Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still don't understand why 5th graders would need to be concerned about "what colleges like to see." This is something for high schoolers to think about.

It impacts whether they start their FL study in 6th. But what's more important - is their suitability for FL study.

The ES used to make a big deal about the FL recommendation in 5th Grade with a minimum MAP-R score. Do they still do that? Our MS changed the pathway so the maximum FL attainment is Level 2, instead of Level 3 (going into 4 in HS) Unless you already have a child who is working on multiple languages, it is hard to know how they will do in FL until they try it. More diligent study skills are also a help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A word of advice from a parent of high schoolers:
- Have your kids take the technology credit in middle school.
- Consider having your kids start a foreign language later in middle school or in high school instead of 6th grade. That way they can appease colleges by taking 2-4 years of the same foreign language without having to take the AP level course. My son earned three credits of Spanish in middle school and now feels pressured to do two more levels even though he greatly dislikes foreign language and would rather focus more on STEM. I think it would have benefitted him more to skip foreign language in middle school and take Spanish 1 and 2 in high school.

How can you get the technology credit in 6th grade? Specifically, what Loiederman classes fulfill the technology credit. I don’t see any in the course bulletin.

I'm sorry for not explaining. High schools don't offer the technology credit in 6th grade, but many (if not all) do offer it for high school credit in 8th grade. It's really helpful to get it out of the way in middle school to open up the high school schedule for other courses, even more advanced courses in technology/engineering. I wish we had known this but it wasn't widely publicized when my son was in middle school.

Whoever thinks Middle Schools usually offer HS tech is mistaken. This is a minority approach My W-feeder middle school offers tech classes, but not anything that meets the HS req.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A word of advice from a parent of high schoolers:
- Have your kids take the technology credit in middle school.
- Consider having your kids start a foreign language later in middle school or in high school instead of 6th grade. That way they can appease colleges by taking 2-4 years of the same foreign language without having to take the AP level course. My son earned three credits of Spanish in middle school and now feels pressured to do two more levels even though he greatly dislikes foreign language and would rather focus more on STEM. I think it would have benefitted him more to skip foreign language in middle school and take Spanish 1 and 2 in high school.

How can you get the technology credit in 6th grade? Specifically, what Loiederman classes fulfill the technology credit. I don’t see any in the course bulletin.

I'm sorry for not explaining. High schools don't offer the technology credit in 6th grade, but many (if not all) do offer it for high school credit in 8th grade. It's really helpful to get it out of the way in middle school to open up the high school schedule for other courses, even more advanced courses in technology/engineering. I wish we had known this but it wasn't widely publicized when my son was in middle school.

It's also possible to take a tech credit class over the summer, although it does cost money. My two older kids (one in college, one now a junior) took the computer tech ed class over the summer because it was not worth wasting a full year on in school. Slightly different formats before and after pandemic started but both classes were ridiculously easy and mostly busy work. Same for health -- both took it over the summer. Even more ridiculously easy than tech and zero reason to take it during the school year if the summer program is an option.

As far as what colleges are expecting, it's so varied depending on the kid and the colleges they're targeting. My older kid hated FL and has no ear or interest -- he is musical and plays an instrument, so I'm not sure why he doesn't have an ear for language, but that's just who he is. He took Spanish 2 and 3 in freshman and sophomore years and then he was done. He was applying to STEM programs at major state universities, not small liberal arts colleges, and he went heavy on hard-core STEM classes and took band throughout -- to continue FL, either band or some of his STEM classes would have had to give. It just wasn't worth it and he was willing to take the gamble that he'd get into a strong program. He also consciously targeted colleges where he wouldn't have a FL requirement to graduate.

There's just not a one-size-fits-all argument. I think it's important not to force a kid to take four years of a FL in HS just because -- there needs to be planning on the front end to look at what the full four years looks like and what the kid's interests are. Maybe they're not into a FL but maybe they take art classes all four years, or they take on extra classes in what interests them most -- like European history for the kid who's really into social studies. There are only so many slots in the schedule.

