German or economics for GcSE?

[paplan]

So far our DD chosen geography, RE, and History...
we would like her to take economics as it's a useful subject (she will be studying law for a-level) and a teacher is amazing.

German will be the first year running in the school w a very flaky teacher or an ok one (4 MFL teachers in the school) she likes the language and has great results in exams/milestones etc.

Any recommendations?

I think it’s unusual (and slightly worrying!) that you have her A Level pathway mapped out before she’s chosen her options for GCSE! I do think you sometimes have to do a certain amount of planning to make sure that routes aren’t closed off by not doing a particular GCSE or A Level, but as pp have said, GCSE Economics is not required to do the A Level, but GCSE German would be essential for A Level German. I would let her do the subject she enjoys. She may not want to do A Level Law in a couple of years time, in any case.

Economics GCSE
Pros: Will give DD a good indication of whether she would like to do Econ at A level
Unknowns: Whether great teacher will be around all the way through Y10 and Y11; whether DD will actually enjoy Econ as not taken before

German GCSE
Pros: DD enjoys German and as aptitude so far
Unknowns: Which teacher will be allocated, whether teachers will change, whether DD will enjoy and power on irrespective of all that

Always best if DC own their own option decisions so best to discuss the above and see what she decides.

German.

You don’t need GCSE economics or even A level law.

She might never need to speak German specifically but learning a language makes it easier to learn other languages later down the line. For example I have to learn Italian now and it would be way harder if I didn’t have a handle on concepts like grammar, gender conjugation etc from GCSE French years ago!

I’d let her decide, but economics isn’t necessary at GCSE level - you don’t need it to take an economics A level (come to that you don’t need an economics A level to take the degree) - so I dunno how useful it is

A bit of German might be handy though

This too.

Cool your heels a bit, you can guide but it’s her life not yours.

Thank you so much for all the comments so far.
No mapping from us, she already made her mind about a level options but cheers anyway

German.
Fewer people are learning it and MFL is in decline. It will be incredibly useful.

Hey again @paplan (apols for multiple posts!) I wanted to add, what is perhaps not often said, that she already has (if as you say she is a good student who does well in lessons) the key foundations for German GCSE. If she is halfway through year 9, she will know the past, present and future tense; a whole load of vocab; how to pronounce German; the basics of the different cases and when they are used; and quite a bit more.

MFL is not unique of course in building so strongly on KS3 knowledge (take a bow also maths, science and all the creative subjects) but unlike say, history or Eng lit, where she has been working on skills for sure but not the actual texts or topics to be studied at GCSE, she is already halfway there with German. A good student could sit down and have a decent go at a foundation German paper right now. So I do think that is a big plus of a linear subject.

Hi @Bellyblueboy !

I have used all my languages, picked up at school or where we lived. Harder to do so after school or university, I think.

I learned Economics privately, after university, at a desk and working in finance. My partner took German at school and finds it very useful among friends and for travel.

Ok, fair enough, apologies if I made a wrong assumption, but you have to admit we would like her to take economics as it's a useful subject, makes it sound as though you might be quite involved in her choices!
I still stand by saying that she may have changed her mind about A Levels by the time she gets there.

Absolutely, maudelovesharold, I agree, and she probably will change her mind :)

My main concern is the teacher though... we aren't sure that she will have the less professional one (to say the least) for German, but if she does? Or it shouldn't matter?

I know that we can't have her equipped for every possibility just gathering opinions really, and you guys been great x

Languages have always been useful to me. I studied economics GCSE level at an evening class. It was enjoyable, I started the A Level but it was too maths based to very interesting.

My main concern is the teacher though... we aren't sure that she will have the less professional one (to say the least) for German, but if she does? Or it shouldn't matter?

It really depends. How bad is the teacher, in your opinion? Doesn’t know her stuff, or eccentric teaching style? Is your dd self-motivated, and has she been taught already by the teacher for a different subject, and done well?

I would say Economics as it ties in nicely with the others. German ? No.

German. Not at all sure what economics would have to do with A level law.

Learning a language is good for you, broadens the mind and makes learning other languages later in life easier. I think anyone who can one who can do one should. Contrary to what a PP said however a MFL at GCSE is not necessary any more, but I still think they are beneficial in the broadest sense.

German, she's doing 3 humanities already and you can do economics at degree level without either the gcse or a level (it only began to be taught in schools quite recently) whereas you can do that with a foreign language. My biggest regret in life is not taking a language to a level, and not learning more languages when I was younger. And even with AI, language skills will be useful travelling and they also help with brain development.

A language is always useful and German is one of the most interesting ones imho. I wish I'd studied more languages at school but am now self taught. I also studied Economics at Ordinary and Higher grade (Scottish system), and it was very interesting.

I did A level French and I still find it useful.

I meant can't do that with a foreign language!

I'd say German. It keeps more options open. As others have said, you don't need economics A-level to study it at degree.

Just really flaky. No proper teaching just wordsearch, kahoot etc.,

I work in my kids school so I have had first hand experience. 😞

BBC Bitesize is pretty good for GCSE German basics - I used it to supplement my German learning when I first started.
You'd also be surprised how much language people will absorb in practical activities like puzzles etc.

Well if she gets great results in exams then she is clearly learning something. I like Kahoot tho it’s more of a revision tool than a teaching one. Why not try my (rather random) suggestion of taking a look at a German foundation paper (obvs if she is able she will do higher, but F is more accessible at this stage) and see how much of it she can do?