I grew up in a terrible school system and didn't start a foreign language until 9th grade. To make matters worse, I moved in the 11th grade to a better school district and was woefully behind. But I had a great teacher and ended up placing in advanced college Spanish and even earned a minor. I had to study abroad to gain true proficiency, but it can be done. Languages did not come naturally to me and I never had higher than a B. I'm disappointed we didn't get into the immersion, but it will be okay.

OP here -- thanks to all who replied, very useful info!

I highly recommend Concordia Language Villages' family camp weeks for all ages, in Bemidji, Minnesota. Reasonable when you consider the room and board is included. High quality camp activities but also full immersion in pretty much any language you could want for a week. I took my DD last year, before she entered K, and we plan to make it a tradition for our family. You can also seems kids solo once they're old enough.

Most MCPS ES offer FLES-- foreign language in elementary school-- as a before or after school activity. Instructional quality seems to vary widely AFAICT.

There are a lot of weekend programs for foreign language. The German School in Potomac has a Saturday program. We know several kids who have started in Chinese programs as a pre-schooler. The Chinese programs also have summer camps.

Lycee Rochambeau MAY have something on the weekend.

It really depends on what language you want.

As far as the standard MCPS languages offered in MCPS middle school, the choices are French, Spanish, and Chinese.

Anonymous wrote:^ No, you didn't. My apologies.

6th or 7th grade may not be optimal, but I know a number of people who learned languages later in life who are fluent. They usually studied overseas in high school or college, worked overseas, or had friends who spoke the language they were learning and had ample opportunity to practice. Just because your child didn't get immersion from the beginning, it doesn't mean they'll never be fluent.

However, I haven't been very impressed with the after school foreign language programs. They don't meet often enough for the students to learn much other than basic vocabulary and phrases. It is often very helpful if your child has a caregiver who speaks another language and practices with them. Check out bilingual books from the library, or go to the public library website, where they have language programs available online for even the youngest children. PBS Kids has Spanish language games and series online. If you surround them as much as you can with the target language, they may not become fluent until later, but it should be easier for them to pick up.

My DC went to a private school that started language in preK. Moved to MCPS in high school and was at the same level as his MCPS peers that started in 6th. I think that's what the research shows - short of immersion early language classes don't provide much of an advantage other than accent.

^ No, you didn't. My apologies.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Foreign languages usually start in 6th or 7th depending on the middle school and where the child is reading wise. Many (or all?) elementary school offer FLES after school. I can't say I have heard rave reviews of it but it is something.

Way past what all current research says is the best time to start teaching a second language. I'm glad it worked out for you, but I can honestly say you are the only person I have heard say that taking a language classes in middle and high school made you fluent. That pretty much never happens. MCPS is crazy to wait this long to belong instructing our kids a second language.

Um I don't think I used the word fluent in my post. I was just stating what was offered in MCPS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Foreign languages usually start in 6th or 7th depending on the middle school and where the child is reading wise. Many (or all?) elementary school offer FLES after school. I can't say I have heard rave reviews of it but it is something.

Way past what all current research says is the best time to start teaching a second language. I'm glad it worked out for you, but I can honestly say you are the only person I have heard say that taking a language classes in middle and high school made you fluent. That pretty much never happens. MCPS is crazy to wait this long to belong instructing our kids a second language.

OP here - - I think you're conflating two different posts. Anyway, I completely agree that 6th or 7th grade is late, which is why I am asking about options now that my child is entering K.

Anonymous wrote:I am a parent of a rising Kindergartener who applied but wasn't accepted in any of the language immersion programs. I am disappointed that my child isn't going to be learning a foreign language in what is perceived to be the best way, but also feel that traditional language instruction can be quite effective when done well (it worked for me). Those of you with older kids in the MCPS system - - when is foreign language first offered and what are the typical choices? Is it possible to start an after-school club for foreign language instruction and are there any providers that you'd recommend? Finally, outside of MCPS and private tutoring, are there any summer camps that do language immersion and/or weekend classes for school-age kids?

OP we are at an MCPS ES school which has Spanish and Mandarin Chinese after school pretty much every session (4 per year). I also recommend looking at ISL in Bethesda for younger group classes or one-on-one. The owner is a parent of ES aged kids and totally gets it.

Anonymous wrote:Foreign languages usually start in 6th or 7th depending on the middle school and where the child is reading wise. Many (or all?) elementary school offer FLES after school. I can't say I have heard rave reviews of it but it is something.

Way past what all current research says is the best time to start teaching a second language. I'm glad it worked out for you, but I can honestly say you are the only person I have heard say that taking a language classes in middle and high school made you fluent. That pretty much never happens. MCPS is crazy to wait this long to belong instructing our kids a second language.

Depending on the language, there are after school programs that offer instruction - like Chinese, Korean, usually at a church, on Saturdays.

Foreign languages usually start in 6th or 7th depending on the middle school and where the child is reading wise. Many (or all?) elementary school offer FLES after school. I can't say I have heard rave reviews of it but it is something.

I am a parent of a rising Kindergartener who applied but wasn't accepted in any of the language immersion programs. I am disappointed that my child isn't going to be learning a foreign language in what is perceived to be the best way, but also feel that traditional language instruction can be quite effective when done well (it worked for me). Those of you with older kids in the MCPS system - - when is foreign language first offered and what are the typical choices? Is it possible to start an after-school club for foreign language instruction and are there any providers that you'd recommend? Finally, outside of MCPS and private tutoring, are there any summer camps that do language immersion and/or weekend classes for school-age kids?