How many languages does your child study?

[ClothesOfSand]

DD is starting at our local comprehensive in September. She will only get to study one foreign language. When I was at comprehensive school, everyone did two. I would rather DD did two, but that is not possible. The school teaches two - French to one half of the year and Spanish to the other.

Is it usual for schools to only teach all pupils only one foreign language?

I was also wondering which one was preferable to learn, French or Spanish?

DDs did 3 in year 7 but MFL is one of its specialisms. They do 2 in year 8 and 9, 3 if they do a twilight class.

When I was at school donkeys years ago we did french in the first year, added german in the second year and then after that most people dropped one or the other IIRC.

Which language is best depends on 'what for'. Within Europe/Africa French; the Americas, Spanish.

My daughter started in year 7 in top sets and was able to take French and German, although she wanted Spanish instead of the German. Spanish was offered only to the lower ability groups, so they only took Spanish and no other language. At the end of year 7, daughter was asked which language she would take from year 8 and she chose German. She was told that she could do French as a club. This club never happened. Now she is in year 8 she has chosen her options. Still unable to take the two languages as they are in the same group! So she has picked German. IF she can get in, that is. Not sure if there is a "better" language to take, but a lot of people say it is best to do one anyway.

In the 60s when I was of secondary age it was normal to teach French in year 7 and introduce another language usually Latin in year 8 at Grammar school. Now that was the curriculum for at most the top 25% of the school population. The remainder at secondary mods, apart from the top set who learnt French, did no language.

Now in a mixed ability year 7 almost 100% of the school population study one language. That is already asking alot. Your dd's school offers just French and Spanish as is increasingly the case. This in itself is a problem. These 2 languages are pretty similar and easily confusable. Too often students who do 2 languages with little aptitude end up with a linguistic minestrone. Unable to do either properly.

Much, much better to study just one language, until you really understand it and can manipulate it, without the confusion on the second MFL.

As to which language; I think that Spanish is genuinely easier than French for most brits. It is phonetic and most sounds are easy to pronounce. However the main thing is to get a good, solid foundation in any MFL. From there you are in a great position to learn another language at any stage in your life.

With the exception of French, you can start to study any language at university ab initio.

It is the firm foundation in one language that really matters. As many lessons per week as possible for the full five years. Too many schools offer second languages as an hour a week in year 9 with the GCSE in year 10. This will only be successful with gifted linguists, the vast majority will be left with a superficial and useless knowledge as i9t was built on sand.

That's interesting, Rennie, I hadn't thought of the confusion element. DS is doing 4, although one is at a lunchtime club. He only did French in year 7. He will do two at GCSE. Asides from actually learning the languages, the benefit to him in doing more than one is that it has helped him understand grammar, which makes it easier for him to learn all of them IYSWIM. It has also improved his written English.

I was thinking about going with DD to after school classes open to all at another school, and learning Spanish together, but leaving it until year 8 so that she gets a year of French first.

ClothesOfSand my comments above were based on years of experience with the average student. They don't apply if you have a really interested and motivated learner. Your ds is probably going to be a bit of a language collector like me.

However I do think that even a motivated learner would benefit from concentrating on one language for at least a year.

DD1 now yr10.

All did a term each of French, German and Spanish in yr7.
At the start of term yr7 term 3, had to choose whether to carry on with German or Spanish in yr8 and yr9 alongside French which was compulsory.
DD chose German as she preferred it to Spanish. Although as others say, Spanish is more like French, she found it less confusing having two quite different languages.

So 2 for possible GCSE options, but language not compulsory for all pathways. Anyone wanting to take Spanish or German for GCSE had to be at least level 6a at end of yr9.

Although DD more logical, and had equal grades in both, she dropped German and continued with French as she loves anything to do with France.

DS started doing German and Latin, he'd then normally have been able to choose between French, Spanish ans Latin in year 8. DD did French and German last year, she is doing French and Spanish this year, she could have chosen Mandarin or Latin after school.

DD chose German as she preferred it to Spanish. Although as others say, Spanish is more like French, she found it less confusing having two quite different languages.

my DD thought the same. She particularly wants to keep German because she tends to the science side and if you look at where science/technical industries are, the most important languages are English (phew) and German.

