Anonymous wrote:17:16 again. We were given the information about foreign language during a parent information meeting at SSIMS. DD is in fifth grade, and she and all her friends were recommended for foreign language next year.

I'm PP, I have a current sixth grader and a ninth grader and went to SSIMS they both seem to run in circles where most friends started language in sixth, but this is above grade level and it's not a large percentage of the students. At the incoming parent meeting a year ago admin encouraged seeking out language in sixth if it all possible, but it's not automatic.

17:16 again. We were given the information about foreign language during a parent information meeting at SSIMS. DD is in fifth grade, and she and all her friends were recommended for foreign language next year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At Hoover MS, kids who are not taking Resource have to take a foreign language beginning in 7th grade. I've always found this policy to be ridiculous because it forces kids to take a class for high school credit in 7th grade. Why not allow kids who want to take band and another elective choose from a robotics class, ecology, or an art class? Open up more choices - idealistically ones that don't calculate on their high school transcript?

I don't think any course should be on their high school transcript till the child is actually in 9th grade. I also don't like how the school administration makes it a policy at our school that all kids except those in a class for academic support have to take a foreign language. Other schools (ex. Wood MS) don't have this policy.

At SSIMS, they have to take foreign language in 6th grade. And SSIMS does not offer any full year IA, full year IB option. So most SSIMS 6th graders are taking high school credit foreign language.

Actually the standard sixth grade path at SSIMS is Reading, they need a teacher recommendation to replace reading with language. No idea how many sixth graders take language but it's probably at most 25%. On grade level language begins in 7th, it is part of the IB program. Even then, DC had friends who took the same level both years.

We were told that as long as kids are reading at grade level, they start foreign language n sixth grade.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At Hoover MS, kids who are not taking Resource have to take a foreign language beginning in 7th grade. I've always found this policy to be ridiculous because it forces kids to take a class for high school credit in 7th grade. Why not allow kids who want to take band and another elective choose from a robotics class, ecology, or an art class? Open up more choices - idealistically ones that don't calculate on their high school transcript?

I don't think any course should be on their high school transcript till the child is actually in 9th grade. I also don't like how the school administration makes it a policy at our school that all kids except those in a class for academic support have to take a foreign language. Other schools (ex. Wood MS) don't have this policy.

At SSIMS, they have to take foreign language in 6th grade. And SSIMS does not offer any full year IA, full year IB option. So most SSIMS 6th graders are taking high school credit foreign language.

Actually the standard sixth grade path at SSIMS is Reading, they need a teacher recommendation to replace reading with language. No idea how many sixth graders take language but it's probably at most 25%. On grade level language begins in 7th, it is part of the IB program. Even then, DC had friends who took the same level both years.

Anonymous wrote:At Hoover MS, kids who are not taking Resource have to take a foreign language beginning in 7th grade. I've always found this policy to be ridiculous because it forces kids to take a class for high school credit in 7th grade. Why not allow kids who want to take band and another elective choose from a robotics class, ecology, or an art class? Open up more choices - idealistically ones that don't calculate on their high school transcript?

I don't think any course should be on their high school transcript till the child is actually in 9th grade. I also don't like how the school administration makes it a policy at our school that all kids except those in a class for academic support have to take a foreign language. Other schools (ex. Wood MS) don't have this policy.

At SSIMS, they have to take foreign language in 6th grade. And SSIMS does not offer any full year IA, full year IB option. So most SSIMS 6th graders are taking high school credit foreign language.

At Hoover MS, kids who are not taking Resource have to take a foreign language beginning in 7th grade. I've always found this policy to be ridiculous because it forces kids to take a class for high school credit in 7th grade. Why not allow kids who want to take band and another elective choose from a robotics class, ecology, or an art class? Open up more choices - idealistically ones that don't calculate on their high school transcript?

I don't think any course should be on their high school transcript till the child is actually in 9th grade. I also don't like how the school administration makes it a policy at our school that all kids except those in a class for academic support have to take a foreign language. Other schools (ex. Wood MS) don't have this policy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you say high school credit starts in 8th for a foreign language?

That's the most typical path. Obviously there are many different scenarios and choices.

So you are saying most don't start a language until 8th?

No, not at all. The first couple of foreign languages classes do not roll over to credit.

What? yes they do. Not all schools offer language in all grades but all HS courses taken in MS are for credit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you say high school credit starts in 8th for a foreign language?

That's the most typical path. Obviously there are many different scenarios and choices.

So you are saying most don't start a language until 8th?

No, not at all. The first couple of foreign languages classes do not roll over to credit.

Anonymous wrote:Why do you say high school credit starts in 8th for a foreign language?

That's wrong. High school credit starts whenever language starts. My DC is in French 4 as a 9th grader with three years of HS language credit from MS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you say high school credit starts in 8th for a foreign language?

That's the most typical path. Obviously there are many different scenarios and choices.

So you are saying most don't start a language until 8th?

Anonymous wrote:Why do you say high school credit starts in 8th for a foreign language?

That's the most typical path. Obviously there are many different scenarios and choices.

It's guidance counselors not looking out for the best interest of students getting into college pushing the kids into the next class.

Why do you say high school credit starts in 8th for a foreign language?

Anonymous wrote:How many middle school students start a language in 8th? Or are students starting in 6th or 7th and then repeating in 9th?

A few start in 6th. The majority start in 7th, with highschool credit in 8th. It's an elective, so there would also be a few that don't take it at all.

I doubt that there are many repeats in 9th. They simply advance to the next level.

How many middle school students start a language in 8th? Or are students starting in 6th or 7th and then repeating in 9th?