GCSE choices - one where we can't support DC at home

[Fridayschild]

The subject grid for DS2's GSCEs is out and almost inevitably there is one block of subjects where he's not terribly good at or interested in any of them: in this particular timetable slot the choices are a language, drama or PE (to GCSE).

We can rule out PE and Latin, he hates both of those. He's not keen on drama and as a lot of the marks are for performance, which he won't enjoy, I can understand that.

Which leaves us with a language for a dyspraxic kid who can't spell... He's ready to pick German over Spanish and French. I could help with the French and he's studied it since year 3 but apparently he prefers German, which he's learned this year as part of a language carousel. This does mean he has to do quite a lot of work to get up to GCSE I think and particularly all the homework himself, as neither I, his father or stepmother speak any German. There is an open evening at the school in May where we can talk it through with teachers but I am expecting that to be a bit of a scrum.

This is the first time one of my kids will study a subject where neither his dad or I can help. Do we just have to let DS2 go for it?

I'd say let him pick. We aren't English so don't fully understand the emphasis put on GCSE results. Let him focus on getting good marks in the subjects he cares about/is good at and aim to pass the ones that are just filling in the schedule (that's our approach anyway!). He may also surprise you and do well on his own. I've got one child sitting GCSE next year and one about to start the process and I've found that they tend to work quite independently anyway. It's either coincidence or we are at the same school - we have the same subject grouping as you

He should be learning to work independently for gcse. Let him choose or he won't be motivated.

I would also say let him pick. If it’s his choice, it will probably mean that he’s more motivated to study the subject. We were in a similar situation 2 years ago. DS picked Latin (which neither DH or I have ever studied) and has never had any help with the homework, but is doing fine in the subject. He also has some SEN and uses a laptop due to terrible handwriting.

My (B&C grade) dyspraxic DD1 did 2 MFL for GCSE including 1 I didn't know (Spanish), it worked out fine, though her spelling was OK.

You can help at home. Get a set of grammar/verb/dictionaries. Get the relevant CGP or whatever course guides. Organise family holidays to chosen country (if funds allow). Have a look around for local German speaker (if funds allow).

DH and I don’t speak any languages at all. DD did joint MFL degree. We didn’t help for 1 second! We couldn’t.

yy let him pick. DS2 does computing and if he tells me about it I have No Idea what he is on about. it's fine.

If he struggles in class, his teacher will help him if they're worth anything. I taught MFL for six+ years and was always happy to help someone keen. The new GCSE is harder than the old but much much better. Good luck to him.

thanks very much all - sure we can manage a family holiday to Germany one year, that's good tip!

German, and to some extent Spanish, which I picked up as an adult, were MUCH easier for me than French (dyslexic, can't spell. No known dyspraxia).

Languages are not my strong point. My kids are learning 2 languages with none Roman alphabets (one with DH, who is a native speaker and one at school as the local language where we live). The kids just have to get on with the school work. Let him choose what he is most interested in learning - as a teen, parental input to homework is going to become less and less anyway.

The holiday idea is a great one.

My children go to school in French (which I speak) but learn Flemish as second language (which I don't speak) . They manage fine without any help. Sometimes I am required to read some parts of role play that they are learning- have no idea what I am reading! Let your son choose!

Most of the kids picking French/German/Spanish won’t have anyone at home to help them, tbh. If he’s struggling in Yr 11, could you get him a tutor for an hour a week?

Going to stick my neck out with an alternate idea here, take it or leave it! You don’t really mention how severely dyspraxic your son is or if he has any assistance or education plans in school so this might not be relevant or appropriate. My dyspraxic son is younger so we are not picking subjects yet but we (school and I in agreement) are already considering, for him, one subject less than the usual. Partly because he’d struggle with a full workload and this would give him some free periods during the day to do work in the library and partially because there are so many subjects he’d struggle to do a gcse in - languages are an absolute no for my child, as are art/technology/English lit etc. So, for your child, would the school consider a space in his timetable instead, giving him space to organise his work and do some homework in school, potentially giving him the chance to better in the remaining subjects?

I did 1 modern and one classical language at school, so my DCs, whose school does a second language for almost all its pupils from Y8, were always going to do 1 language I don't know anything about.

In the end, both went for - and both pursued to GCSE - the second language that pretty much no-one in the school's parent body will have any experience of (it's sufficiently rare that it's one of the few non-9-1 GCSEs this summer).

It's fine. The school is used to it. Grades are fab.

On a very practical level, the spelling rules in German are very consistent; the sounds that letters make are always the same and are also much more similar to English than they are in French. So although he'll clearly have to work hard, it's probably one of the better ones for someone that struggles with spelling.

I do understand the concern, though. Although I did two years of German at school, DD1 has opted to continue it to A-level and is now significantly beyond anything I can really help her with. It feels quite scary, but it's her education not mine!