AIBU to make my son keep learning Spanish after GCSE?

[SassyBear2]

My son, DS16, did really well in his GCSEs this year, achieving 10 grade 9s, including Spanish. He’s now doing Chemistry, Biology, and Maths at A-level. During GCSEs, we arranged for him to speak with a native Spanish speaker for an hour each week. She doesn’t speak any English, so he has to speak Spanish the whole time. The sessions aren’t formal lessons, just a conversation to keep his skills alive.

Now that he’s completed his Spanish GCSE, he wants to stop these sessions. He says he can’t be bothered to continue learning Spanish and believes he won’t use it in the future since he already speaks English. I understand I can’t force him, but as a parent, I feel responsible for guiding him. AIBU to encourage him to continue? Is Spanish a useful skill for him, even if he doesn’t see an immediate need for it?

I can see why you want this but I don’t think you can force him.

My dd also got ten nines at GCSE (just bragging as it’s not really relevant) including a nine for German. She’s not doing German A level as her school don’t offer it, and the only local school that does had it clashing with her preferred history A Level.

She is going to be doing German classes on Saturdays but the difference is she wants to keep learning.

My exh is bilingual in French simply through determination to learn and spending time there specifically for language learning purposes, so he’s very keen for the kids to learn a second language. And as someone who doesn’t speak one fluently, I agree.

Only just getting a bit concerned that he wants our 11 yo to go on a Spanish exchange in the near future!!

YABU. You can't force him to do anything, and if he wants to stop, then let him stop.

He's thinking of doing engineering but hasn't taken physics A level? If I were you I'd be getting him to add the 4th A level, and forget the Spanish, surely?

My DS did Maths and Sciences A levels and went on to study physics. However, his first job was with a French company who encouraged him to study the language and live in France. This triggered an interest in languages and he's now fluent in French and Spanish. It's helped his career immensely.

How do you intend to make him?

I would encourage him to keep the Spanish alive in other ways; watch a Spanish TV series together on Netflix or Walter Presents, take a holiday to a Spanish speaking country, where he can use his language (ie not a place full of Brits!) and remind him that he will be able to work in Spain over summers or a gap year when the youth mobility scheme comes in. I am sure the idea of a hospitality job in Spain using his Spanish would be more attractive to him than plodding on with conversation classes.

He’ll be too old to be “made”.

My mum made me do French A Level and I got an E and have regretted but doing something I wanted ever since. Yes, it hasn't caused major issues in my life but I feel resentful that I didn't like the course and found it difficult (it was a combo of business French and French literature).

Let your son make his own choices. You can give him opinions and ideas of how useful it may be but let him decide.

As an A level teacher, if he wants to study medicine later then he will be needing to more than the recommended hours on independent revision even though he scored highly on his GCSE’s. Adding in weekly Spanish lessons might impact on that especially if he’s not that motivated to do Spanish. As PP have said you can only encourage at this age despite the benefit of having an additional language.

You can't 'make' him study anything.

Why are you fixated on this one subject that hasn't captured his interest or his heart?

It's his mind, his life, his future.

If he's looking at medicine or engineering his brain is going to be pummelled with the learning and training he'll have to do over the next decade or so.

I did Spanish and French at A level, used them a bit in one job, but really not since.

Let it go, and support his - HIS - choices.

DSs both got 9s in French and Spanish gcses. There’s one French A level between them… But the boy who didn’t do A level is now abroad and speaking quite a lot of French! Do not force it. Encourage him to watch Moneyheist and holiday in Spain.

My son did two modern languages A levels, did really well at both of them, had an amazing aptitude for accent and vocabulary and wasn't interested at carrying on with either at university, even as a minor subject.

It seemed a real shame to us, but it's his life and his education.

Those who had a second language got the best research placements abroad during Uni. Not sure about engineering, but definitely useful for medicine if he plans to do a research placement in a medical science lab.. Something to think about!