Anonymous wrote:A word of advice from a parent of high schoolers:
- Have your kids take the technology credit in middle school.
- Consider having your kids start a foreign language later in middle school or in high school instead of 6th grade. That way they can appease colleges by taking 2-4 years of the same foreign language without having to take the AP level course. My son earned three credits of Spanish in middle school and now feels pressured to do two more levels even though he greatly dislikes foreign language and would rather focus more on STEM. I think it would have benefitted him more to skip foreign language in middle school and take Spanish 1 and 2 in high school.

You should qualify this as a message to parents of kids who aren't linguistically gifted. Plenty are - especially in the DMV. I have more than one kid in HS and while one of them frequently tanks in their FL language class the other one finds it a total cake walk and has taken a 3rd language outside of school to an advanced level 2 in school.

Anonymous wrote:A word of advice from a parent of high schoolers:
- Have your kids take the technology credit in middle school.
- Consider having your kids start a foreign language later in middle school or in high school instead of 6th grade. That way they can appease colleges by taking 2-4 years of the same foreign language without having to take the AP level course. My son earned three credits of Spanish in middle school and now feels pressured to do two more levels even though he greatly dislikes foreign language and would rather focus more on STEM. I think it would have benefitted him more to skip foreign language in middle school and take Spanish 1 and 2 in high school.

This is my pet peeve as well - MCPS encourages students to start FL early, but without explaining the impact. If we had known, DC would have started in grade 7 and stopped at level 4 in tenth grade. Instead they ended up having to take level 5 in tenth grade.

And, I don't think all MSs offer a class that would provide HS technology credit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A word of advice from a parent of high schoolers:
- Have your kids take the technology credit in middle school.
- Consider having your kids start a foreign language later in middle school or in high school instead of 6th grade. That way they can appease colleges by taking 2-4 years of the same foreign language without having to take the AP level course. My son earned three credits of Spanish in middle school and now feels pressured to do two more levels even though he greatly dislikes foreign language and would rather focus more on STEM. I think it would have benefitted him more to skip foreign language in middle school and take Spanish 1 and 2 in high school.

How can you get the technology credit in 6th grade? Specifically, what Loiederman classes fulfill the technology credit. I don’t see any in the course bulletin.

I'm sorry for not explaining. High schools don't offer the technology credit in 6th grade, but many (if not all) do offer it for high school credit in 8th grade. It's really helpful to get it out of the way in middle school to open up the high school schedule for other courses, even more advanced courses in technology/engineering. I wish we had known this but it wasn't widely publicized when my son was in middle school.

Anonymous wrote:A word of advice from a parent of high schoolers:
- Have your kids take the technology credit in middle school.
- Consider having your kids start a foreign language later in middle school or in high school instead of 6th grade. That way they can appease colleges by taking 2-4 years of the same foreign language without having to take the AP level course. My son earned three credits of Spanish in middle school and now feels pressured to do two more levels even though he greatly dislikes foreign language and would rather focus more on STEM. I think it would have benefitted him more to skip foreign language in middle school and take Spanish 1 and 2 in high school.

How can you get the technology credit in 6th grade? Specifically, what Loiederman classes fulfill the technology credit. I don’t see any in the course bulletin.

A word of advice from a parent of high schoolers:
- Have your kids take the technology credit in middle school.
- Consider having your kids start a foreign language later in middle school or in high school instead of 6th grade. That way they can appease colleges by taking 2-4 years of the same foreign language without having to take the AP level course. My son earned three credits of Spanish in middle school and now feels pressured to do two more levels even though he greatly dislikes foreign language and would rather focus more on STEM. I think it would have benefitted him more to skip foreign language in middle school and take Spanish 1 and 2 in high school.

Anonymous wrote:I still don't understand why 5th graders would need to be concerned about "what colleges like to see." This is something for high schoolers to think about.

It impacts whether they start their FL study in 6th. But what's more important - is their suitability for FL study.

I still don't understand why 5th graders would need to be concerned about "what colleges like to see." This is something for high schoolers to think about.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In MS does foreign language count as HS credit?

Yes.

