Language teachers (particularly German) - Advice needed on A Level vs International A Level German and which "option" would be best for DD going forward.

[EverythingSortsEventua11y]

Apologies for the length, but context is required for this for it to make sense.

DD, current Y12, has decided A level German is too easy. We did live in Germany for 10 years. DD was aged 3-13 and went to the German equivalent of a state school so can actually speak German well. She got a 9 in GCSE German in Year 9 and an A* in IGCSE First Language German in Y11. The IGCSE was supported by the school who regularly allow pupils to enter for GCSEs or IGCSEs in their first/home languages. The native speaking German teacher supported and prepared DD for the IGCSE German. She went to the German GCSE classes but worked on work set for the IGCSE then had an hour per week with the German teacher after school to work on the content.

DD has chosen German, French and History for A Level plus an EPQ. She chose German because she though she would enjoy it and it would be an easier one so she could concentrate on getting high grades in the others. She's since changed her mind. Apparently the A Level German is easier than the IGCSE First Language German and she's bored. She's already read the book and watched the film and has attempted some A Level papers to see where she is. The teacher marked them and said they were definitely A Grade, borderline A* , and with some polish they would be easily A. Her speaking is already at A level. DD mentioned to her teacher that she is getting bored and she is not finding German at all interesting because it is too easy. Cutting the story short a bit, the teacher has suggested DD could take a look at International A Level German Language and Literature. The school has never entered anyone for this before (but they had also never entered anyone for IGCSE German either) so they have no experience of it. It's a risk, but they think she is capable. The teacher is happy to help her prepare for it but it would require a lot of outside work on DDs part and she has been told she does have to treat it more like an A Level than she is treating A Level German at the minute.

The options DD has are as follows:

1. Keep going as she is with German, French and History.
2. Drop the A Level German lessons and pick up another A Level subject. She can then sit A Level German a year early after doing a few 'polishing' lessons towards the end of the year with the rest of the class. (DD doesn't seem to have an interest in anything she would be able to swap to except perhaps English Literature).
3. Remain in her A Level German lessons but the time would be spent working towards the International A Level German. She would then, just like with the IGCSE, have one lesson after school every week with the German teacher working on the International A Level content and would be able to ask questions in the German class during the time the teacher has set the rest of the class to do a task. She would also still have to go to the A Level German speaking group. She would have the option of sitting A Level German at the end of Y12 if she wanted to and school have advised that this is possibly a good idea because of the level of risk involved with the International A Level.

DD is leaning towards option 3. Advice required. I've attached the syllabi below for anyone who can interpret which would be best for DD and which is going to stretch her. I can read them and get the sense the International A Level will provide more stretch, but I am no language teacher with the knowledge of what language level is really required for them.

Syllabi
International A Level
https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-international-as-and-a-level-german-9717/

A Level
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/german/a-level/german-7662/specification

@clary
This issue is still causing numbers to drop though as it’s widely perceived as a problem. On MN I notice dc doing MFL are widely dc of parents who have non GB passports and they always say their dc are already fluent in more than one MFL when looking at uni choices. Most people looking at MFLs think the playing field is uneven and the grade boundaries are tough. So MFLs are increasingly avoided by comps where fewer dc have parental advantages. Many language assistants I’ve encountered are mums earning a bit of money and want a term time job to suit their families. Then they take Dc “home” for the hols.

It’s not entirely detailing! It’s about MFLs!

@clary Thank you for your insight on this. It is really appreciated. Perhaps I should dig deeper into why she thinks it’s too easy before letting it go.

We were in German when she was aged 3-13 so, although not a native speaker and has grown up with English as the home language, she has a pretty good grasp on the language and will have picked up cultural norms and references that even I, as an adult, will not understand. She was also at at kindergarten, grundschole and part of gymnasium, never once in a British international school, so she does have a brain between here ears (when she applies herself) and can function well with the language. I also think she’s covered some of the content / themes of the A level in a native German environment, which is possibly another reason she is saying it is easy.

At one point I would have said her German was better than her English. Shes kept the language going (obviously) but not just in school. Shes kept in touch with friends in Germany and we have been back a few times. There is also a language cafe close to us that she likes to go to so she can speak “real proper German” (her words - have I mentioned that I am convinced her German might be better than her English 😂) with German native speakers. I think she feels miles ahead of everyone else and the A level isn’t providing the challenge she is craving. Additionally, my personal thought, is perhaps she isn’t putting the effort into the other aspects that she should be? That said. If she is already A/A-star borderline, clearly it isn’t going to challenger her for the next 18 months. It’s a tricky one, especially as she clearly has an interest and a love for the language. Or at least a determination to remain fluent in it.

We had a discussion about careers and what she would be interested in doing after A levels. Shes really not sure, but she does want to do something where she can make use of German.

We have a meeting with the German teacher tomorrow, then we have half term to make a decision. She has to decide whether she’s picking up, or switching to, another subject at the latest after half term as that is the cut off date, after that the school says there is far too much to learn, and ideally she would have switched earlier as she is going to have to put some effort into getting up to speed.

PS: Don’t worry about de-railing. It was quite interesting to read the differing arguments and points of view.

Also, thank you everyone else for your thoughts on this. It’s helpful. I’m especially glad for the real word examples demonstrating that the A Level in German won’t disadvantage her in anyway. Also glad of the opinions regarding English Lit potentially being a good alternative that will challenge her. I did think the ideas about a C1 or a C2 exam were good. These, for some reason, hadn’t crossed my mind, I think I was bogged down thinking about A Levels and not out of the box at what would be worthwhile beyond school, but I think it’s something very worthwhile that needs to be on the table as an option. As I said earlier, nothing has been decided yet, but certainly everything mentioned is being considered.

Hey @EverythingSortsEventua11y thanks for the update.
Interesting that her German may have been better than her English – of course if that were still the case, the advantage to her doing German A level would probably be outweighed by possible issues with English-speaking subjects (like history). Hopefully not a problem now tho?

The cultural references from me relate to the topics studied at A level. I have said this on other threads but in total honesty, I personally would not be able to walk into an equivalent exam in English and do well. The speaking exam requires the student to speak in detail about one of 12 topics – including quoting recent relevant stats and opinions, of their own and others, reflecting on the issues raised and showing a good understanding of the topic. So the topics include (German – this is AQA btw) integration, immigration, the reunification, German art and architecture, Germany and the EU, politics and youth – i find it unlikely that she covered these issues in school by the age of 13. I couldn't quote stats and offer cogent opinion on those sorts of issues in relation to the UK without doing quite a bit of research and reading. I have lived here all my life and am a news junkie, but I don't off the top of my head know stats about who voted for Brexit and why, or how many migrants came to the UK last year and from where (to pick two similar UK-centric topics).

So I would think there would be a fair bit of factual topic material for her to cover relating to Germany and German-speaking countries (it's also the basis of the reading and listening exam). And she also has to prep a research project for the speaking exam, which will certainly be new learning and work. That's not usually done until year 13 and I am not pretending that it normally takes up the bulk of the lesson time even there, but still it is work she would need to do.

Anyway all the best to her whatever you decide. Sounds as tho she is a dedicated student who will do really well.