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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Surprise, surprise on language study. BASIS leaders believe that students can’t walk and chew gum at the same time (study of a modern language from 5th to 7th grades would interfere with science and math challenge). BS policy that parents embrace for lack of a viable MS alternative.[/quote]

Wow, this is insane and just plain ignorant. Plenty of research shows benefits of language education in both native and non-native languages. In fact, the single most determinant factor in early childhood cognitive development is shear exposure to words. The more words the better — of any language. Memorizing letters, colors etc does not really do much. I was considering BASIS (MS is a ways off for us) before reading this. Would never send my kid to a school that thinks language education needs to be “held off” until 8th grade?! Lmao. Are they unaware that ROI on language education steeply declines around this age?[/quote]

PP’s comment is dumb.  Don’t believe everything you read.

Basis requires writing in 5th grade, linguistics in 6-7th grade (which covers different languages), and a single foreign language in 8th through 12th.  You have a choice of Spanish, French, Latin, or Mandarin.

Generally, foreign language instruction in the US is poor but it seems as OK at Basis as it does at other schools.  Basis isn’t any worse in teaching foreign languages than, say, Deal, Hardy, or J-R.  Plenty of Basis kids take a foreign language AP and get a 4 or 5.

If you want your kid to be bilingual, you are best off sending your kid to a DCI or WIS and doing lots of supplementation.  DCI usually scores in the bottom half of the world in IBs but WIS does better (and you have to pay tuition).  PARCC scores at Basis are well above DCI.  If you want to go to DCI for more instruction in a foreign language you will sacrifice rigor in other areas such as English, math, and science.

And you can always send your kid to a Swiss boarding school.  Institut auf dem Rosenberg only runs US $162,500/year.  Language instruction is awesome! 
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