German or Spanish??

[kacaju]

Bottom line, even taking four years of language in high school isn't going to make him fluent,

I think that somewhat depends. My dd17 (she is a junior) has taken 4 years of spanish so far (she started in 8th grade. She is fluent enough to carry on a conversation with the Mexican workers she worked with at Farm. She can listen and understand when we are out and two people strike up a conversation in Spanish.
She plans on going into nursing.

 

[plutotek]

Unless your son is one of those rare ones that is POSITIVE he knows what he wants to be when he 'grows up', I'd let him pick whatever language he prefers. I took both, and while I can still say the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish, I understand/recall a bit more from German. However, I've never used any of it in my adult life, unless you count understanding what a GF's mother was saying about me when she didn't know I understood.

 

[LaurenLC]

Whatever he has an interest in. I'm just surprised that they only offer German and Spanish.

 

[collegejunkie]

i don't think anyone leaves high school mastering any language they take. and, fwiw, i was considered my HS's language star, and i still don't feel like i got much out of it.

i actually think he'll get a better grip of english grammar from learning the higher-up stuff in either language. the point is just to have some fun with it and get some exposure to another culture. if he really is going for mastery, then he needs to continue to take it in college beyond HS.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Let him take what he wants.
He can always learn another language on his own if he so chooses.

I took French b/c I loved the language. And while I have trouble trying to say a coherent sentence--I love that I can catch what things mean in print every now and then. One day it will be stronger. But due to reasons beyond my control, I had a weak start due to a not great level I teacher and then later on a terrible level III teacher...so when I took it in college, it was like starting all over. But I still j'adore le francais! (even if I can't spell it ) But I can say "I live in New Orleans, Lousiana, United States of America" properly. LOL!

 

[SideshowBob]

Two years back I pushed my DD to take Latin in HS as I had for 6 years (HS/C) and wish that I had just let her take Spanish as she has not enjoyed and had to work very hard to keep A's along the way.

Best o' luck with his decision and class.

 

[katesorad]

I took German in high school, as did my brother. I loved it. I found that the students in the German class actually wanted to be there, while my friends in Spanish just sat there because they had to.

 

[Fly4free]

My son would like to take German in HS as well. He is only in 7th grade now, but our school district sadly does not offer it. I wish I could afford to move to the neighboring dostrict which does.

We have traveled in Europe several times and knowing German has been wonderful for me. I bought the Rosseta Stone for the kids and dh to learn some too.