What language did your child take in High school?

[Planogirl]

DS took two years of Spanish and doesn't really understand much of it. I took French and knew about as much French afterward as I did starting out.

 

[wellesleyprincess]

OP, I understand wanting her to take Spanish for family, but French IS VERY useful.

I had 6 years of French (plus 3 of German and 1 of Italian). While Spanish is useful in parts of theUS and Central/South America, French is a more global language. It is the second language of diplomacy (see the UN and the Olympics) and business. Additionally, it is still the official or second language of much of Africa (and a common second language in much of Europe) and in my travels I have found that between English and French, I can usually find someone in any locale who speaks one.
IMHO, French would be behind only Arabic and Asian dialects in the most useful languages for careers in business or politics.

 

[debbi801]

My son took Spanish. My DD took/is taking Japanese and Italian.

I'd rather they take languages they enjoy than ones they don't--better grades because they are more apt to practice.

 

[Rora]

Let her take French. There's nothing worse than taking a class that you don't like, especially when you had an option.

I took Spanish because my mom was a Spanish teacher. I didn't like it.

 

[Meriweather]

DS took 3 years of Japanese in high school
DD took 4 years of German. I think that one took better. Teacher had a rule that as soon as you entered the classroom, only German was spoken.
She has retained some better than the rest of us.

I took Spanish.

 

[maddiel]

This is kind of off topic - but do students in the US generally not take a second language before high school?

Where I live, the latest you would start taking a second language is grade 3. My kids took French Immersion so they started out taking French in primary (primary = kindergarten.) In fact, they actually started before that because I put them in a "Fun with French" preschool class.

On the other hand, we don't have as many second language alternatives as some of you do because just about everyone takes French. My DD17 wanted to take Spanish, but because she's in IB it would have had to be the IB Spanish course and they didn't have enough students interested to offer it.

One of the other local high schools offers Gaelic as a second language, but I don't know if there are other choices available.

M.

 

[scrapquitler]

So tell me the success stories of your high schoolers language choices. My oldest took latin! At least it helps on the SAT's. What's up with them hating Spanish?

My DD is a freshman, and she is taking Latin. DH and I decided for her She didn't like the idea at first, but she LOVES Latin now. She loves the fact that she knows that she'll have the same teacher all four years (as opposed to a crapshoot of which of the 5 or 6 Spanish teachers there are), and she loves that Dad took 4 years of Latin so they can discuss it together and that Latin is not what 'everyone' takes. And she is fascinated by all the history and culture that goes along with it...she says that her Latin class is a lot more fun than the Spanish, French and Italian classes.

Maybe your child doesn't want to take Spanish BECAUSE it is spoken by the relatives and she thinks it won't be 'cool'? Maybe she thinks that Dad will always be trying to correct her work? Maybe she figures that she will just pick up Spanish interacting with the extended family but she'll never learn French otherswise? What did she say when you asked her why she doesn't want to take Spanish?

 

[RUDisney]

This is kind of off topic - but do students in the US generally not take a second language before high school?

I'd say that in most areas of the US, languages are not offered until HS, or at least MS.

IMHO, it is one way that we short change our students in this country. It is so much easier to learn a language when you are younger. Plus, if a student starts learning a language at a younger age, the student can have more instructional time with speaking the language. In HS, all of my language courses were taught in English. They were translation based and not conversational. I know that because of this, I was short changed.

 

[brerrabbit]

Based on where I live I would advise all students to take Spanish. While others have mentioned that they have fast growing Spanish speaking populations, here in Texas it is projected that Hispanics will be the majority within the next five years. Need to practice speaking it? No problem, everywhere you go in the area someone speaks it. While many aspire to travel abroad and think various languages would be nice to learn, the reality around here is every person I know 25 and older always says the same thing. Either 1) I wish I would have taken Spanish in HS, or 2) I wished I would have paid more attention in Spanish class when I was in HS.

 

[PatsMom]

My daughter took French in middle school. Its not common to have intense language instruction in middle school around here but she went to a parochial school with strong French Canadian roots so they start with basic French in kindergarten and by the time they are in middle school, they are ready for serious instruction. She transferred in for seventh grade and had a rough time at the beginning. But when it was suggested that she might need to have extra tutoring, she got mad. Just because the teacher said she couldn't do it, she became one of the best students in her class.

