Anonymous wrote:With languages required in HS, can kids that speak, write, read a language fluently take that language at school? So whether Spanish, French, German, if it is student’s first languages can student take that language in FCPS HS? Put aside boredom, just wondering if allowed.

It is wisest not to admit publicly that one is doing this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, unfortunately. The kids with the best grades in my DC’s Russian class were, you guessed it, Russian.

Wouldn’t actual Russian speakers be the best positioned to use what they are learning in class? As opposed to kids for whom it is more hypothetical? This doesn’t seem unfortunate at all.

Not sure I follow. The kids who were native Russian speakers to begin with breezed through without any effort. Russian is an extraordinarily difficult language and the other kids worked their tails off. It's unfair that someone who already speaks the language can get an easy A. They already had the advantage.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, unfortunately. The kids with the best grades in my DC’s Russian class were, you guessed it, Russian.

Wouldn’t actual Russian speakers be the best positioned to use what they are learning in class? As opposed to kids for whom it is more hypothetical? This doesn’t seem unfortunate at all.

What exactly are they learning, if they are already fluent? That's the point--it's a waste of time.

When you take language classes it is more involved than just learning the vocabulary words

https://www.fcps.edu/academics/high/world-languages/credit-exam-world-languages

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, unfortunately. The kids with the best grades in my DC’s Russian class were, you guessed it, Russian.

Wouldn’t actual Russian speakers be the best positioned to use what they are learning in class? As opposed to kids for whom it is more hypothetical? This doesn’t seem unfortunate at all.

What exactly are they learning, if they are already fluent? That's the point--it's a waste of time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so stupid.

Public school is free education. Your child already knows the language. You are denying them the chance to learn something.

Then opt out of English class….

Er...you know you don't learn how to speak English in English class, right? It's a literature course.

My kid did a dual immersion program from first grade and is going backward starting in ninth grade. Why would I want them to take the AP class early when it's not expected and would be like torture trying to keep up? They need to relearn how to write well in the language, and it's not a race. I don't see value in taking the AP test before 11th grade.

Yes. Easy As. Take 4 years, and be exempt from language requirement at some universities.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, unfortunately. The kids with the best grades in my DC’s Russian class were, you guessed it, Russian.

Wouldn’t actual Russian speakers be the best positioned to use what they are learning in class? As opposed to kids for whom it is more hypothetical? This doesn’t seem unfortunate at all.

Anonymous wrote:This is so stupid.

Public school is free education. Your child already knows the language. You are denying them the chance to learn something.

Then opt out of English class….

My child got 3 credits of language through the test out exam in 8th grade, but he is still taking another language through high school. Unfortunately, though, the third language class is incredibly slow paced for him and thus still boring. Language classes don't seem to be designed to be taught to kids that are truly motivated to learn.

This is so stupid.

Public school is free education. Your child already knows the language. You are denying them the chance to learn something.

It was always fine with me as long as they passed their scantron answers back when they were done.

Yes, unfortunately. The kids with the best grades in my DC’s Russian class were, you guessed it, Russian.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, kids do it all the time.

+1 This has always been an issue-Spanish, Chinese, French, the salutatorian in my high school 30 years ago was a fluent Italian speaker who took Italian arguing that she could speak it and understand it but couldn't read/write it because it wasn't her language of instruction.

Well this is true, especially for languages that are phonetically written. There is also the study of literature and culture embedded in these classes. So yes, orally it will be easier but it's not like the kids are learning nothing.

+1, I work in a Title 1, high ESOL. The majority of students have no idea how to read a write in Spanish, and in many cases, there’s new vocabulary for them because it’s not as though their families are talking about the planets at home.

Haha same. My kids are all Central American or Peruvian and they call the Spanish they learnt school “fancy Spanish.”