Reply to Middle School Momentum in Alexandria

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[quote=Anonymous]Private schools (and some publics) love to trumpet their foreign language "instruction" in primary grades.  But are the kids really learning much in those early years?  It appears this "instruction" is often just basic vocablulary, learning to count, learning about the culture, and signing some songs.  They aren't conjugating verbs or learning grammar, best I can tell.  To my knowledge, once these kids reach junior high/high school, they start right over in "Language I," and progress to Language II, III, IV & AP just like those who didn't "learn" the foreign language during elementary school.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the impression I have.

For example, Alexandria Country Day has Spanish for all kids starting in Kindergarten, but their website notes that "Eighth grade students complete the equivalent of high school Spanish I."

ACPS offers Spanish, French, Chinese, Latin & German starting in Middle School, where they can take Language IA in 6th, Language IB in 7th, and Language II in 8th.  That's pretty impressive in my book.

I know some ACPS elemenary schools offer optional after school foreign language instruction at a small fee if you're intent that they get "exposed" early.  Or just buy Rosetta Stone and work on it at home.  But I certainly wouldn't choose private over ACPS because of the supposed quality of foreign language instruction, unless the other private schools are much better than Alexandria Country Day on that front.

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