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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]ADHD adult here, also LDs. I struggled with foreign language in HS but learned pretty quickly in an immersion program in college when I studied abroad. I think I needed to be hearing the language and using the language and not just learning vocab and verb conjucation in the classroom for the language to sink in. I suspect that many people would learn better in immersion. I wonder if there are immersion summer camp opportunities that might count for high school language credits. I have an ES student so I have not looked at the high school options yet.[/quote]

OP here.  This is exactly what I was thinking.  I think DC might benefit from an immersion experience.  If anyone has any suggestions for this, let me know.  I was thinking of perhaps setting DC up with someone just to speak Spanish with on iTalki or something similar, if I don't find anything else.

I guess it's a less preferred task, although DC enjoys the class itself.  It seems to be how much practice and repetition is necessary.  Perhaps making it a more natural way to learn a language (or at least supplementing with that) would help make it less of a slog.

Thanks again![/quote]

You don’t want to try to learn a second language the “natural” way. Think how long it too you to learn English fluently. Over a year of constant exposure, probably, with no other options for communicating, and even after that, grammar is pretty bad. People think immersion is great, and it is, but without memorizing grammar rules and vocabulary, and practicing those specific things as you are immersed, really good language skills probably won’t happen.

I don’t think there is a great program for immersion for a middle schooler. My kid does a month of Concordia language villages every year and it’s fun but unless you’re doing the high school credit program, there isn’t enough intensive language instruction for it to be more than exposure to the language. But that’s fine. At this age and with these options, I think it’s all about having an enjoyable experience with the language rather than going for fluency.

[/quote]

+1. It depends on how well the immersion program is done.  My DS with ASD/ADHD went to a Mandarin immersion school from prek-5 and is now taking Mandarin in middle school.  DS much prefers Mandarin classes as opposed to immersion.  Learning a second language naturally at a school without native speakers doesn’t work well specially if there isn’t enough structure and the culture doesn’t support learning language naturally.  Most importantly, DS enjoys his language classes now and his vocabulary and especially his writing has improved greatly.[/quote]

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