Opinions on learning two languages or one?

[iwantavuvezela]

My daughters school offers her the chance to study two languages in Year 7, so she choose two. However it seems like a lot of work ( starting to learn the grammar, two sets of language homework) and I am wondering if it would be better to focus on one until She is more secure. If they do one, then they double the session (so have two lessons, one repeated in one language). This could be I guess a bit "boring", but I imagine that repetition when learning a language is useful?

Or, for those who have children who have done this is it a good option to preserve with two?

I think they can change from two to one or even languages they are learning.

Learning languages need not be boring. For many it is more interesting than science or art. Useful skill too.

We had this choice in Y7 w ds1. He opted to take the two languages (French and Spanish). It is more work, no question there. The benefits for him are:
-the opportunity to try both languages to see which he prefers (he's heavily into scienve/computing so wont study more than 1 at GCSE).
-being in a class with others who are keen and able.

If he hadn't said yes he'd be no further ahead in French (all other classes are mixed ability) but the pace would be much less. He also wouldn't get another opportunity to do Spanish until Y9.

Id suggest your dd thinks about the workload but also checks out what her future opportunities for language study might be if she says yes, and if she said no.

Thank you for this answers, yes a good idea to check on future possibilities for language learning, and when that might again become possible.

Apologies I was a bit unclear about the boring bitI meant that the same lesson would be repeated if they only did one language, so two language lessons a week, if one language then lesson repeated, or two different language lessons.

I agree on the benefits of learning languages, I was wondering whether it is better to try and master one or if it made no difference to ability to learn if you did two.

Will wait Until after October half term and then re think.

Outside of school it's probably better to learn one at a time.

I managed to learn 2 at once in school though. I would have been bored to tears repeating the lesson.

I was always interested in learning languages though.

I think it depends on interest level.

Definitely try the two. An unmissable opportunity.

When I was at school, the first two years (7&8) only French was offered. Then the school became a specialist language college. When I was in year 9 we were given another language based on what set we were in for French. We didn't get an option. Top set were given Mandarin, second and third sets were given Spanish. Everyone else just did French.
It was hard doing two languages. Personally I didn't like it. Of course that's a personal preference.
For gcse we could choose which we wanted. And there were also others available. I chose the one I enjoyed the most and found easier to learn.
I do think learning a language is very worthwhile. I wish I'd had chance to carry on my chosen language.

DD has always done two languages since Y3, French plus one other. Now in Y9 (state school) she is doing French, German and Mandarin, the latter off timetable. As they are all quite different languages she seems to cope quite well. Some who are studying Spanish and French have said the similarities cause more confusion and so rather than being easier they’ve found it harder. So my point is that sometimes the combinations of languages can affect how easy or difficult taking on multiple languages might be.

I would start with two unless she is dyslexic and see how it goes. Progress will most of all depend how well the individual languages are taught including the grammar. Year 7 to 8 should be a chance to experiment with subjects including languages.

At our school. Year 7s take 3 languages (German, French and Latin). This may seem a lot, but it gives pupils a chance to find out which languages they prefer and want to continue to GCSE. From Year 10 Spanish is offered.

Our school does 1 language from year1. Adds a second language in year 3.
My kids are learning a third language at home.
And English is the language at school and home.
If she is game for it, go for 2 languages.

But while we are talking languages, what level of second language is expected come year7?

At DD's school the YR7's have to do both French and German. She done a bit of French at Primary School and wasn't keen but I'm hoping that it will be different enough in YR7 that she will start to enjoy it. At the end of YR7, they choose which language they'd like to continue with. I think that there is also the option to carry on with both.

I loved languages and done French from the start of Secondary and then picked up Spanish in YR9. A number of previous posters have mentioned (and I agree) that learning French and Spanish at the same time can be tricky, as there are similarities - I'd say that at the beginning of learning a language these would be more pronounced.

Languages present a great opportunity and I'd encourage your child to give it a go.

I think a language is a useful skill and would chose two unless your DS is really struggling. At DS's school in yr7 everyone does 2 modern languages and Latin. They then go down to 2 out of the 3 in yr8. DS in yr10 is doing 2 languages for GCSE despite leaning more towards sciences. I think that is great balance.

Thank you for all the feedback. I am going to encourage her to stick with two.

Dd is taking both French and German A levels and has done years of Spanish, Italian and Latin along the way. It has really helped her understanding of grammar and roots of English, and she hopes to study Linguistics at uni.

DS started two languages in year 7 – French and Spanish. At the beginning he was occasionally getting the two mixed up, but now in year 8, he's fine in both. In fact, I think he enjoys seeing the similarities and differences between them.

They do French and Spanish in year 7 and year 8 at my DC’s school. Seems to work all right (DS in year 10 and just doing Spanish and DD in year 8)

All my 5 children (and I and my siblings) did 2. I kept both up to GCSE and one to A level and it was fine - not too much work at all. My chdlren jsut did one right to GCSE so dropped one of the 2 before the 2 years of GCSE (in fact they all also did a year or two of latin too so I suppose at one point were doing 3).

A reasonable group of GCSEs would be english lit, lang, maths, 2 or 3 sciences, 1 or 2 languages, geography, history. Then add one of the kind of art, drama, RE, music perhaps if you can manage that too.

DD's is in year 7. She had to choose 2 of 3 language options to study. Apparently you only get to choose one or less if your sats results were lower and you needed to catch up on maths and english. DD did very well so there is no alternative, however she is loving both. She did french at primary school and thought it was boring but her teacher makes it interesting so is happily learning vocab.

Do they really do exactly the same lesson in two languages. That sounds very boring and actually more likely to cause confusion. That said I think it sounds like a good chance to try two languages.

I don't think they will do the same lesson in each language. Never happened to me.

In my school the brighter ones did French and German and less bright did French and Needlework.

DD did no languages at Primary school. Y7 at school it was French and then you could choose a second language if you were capable in Y8. She was and chose Italian. Others chose German, Japanese or Spanish. She did both for A level and then both for her degree. Of course it is hard work, but what worthwhile subect is not hard work?

The huge advantage of doing two languages at school is that you hit the ground running for a degree. Even if you do ab initio it is better to have studied two languages at school. Universities like students who have done more than one language. They like you to do joint honours (keeps language departments open) and employers seem to like this too. It shows you do not shy away from hard work!

The other big advantage regarding languages is that universities are struggling to recruit decent language undergrads. It is "easier" to get into Oxbridge if you are a language student - approx 33% success rate. It can help you get into an oversubscribed course at a top university if you add in a language, eg History and French etc. because language undergrads are getting to be an endangered species!

LIZS - I woud add a language with a linguistics course for joint honours. A Language is a valuable skill to have beyond linguistics which is, of course, academic.

Bubbles , unfortunately she's not keen on taking a current language further although happy to pick another. Most of the courses she is applying for offer it as an option within the course, potentially with a year abroad.

If she does a language, a year abroad is crucial for developing language acquisition. Otherwise it’s a bit peripheral.

I would have loved to have done two but unfortunately picking a science was compulsory at my school and I had to drop one.

I am not scientifically inclined in the slightest. The other language would have been much more useful to me.