Middle School Language Study

[Anonymous]

After one year of language study in MS, DD now wants to take a break and wait till HS to resume. Is there any reason not to do this?

[Anonymous]

It will be starting over, but that just means a month or two where it will be "easy".

[Anonymous]

Do you mean going from Spanish 1 to Spanish 2 with a year inbetween? I would worry about retention. Maybe it's ok if your child promises to do a summer Spanish program before Spanish 2.

[Anonymous]

No, DD is planning to switch to a new language altogether. I hear a lot about kids maxing out of language in HS, yet colleges requiring 4 years in HS. I’m just wondering why the rush to start a language in MS.

[Anonymous]

My oldest was in the MSMC and took Spanish 1A/B in 7th grade, but realized that at our home middle school the kids all took full year Spanish 1A in 7th grade and full year Spanish 1B in 8th grade. They decided to not take Spanish in 8th grade, so they would be in Spanish 2A/B in 9th grade with their peers. They had no issue with the year off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, DD is planning to switch to a new language altogether. I hear a lot about kids maxing out of language in HS, yet colleges requiring 4 years in HS. I’m just wondering why the rush to start a language in MS.

I think all high schools offer at least Spanish through Level 6, plus whichever other languages are in their middle school pathways (middle schools typically offer levels 1 & 2, sometimes also level 3).

Colleges don't require 4 years in high school. They encourage 2 years, and it is one of the completer programs for graduation requirements.

The reason to start a language in middle school is to become bilingual and possibly earn the bilingual diploma.