It counts but the high school counselor said colleges like to see two years FL in high school.

Which they hopefully explain to the MS and 5th grade kids as it now takes away one of the advantages to taking the class before HS.

Just attended our middle school’s registration. Ugh on Wednesday and there wasn’t a single sentence about high school or “what colleges like to see”. I know colleges like to see 3-4 years in the same language so it’s all relative to where you plan to go to college

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county and state really need to clearly articulate the requirement and collegiate expectation. Is it 2 credits of the same Foreign Language, OR is it 2 credits of the same Foreign Language taken while matriculating in HS?

That’s two very different things and has implications on both MS and HS course selection.

It's stated clearly here, as a PP posted upthread: Students must take two years of the same world language.

Course Bulletin, footnote on page 6 ¨Students may fulfill World Language graduation option in middle school.¨

http://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/publications/HSCourseBulletin2023.pdf

That course bulletin is for students GRADUATING IN 2026
There are plenty of kids in 9th grade, 10th, 11th for whom this doesn't apply.

This is true. However, I thought the point was that there was a new stricter rule. If you look at the 2025 bulletin, same FN, same page. Take the link above, and change to an earlier year, and let us know if it is different

I found this on the MCPS World Languages High section of their website. I can't tell the difference between the two. Gold star for whoever can.

Graduation Requirements for Class of 2025 and beyond

Two credits in the same world languages or two credits in American Sign Language

Graduation Requirements for Class of 2021-2024

Two credits in a world language, which may include American Sign Language, may be used to complete Option 1 of elective credits required for graduation. (If students select a world language to fulfill the Maryland diploma requirements, it is recommended that the two world language credits be in the same language.)

“SAME” world language

With previous wording, people were taking one year of Spanish and then one year of ASL.

Try reading it again. Both say "same"

The change is that it's now a requirement for two years of the same language. It had previously been a recommendation.

That doesn't sound new to me though. I've been hearing that since my kids started languages in MS

If your kids told you that two years of the same language was a requirement, they had it wrong. As other posters have pointed out, it was possible to graduate with, say, Spanish 1A/1B and Latin 1A/1B, since that used to fulfill the previous requirement. Not any more, since what used to be a "recommendation" has been changed to a requirement.

Since this is a change necessitated by a change in COMAR, this applies to all schools in MD. This new requirement applies to students entering 9th in 2021-2022 or later. See http://www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/comarhtml/13a/13a.03.02.03.htm

- DP

My kids didn't tell me anything their teachers did.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county and state really need to clearly articulate the requirement and collegiate expectation. Is it 2 credits of the same Foreign Language, OR is it 2 credits of the same Foreign Language taken while matriculating in HS?

That’s two very different things and has implications on both MS and HS course selection.

It's stated clearly here, as a PP posted upthread: Students must take two years of the same world language.

Course Bulletin, footnote on page 6 ¨Students may fulfill World Language graduation option in middle school.¨

http://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/publications/HSCourseBulletin2023.pdf

That course bulletin is for students GRADUATING IN 2026
There are plenty of kids in 9th grade, 10th, 11th for whom this doesn't apply.

This is true. However, I thought the point was that there was a new stricter rule. If you look at the 2025 bulletin, same FN, same page. Take the link above, and change to an earlier year, and let us know if it is different

I found this on the MCPS World Languages High section of their website. I can't tell the difference between the two. Gold star for whoever can.

Graduation Requirements for Class of 2025 and beyond

Two credits in the same world languages or two credits in American Sign Language

Graduation Requirements for Class of 2021-2024

Two credits in a world language, which may include American Sign Language, may be used to complete Option 1 of elective credits required for graduation. (If students select a world language to fulfill the Maryland diploma requirements, it is recommended that the two world language credits be in the same language.)

“SAME” world language

With previous wording, people were taking one year of Spanish and then one year of ASL.

Try reading it again. Both say "same"

The change is that it's now a requirement for two years of the same language. It had previously been a recommendation.

