish 2 in 8th grade, and thinking of taking Latin 1 in 9th and Latin 2 in 10th. I would imagine the Latin class is mostly vocab, not verbal or essay writing.