When she started high school, they were going to place her in French 3 but we were concerned about her being in class with kids that much older so we settled for AP French II. So her senior year she didn't have a language - she assisted the French classes instead. She loves the language.

She is now majoring in French in college (or English with a French minor depending on what day of the week it is!) Either major has a minor in the other and her dual major is International Affairs. She is hoping to work as a diplomat or translator. Or maybe teaching.

 

[Agri]

I took Latin.

I learned so many new words - and more grammar than I ever did in all my English classes. One of my college instructors commented on it, and said I must have had a good English teacher in high school. Ha! I learned most of my grammar in Latin class. (I did have a very good English teacher in HS, but she did not teach me anything technical that I had not already learned in Latin class.)

I think its best to take whatever language you *want* to learn. So many classes in HS are forced on the student, its nice when you get to actually take something you *want* to learn.

 

[DSNY4ever]

I took Spanish. French seems like a total waste unless you plan to move to France someday. Being in California we have a lot of Spanish speaking people and employers like if you know some Spanish so it has been helpful to me. Now I would HIGHLY recommend Mandarin, because that is what every one will need to know soon, but I don't think the public school systems have caught on to that.

 

[SC Minnie]

Our schools start Spanish in K-5. DD wanted to take French in HS instead of Spanish that she had taken since K-5. I talked her into staying with Spanish. She wants to major in Hospitality Management. Spanish is more predominant in that industry than French.

 

[nancycg56]

My son took Latin from MS through HS and he took Arabic in college ~ loved them both.

My daughter took Spanish from MS through sophomore year in college ~ not a fan

 

[sacall]

In our schools, K-5 grade they teach only Spanish. In 6th grade, they take Spanish, German and French for the year. At the end of 6th grade, they decide on which language they would like to study.

My dd who is in 9th grade picked German. She is currently in German II and loves it. However, next year she would like to take both German and French.

My 6th grader has taken Spanish and German and is currently doing the French session. She wants to take French in as her lanuage.

Stacy

 

[clori]

My kids go to a k-8 public school and are only in 1st and 5th so no high school yet. My nieces/nephew have all recently finished their Bachelors. My nephew took Spanish in high school and college. My oldest niece took high school and college ASL and is extremely fluent. My youngest niece took French in high school which she struggled with and I don't recall her mentioning a language in college.

My kids attend a k-8 public school. There are two options. One option is a dual language program that half of the classes are taught in Spanish for both English, Spanish, and other language speakers in grades k-6. My kids are in the traditional program. They have Spanish weekly as a special in grades k-4 with an emphasis on fun. In 5 & 6 it is slightly more academic and meets twice a week. Grades are given for the first time though only 6th grade has midterms and finals in Spanish. Grades 7&8 have a different teacher and is a regular academic class that meets 5 days a week. I was told most kids get to start in Spanish II in high school.

In terms of the usefulness of Spanish I have no idea. I live in a big immigrant community. There are plenty of Spanish speaking people but there are also plenty of people who speak Haitian, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese etc. Last time the school did a survey there were 51 languages spoken at home other than English is a school of under 600 kids.

 

[Robinrs]

My son is taking Spanish and so did I. I use it daily.

 

[fun4me]

My oldest son is a Junior and is in his 3rd year of Spanish. He really did struggle the 1st and 2nd year but this year he is doing great. He loves it and wants to continue to take it into College. He also likes to listen in on Spanish conversations we hear out in public to see if he can understand what they are saying.

I took 2 years of French in HS. I don't remember much and I could never hold a conversation in French but have a few phrases I remember... One is "I don't know." and the other is "May I goto the restroom."

Oh I did use it once at job I had at a call center. When I asked the person how the call went he said "so, so" in French. LOL I guess he didn't think I would understand him.

I wish I took Spanish in HS. We have a large Spanish speaking population around here.

 

[AustinTink]

This is kind of off topic - but do students in the US generally not take a second language before high school?


M.

I can't speak for public school. But, my son is in private and has been taking Spanish since kinder. It is required.

 

[Hannathy]

Both my kids take French. Had no choice in elementary and then why not continue in HS after 5 yrs of the language. My DD continued thru AP French and now in college is debating a French minor cause she would only need a few courses but can't decide between a French minor or an English minor. My DS is in 6th grade and has had 3 years of French and I would imagine will stay with it but who knows he may change.