Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 19:13     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is this just Spanish 1???

Because that was a very easy class for my DD, in 6th grade.


Does she plan on taking AP Spanish Lit in 12th or dropping language early?


This is really the issue. Colleges want kids to take 4 years in HS and that puts the kid in pretty advanced classes in 11 and 12. If you slow them down in MS, there's no judgment (by colleges) and you're not stuck in AP spanish lit senior year. This is where my kid is at. 11th grader trying to decide if she really wants to take AP spanish lit next year because she was in spanish 4 in 9th grade and that's the path (my older kid did this class and they were reading medieval poetry and don quixote... in spanish. she really struggled.)


I am definitely not making my junior take AP Spanish lit. I think the vast majority of colleges will be fine with 3 years in MS, 3 years in HS ending in AP.


Sorry that was unclear. Kid is a current junior taking AP Spanish Lang.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 19:11     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is this just Spanish 1???

Because that was a very easy class for my DD, in 6th grade.


Does she plan on taking AP Spanish Lit in 12th or dropping language early?


This is really the issue. Colleges want kids to take 4 years in HS and that puts the kid in pretty advanced classes in 11 and 12. If you slow them down in MS, there's no judgment (by colleges) and you're not stuck in AP spanish lit senior year. This is where my kid is at. 11th grader trying to decide if she really wants to take AP spanish lit next year because she was in spanish 4 in 9th grade and that's the path (my older kid did this class and they were reading medieval poetry and don quixote... in spanish. she really struggled.)


I am definitely not making my junior take AP Spanish lit. I think the vast majority of colleges will be fine with 3 years in MS, 3 years in HS ending in AP.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 19:05     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
Anonymous wrote:My oldest fits your daughter’s description. He took French 1AB and did great. However, he was done with French 5 in sophomore year. Continuing with French would then require him to take APs in French in both Junior and senior years.
For that reason, my youngest will be doing French 1A in 6th. French is not a heritage language in our home.



Just curious about this, because my kid is in French 3 in 8th and will be in this position. Why would you need to take APs both years of HS? Wouldn't you end with AP French in 11th grade? -DP
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 18:39     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is this just Spanish 1???

Because that was a very easy class for my DD, in 6th grade.


Does she plan on taking AP Spanish Lit in 12th or dropping language early?


This is really the issue. Colleges want kids to take 4 years in HS and that puts the kid in pretty advanced classes in 11 and 12. If you slow them down in MS, there's no judgment (by colleges) and you're not stuck in AP spanish lit senior year. This is where my kid is at. 11th grader trying to decide if she really wants to take AP spanish lit next year because she was in spanish 4 in 9th grade and that's the path (my older kid did this class and they were reading medieval poetry and don quixote... in spanish. she really struggled.)


Colleges do not require 4 years in HS. A small number want 4 years of HS level FL, not most, with some of that 4 years being taken in HS. Meaning a kid could start in 7th grade and stop at Spanish 4. What colleges what is well rounded kids who add something to their community.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 18:06     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
I do recommend taking Spanish 1 A/B in 7th. That way you ensure you get into a good spanish class in 9th (levels 1-2 in HS are very bad and students often misbehave and very little learning happens). By doing taking spa1 in 7th, they will be in 3 and that it isn’t as hard as the leap from 3 to 4. It also helps to get the base of Spa3 in HS vs getting coddled in MS then having Spa4 as your first introduction to HS grading and classes.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 17:56     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
Anonymous wrote:The 2 year option is the better choice, more time to grasp the basics. 1AB combined goes too fast through all the information and there is never enough time to catch up afterwards.


For an 8th grader is 1AB recommended or go with 1A
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 17:23     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
Anonymous wrote:Is this just Spanish 1???

Because that was a very easy class for my DD, in 6th grade.


There are two versions-- they can do all of Spanish 1 in one year (called Spanish 1AB) and then move on to Spanish 2 the next year,, or they can take two years to do Spanish 1 (1A the first year and 1B the second year) and not get to Spanish 2 until the 3rd year. Which one did your daughter do?
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 17:17     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is this just Spanish 1???

Because that was a very easy class for my DD, in 6th grade.


Does she plan on taking AP Spanish Lit in 12th or dropping language early?


This is really the issue. Colleges want kids to take 4 years in HS and that puts the kid in pretty advanced classes in 11 and 12. If you slow them down in MS, there's no judgment (by colleges) and you're not stuck in AP spanish lit senior year. This is where my kid is at. 11th grader trying to decide if she really wants to take AP spanish lit next year because she was in spanish 4 in 9th grade and that's the path (my older kid did this class and they were reading medieval poetry and don quixote... in spanish. she really struggled.)
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 16:21     Subject: Re:How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
My kid found 1 AB not challenging at all. Same with Spanish 2.

However, now he's in Spanish 3 and says it's pretty hard. The switch seemed to come because the Spanish 3 teacher doesn't use English at all in class.

Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 16:07     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
If youe kid is hard working, she should take 1A/B. It will be challenging, but she will learn study skills and have some real challenge in 6th grade. Many of the classes are not challenging.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 15:37     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
Anonymous wrote:I’ll also add that the high school language teachers tend to be stronger than the middle school ones in our experience and students more mature. I wouldn’t want to take 3 in middle school because a lot struggle with the leap to 4.


We had the opposite experience and MS were better than HS. But, I'd still do the two year class.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 14:46     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
Anonymous wrote:Is this just Spanish 1???

Because that was a very easy class for my DD, in 6th grade.


Does she plan on taking AP Spanish Lit in 12th or dropping language early?
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 14:41     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
Is this just Spanish 1???

Because that was a very easy class for my DD, in 6th grade.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 14:34     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
I’ll also add that the high school language teachers tend to be stronger than the middle school ones in our experience and students more mature. I wouldn’t want to take 3 in middle school because a lot struggle with the leap to 4.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 14:32     Subject: How hard is Spanish 1AB really? Is the two-year class a better choice?
My elder did 1ab in 6th grade and then school policy changed and younger did 1A in 6th and 1b in 7th. Doing it over two years is a lot less stressful and gives more time for conversational practice rather than just cramming grammar. Easy call for 6th graders. If in 8th grade, I’d probably do 1AB so you could have choice to skip from 4 to AP in 12th. In 7th, depends on their readiness for high school course.