Anonymous wrote:Which is better, after 8th grade Spanish 3, if the student doesn't feel strong in Spanish?

9th: retake 3
10th: 4
11: AP

9th: 4
10th 5
11th: AP


With so much variation in number of pre-AP courses, is there a meaningful difference in specific content between these courses, or are they just cycling around to give students more practice?

My kids have found Spanish 3 pretty easy so I’d opt for latter unless you don’t feel like the foundation is there. The teacher should be able to advise on that.
Also, junior year is really tough so I’d want strong preparation for the AP that year. There’s more time in 9th to focus on Spanish.

Anonymous wrote:Which is better, after 8th grade Spanish 3, if the student doesn't feel strong in Spanish?

9th: retake 3
10th: 4
11: AP

9th: 4
10th 5
11th: AP


With so much variation in number of pre-AP courses, is there a meaningful difference in specific content between these courses, or are they just cycling around to give students more practice?

I think I would retake 3 if the student doesn’t feel confident in their Spanish. A lot of the MS Spanish teachers are terrible. It seems like the Hs ones are mostly pretty good. But 3 in 8th sets them up to take AP in sophomore or junior year, which really isn’t necessary if this isn’t a strength for the kid. Mine is taking 4 as a sophomore and wants to quit because he hates it — I sort of wish he had repeated 2 as a freshman just so he could get more years in HS without accelerating him beyond his comfort level.

Which is better, after 8th grade Spanish 3, if the student doesn't feel strong in Spanish?

9th: retake 3
10th: 4
11: AP

9th: 4
10th 5
11th: AP


With so much variation in number of pre-AP courses, is there a meaningful difference in specific content between these courses, or are they just cycling around to give students more practice?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It will depend when you start the study. If your kid is in Spanish 1 in 6th grade and they excel at it, they can do AP Spanish lang in 9th and then AP Spanish Lit in 10th

or they are not whiz kids at language they can do 4 and 5 in 9th and 10th grade then AP lang in 11th and AP lit in 12th

Don’t people at least get through Spanish 4 before taking AP?

That's what PP was calling "not whiz kids"

Anonymous wrote:It will depend when you start the study. If your kid is in Spanish 1 in 6th grade and they excel at it, they can do AP Spanish lang in 9th and then AP Spanish Lit in 10th

or they are not whiz kids at language they can do 4 and 5 in 9th and 10th grade then AP lang in 11th and AP lit in 12th

Don’t people at least get through Spanish 4 before taking AP?

lots of past threads on this

It will depend when you start the study. If your kid is in Spanish 1 in 6th grade and they excel at it, they can do AP Spanish lang in 9th and then AP Spanish Lit in 10th

or they are not whiz kids at language they can do 4 and 5 in 9th and 10th grade then AP lang in 11th and AP lit in 12th

Anonymous wrote:If you do the latter and your child would not have 4 years of language in HS would that be a problem? Would that impact the colleges she could apply to?

DD wants another empty elective for something she wants to take senior year.

I think it’s generally ok to do AP (World Language) but as junior and no language as senior as long as the overall senior courses show increasing rigor over junior year. Strongest would be taking eg AP Spanish Lit but I don’t think most kids need to do that, especially if gets in way of their primary interests. If eg a Spanish major, then I’d do all years.

If you do the latter and your child would not have 4 years of language in HS would that be a problem? Would that impact the colleges she could apply to?

DD wants another empty elective for something she wants to take senior year.

Mine did the latter because we didn’t understand that most do the former. It was fine but if you feel they need more grounding, it’s fine to do the former.

Anonymous wrote:Do most kids do Spanish 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and then AP or do most kids do 1,2,3,4 and then AP?

Most do the former but you can talk to your teacher about doing the latter, especially for strong students and rising seniors.

AP was Spanish 6 for my DS.
Go on you HS's website and find their course registration card and it should indicate their usual path.

Do most kids do Spanish 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and then AP or do most kids do 1,2,3,4 and then AP?