Dd has been told she can take a second language but she's not keen

[VivaLeBeaver]

She's in year 7 and already does French. She's had a letter sayi g she's been identified as someone who could cope with a second language which would be German.

It would mean dropping one dt class and one PE class a week, she likes dt but would still get to do a dt class every week.

I think German would better for her, a German gcse would surely be better than a dt gcse. She says she doesn't like German but she's never done it so she's been daft. Am I right to push her into doing the German? She'll do it without argument if I tell her I really think its in her best interest.

I dont think that you can second guess which language will be more useful. You dont know at the age of 13/14 where your career may take you.

Who would have been able to guess that the Russian I learned for O level was useful 20 years later on a business trip to Moscow?

If your DD has a facility for languages then I would think that learning a very different language - germanic rather than romanse would give her a different perspective.

I did French in year 7 (in the olden days) and did well, then took up German in Year 8 as a second language and had to stop after a while because I was mixing the two.

I actually did quite well in the end, with a C Grade 'O' level and can still speak French - with some revision of verbs - 30 years later.

I don't suppose this is very common but it does happen. It wasn't the end of the world though - I quickly caught up whatever it was I was moved to.

Be careful though. If she decides not to try it she might end up in a lower set. At my school a second language is only offered to the top sets.

I too think that (a) no way should she be thinking in any way about the future - this is about getting her as broad a base as possible for specialising later (b) she should go for it.

DD1 is doing three languages in Y7 (school has offered them - it's actually not a language specialist school) and I am v chuffed.

Dd is in the top sets for all subjects. There's no way she wouldn't try, she's not that sort of kid. I think she will enjoy German, she's just a bit disappointed about dropping one dt lesson. But she'll still have one dt session a week.

Even if she takes it now she isn't obliged to do GCSE/O level but would still have the basics and an awareness of how English evolved. At this stage I'd be saying she needs to keep her options open as far as possible.

Agree that German has more use in many professions (not just engineering) than Spanish. Also, whilst French and Spanish are very similar (both being latin derived languages), German is very different and therefore is a great complement to either French or Spanish.
I use my German both at work and when skiing in Austria .

At 11 it's quite silly to consider what will be potentially useful.

Your DD should do another language for the love of it and the way it will make her brain work.

My DS learnt French from prep school he has never shown any interest in it or any particular flare although he is capable and is very good at Latin. When he went to senior school he had to choose a third language after seeking the views of MNers (thank you) he choose German. He absolutely loves it is planning to keep in up till 6 th form and probably university. Apparently it's very logical.

I don't think it's too early to consider what might be useful. I do think German would be of more benefit than dt, especially when it's a second dt lesson. She will still get to do dt, just one lesson a week.

I can't make a decision about whether she does it or not based on whether or not she enjoys German as she hasn't done any German.

She does however enjoy French and Chinese and seems to be good at languages.

I'm sure if she started german and hated it then the school would let her drop it and go back to doing two dt lessons a week. On that basis she's agreed to do German.

if she is already learning both Chinese and French, maybe she really doesn't need German as well; but I see you and your dd have already made your decision. I hope she gets on with German and likes it. As you say, until you do start learning it, you really cannot know if you will like it or not.

She's not learning Chinese at the minute, did it for a couple of terms in year 6 and liked it. Her secondary school do offer it but not till either yr8 or yr9, can't remember which.

I don't think it is too early to establish a motivation for doing a speciifc subject. dd has chosen German because she was born in a German speakign area and woudl like to return someday. Sadly the tradeoff is dropping Latin and Spanish. However languages are actually one of the easiest courses to find as an adult so can be taken up again later.