That doesn't sound new to me though. I've been hearing that since my kids started languages in MS

If your kids told you that two years of the same language was a requirement, they had it wrong. As other posters have pointed out, it was possible to graduate with, say, Spanish 1A/1B and Latin 1A/1B, since that used to fulfill the previous requirement. Not any more, since what used to be a "recommendation" has been changed to a requirement.

Since this is a change necessitated by a change in COMAR, this applies to all schools in MD. This new requirement applies to students entering 9th in 2021-2022 or later. See http://www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/comarhtml/13a/13a.03.02.03.htm

- DP

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county and state really need to clearly articulate the requirement and collegiate expectation. Is it 2 credits of the same Foreign Language, OR is it 2 credits of the same Foreign Language taken while matriculating in HS?

That’s two very different things and has implications on both MS and HS course selection.

It's stated clearly here, as a PP posted upthread: Students must take two years of the same world language.

Course Bulletin, footnote on page 6 ¨Students may fulfill World Language graduation option in middle school.¨

http://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/publications/HSCourseBulletin2023.pdf

That course bulletin is for students GRADUATING IN 2026
There are plenty of kids in 9th grade, 10th, 11th for whom this doesn't apply.

This is true. However, I thought the point was that there was a new stricter rule. If you look at the 2025 bulletin, same FN, same page. Take the link above, and change to an earlier year, and let us know if it is different

I found this on the MCPS World Languages High section of their website. I can't tell the difference between the two. Gold star for whoever can.

Graduation Requirements for Class of 2025 and beyond

Two credits in the same world languages or two credits in American Sign Language

Graduation Requirements for Class of 2021-2024

Two credits in a world language, which may include American Sign Language, may be used to complete Option 1 of elective credits required for graduation. (If students select a world language to fulfill the Maryland diploma requirements, it is recommended that the two world language credits be in the same language.)

“SAME” world language

With previous wording, people were taking one year of Spanish and then one year of ASL.

Try reading it again. Both say "same"

The change is that it's now a requirement for two years of the same language. It had previously been a recommendation.

That doesn't sound new to me though. I've been hearing that since my kids started languages in MS

If your kids told you that two years of the same language was a requirement, they had it wrong. As other posters have pointed out, it was possible to graduate with, say, Spanish 1A/1B and Latin 1A/1B, since that used to fulfill the previous requirement. Not any more, since what used to be a "recommendation" has been changed to a requirement.

Since this is a change necessitated by a change in COMAR, this applies to all schools in MD. This new requirement applies to students entering 9th in 2021-2022 or later. See [url]http://www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/comarhtml/13a/13a.03.02.03.htm[/url

- DP

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county and state really need to clearly articulate the requirement and collegiate expectation. Is it 2 credits of the same Foreign Language, OR is it 2 credits of the same Foreign Language taken while matriculating in HS?

That’s two very different things and has implications on both MS and HS course selection.

It's stated clearly here, as a PP posted upthread: Students must take two years of the same world language.

Course Bulletin, footnote on page 6 ¨Students may fulfill World Language graduation option in middle school.¨

http://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/publications/HSCourseBulletin2023.pdf

That course bulletin is for students GRADUATING IN 2026
There are plenty of kids in 9th grade, 10th, 11th for whom this doesn't apply.

This is true. However, I thought the point was that there was a new stricter rule. If you look at the 2025 bulletin, same FN, same page. Take the link above, and change to an earlier year, and let us know if it is different

I found this on the MCPS World Languages High section of their website. I can't tell the difference between the two. Gold star for whoever can.

Graduation Requirements for Class of 2025 and beyond

Two credits in the same world languages or two credits in American Sign Language

Graduation Requirements for Class of 2021-2024

Two credits in a world language, which may include American Sign Language, may be used to complete Option 1 of elective credits required for graduation. (If students select a world language to fulfill the Maryland diploma requirements, it is recommended that the two world language credits be in the same language.)

“SAME” world language

With previous wording, people were taking one year of Spanish and then one year of ASL.

Try reading it again. Both say "same"

The change is that it's now a requirement for two years of the same language. It had previously been a recommendation.

That doesn't sound new to me though. I've been hearing that since my kids started languages in MS