Both my DDs did spanish and French from year 7 (different schools)

Ds is in year 8. He's learning French, Spanish, German and Latin. Next year he's dropping French, they can only study three languages and he likes Latin. He isn't at a state school.

Grimma - That's what DD was advised re german, as she was sronger at Maths & Science.

I am beginning to wish she had kept German as well as French for GCSE, but she wanted triple science, Ebacc subjects and Music. As it turns out, she would have done better at German than she is currently with Geography, but that's hindsight for you.

It seems, unless the school offers a twilight option, it is difficult to take two languages and still have a balance.

DS did French in Y7, then top set 25% of year do Italian as well in Y8 and Y9. He is dropping French next year.

circular it very much depends on the school. DS is also doing triple science. ebac sujects and Music. However he still had another option and although he has chosen Geology, he could have studied French instead. His language teacher wanted him to.

At our indy DCs did two languages in the first term and a half (year 7). For the remainder of this year they will be doing 2 different langauages.

I went to a comp and we only did French. DP went to a GS where they did French and German.

My private very selective did French and Latin, added German or Spanish, option to take 3 at GCSE - French was compulsory - optional Greek for top set Latin and Japanese or Italian in 6th form. This definitely wasn't representative among my friends who usually did French it German or Spanish and added another in Y8.

Of the languages I've learnt, I've found German and Spanish to be the most useful in the "real world" so far (unfortunately I speak very little Spanish!)

Spanish is said to be easier to pick up the basics, but much harder to become properly fluent/advanced in.

DD in yr 7 does French, Spanish and Latin. Half of year do Spanish, the other half do German.

DD very into languages, is loving learning two new ones this year.

ds started French in Yr7 and German (as well) in Yr8. At the end of Yr8 the German teacher left (retired I think) and was never replaced, so he's doing just 1.
dd started French in Yr7 and added German in Yr8 too.

Mind, it was one of the influencing reasons we selected those schools. Some other schools round here only offer 1 language.

DS started with French and German in year 7. I was not happy about this as, I felt it was a lot on top of the strains of starting at secondary school. He dropped french for gcse.

2 years later when DD started they reduced it down to just French in yr 7 and added drama as a subject. She then did Italian as well from year 8. She is also dropping french in yr 10.

When I was at school back in the 70s we just did German until O level. My friend took both french and german for O level as she had a particular aptitude for languages, but I just continued with german.

DS is in y7 at a tiny indie & finding it very confusing to have to learn German + French simultaneously; he is failing at both, basically. (Excels at most other subjects).

local state Indie offers the same regime for German+French, + after school optional Latin for the top set of y7s. No one offers Spanish.

Indie secondary in last line

It doesn't have to be a private or very selective
DS2 is doing French and Spanish at the local comp.
They all do French in Y7 and Y8 then the top set can do a second language in Y9 German or Spanish.
He is just choosing his options and I think he might drop the Spanish because although he doing quite well he feels he is not a linguist and two MFLs at GCSE would be too much for him.

DD1 will learn French and German in her new school in September. Children in the lowest set will learn just one language and have extra English support.

If she had been given her second choice school she would just be learning one language and it would depend which half of the year she is in as to which langage she would learn.

DD1 at a grammar did Spanish, French and Latin. She was forced to drop Spanish to do an ICT subject for GCSE - she is doing GCSEs in the other two and she would have liked to do all three.
DD2 at a comp started Spanish and Latin in year 7 and will do Spanish GCSE in year 9 and possibly Latin later on. She had a choice of French or Spanish. She chose Spanish because it is generally considered more straightforward for dyslexics. I have always thought Spanish very useful because of the Latin American connection and the wide use of the language in the USA if she was ever to go there. Incidentally her school allowed kids until recently to drop the language altogether in year 9. But because of the English Bacc and university entrance requirements they are now strongly encouraging them to carry on with it.

DD1 is taking French and German to GCSE, this at a bit crap in and out of special measures mediocre comp. I would agree with Rennie that this is a big ask if you arent keen.

DD1 wants to study in Europe at some point.