Two languages at GCSE

[zippygeorgebungle]

Hello DD at a good, standard northern comp. Good at languages, motivated and predicted 8s and 9s across the board so far. But choosing GCSE options and seems really really unusual to do two modern foreign languages at our school. Almost all do Spanish which they start in year seven but French is only started at year nine so quite late. She has done a term and a half.
Is doing two a really bad idea? School said it was fine and encouraged it but when I asked, only five out of 200+ in year had done two this year and I think they were bilingual at home in one of the two. Thanks for any thoughts.

I did French and Spanish at GCSE and it was fine, I got an A in Spanish and a B in French. Sometimes it was a bit of a drag going straight from one to the other, and occasionally I'd slip into Spain ish during a French lesson and vice versa! I attempted both at A level, and that was extremely difficult as when 50% of the subjects you're then doing are language related, it becomes such a high concentration of your day and very intense. I would find myself confusing the "rules" of each language, and subsequently ended up dropping French in the first year. If your DD picks up languages as a foreign subject easily, and is keen to do both, I don't see an issue. My only gripe with it was, I couldn't do geography or history if doing both languages, and I would have liked to continue with one of those too, and would have probably been more beneficial than the two languages in hindsight. I cannot remember ANY French now, but Spanish stuck with me, and can still read it almost fluently, and make basic conversation when abroad so it has been useful.

As a languages teacher who did 3 at A level, I would say go for it. I loved it, enjoyed them a lot, and ultimately if you think languages is something you might pursue then the more the merrier. Each one makes it easier to learn the others, and most careers specifically requiring languages will request at least 2. Quite common at my school as we have good results, and a lot go on to study 2 at A level.

If she has a flair for languages and enjoys learning them, then doing both is fine - unless she is looking for a particular career path where other subjects make more sense (which is possibly why the number of pupils doing two languages is low).

I did French and German, and at my dd school they only take one language in Y7-9 - either French or Spanish - but school let them take both or switch at y10 options. They have a “catch up” flight path for the kids who do this and whilst most kids just stick with the language they have been doing for 3 years, it’s not common to trade and plenty take both.
if school says it’s fine, then it’s fine

Dd did French and Spanish. School were 🙄 as only two of them did both and it meant re jigging the timetable but it worked well. She did one for a level.

I would also say go for it. I did 2 languages at GCSE and carried on with them for A-Levels and degree. Never regretted it.

It depends what she wants to do later on. Fwiw I planned to do Spanish and German at GCSE but the Spanish teacher left and I was made to do food tech and RS instead! I did GCSE Spanish in a year alongside my A levels, I found it very easy and got an A* , if that's possible I would opt for a wider portfolio at GCSE and pick up the second GCSE language as an extra.

ETA the RS and FT were in place of Spanish I was still able to do German in the usual way.

I’m usually very encouraging of taking 2 languages at GCSE (I did, and my kids will as well) - but I think it is quite unfair on your DD (by the school) to only start French in Y9 and then expect them to take a GCSE in it after only 2 years. If she really wants to take it, cold you stretch to some extra tutoring outside of school?

My DS’s school encourages dual linguists by noting that the syllabus is identical for both, so you are only learning the set of topics once - just in the two different languages.

I did French and German at my large northern comprehensive. The French I started in year 7 and the German in year 9. I did Latin as well. I then did both French and German for A level.

If you’re a linguist, it’s fine! My DS is doing two at A level, and I did the same. People do two humanities all the time and no one says it’s odd.

I did french and Spanish at GCSE. There were I think 8 of us who did both as we had French class just for the bilinguals. We played games such as happy families, watched clips from french TV shows and listened to french radio as we had a small class.

Crikey, learning languages so late (as in year 9) seems very unfair. I did O levels (yes, I am that old - but only just!) in French, Spanish, German - and Latin. Not a modern language but incredibly helpful with spelling and learning Romance/ Latin languages.
I find it so sad that languages are no longer prioritised in secondary education.

I think it's fine. The more you do the easier they get (hence the bilingual kids having a bit of a head start). I did 2 at GCSE (normal comp), 2 at A Level and 3 at university. I now speak 5 languages well.

The oil y ones who did two languages at my kids school were those who were native squeakers and took them in the first year so they could still take the nine/10 amount the second year without losing an option. But if languages are her thing then she should go for it!

Brilliant to take two MFL yes yes.

Hardly anyone does for a number of reasons:

• School only offers one
• School offers more than one but only one per year/one to each half of the year
• Students think they are difficult or "everyone speaks English miss"
• So many compulsories and other things to do that there is no room for more than one (very valid reason tbf)

If none of these applies then hurrah for two MFL.

Yes year 9 is a late start, but I know DC who have started their second MFL ab initio in year 10 and done fine. One of my MFL O levels I did from scratch in four terms in sixth form. You could always use a tutor if there were concerns.

(MFL is my subject btw in case you think I have lost it haha. I have quals in five languages (admittedly two are only at O level and two are classical, not modern) which would sadly be very unlikely now).

A good thing about it btw is that assuming the school does the same board for both, the specs are identical so any exam skills will apply to both. Example of what I mean – speaking exam in AQA requires a certain number of different verbs to be used in a specific section to access the top marks – it's the same in German and Spanish. Or again – there's a translation task on the reading paper which is worth 10 marks so leave enough time for it (it's at the end) – again, same in French and German. Skills of translating (cover every phrase, make sure your English is English) also apply to all MFLs. And so on.

BTW I did two MFLs (and one classical) at A level and never had an issue confusing them. Sometimes now I can't think of the German word for XX, just the French one, but it’s no big deal.

The reason it's unusual is most likely pupils picking a range of subjects not because that's not a valid choice. Maths, English, Science... 6 gcses. 1 Mfl and a humanity... another 2 gone. So only a couple of options left.

My DD loved languages. She did GCSE's in Spanish, French, German and Latin, because German a new language she only started in Year 10 clashed with Spanish a language she had studied since Year 7 clashed so she could only attend 1 of them one day each week she attended the German and copied a friend's notes in Spanish. She still got A* and A in all her languages. She also did exchange visits with a German, and French girl and continued to exchange with her Spanish friend of several years.

I’m loving btw all the people (adults and DC) with multiple MFL or classical languages at GCSE and A level. Languages are the best. All the best to your DD @zippygeorgebungle

Being an unusual choice isn’t a reason not to, if it’s the right choice for her. What other subjects would she take? The only concern would be missing out on something else.

If they’re choosing six of their nine and are expected to take three sciences, they’d typically choose one language, one humanity, one something else - could be art, music etc or could be a second language or humanity. So with an unusual set of choices the issue could be timetabling and missing out on a preferred other subject.

I find it so sad that languages are no longer prioritised in secondary education.

So do I. Very short-sighted of us as a country. There seems to be a feeling that learning a language is hard, top grades are less likely and so schools as well as pupils and parents prioritise 'easier' subjects. Sad.

There were several people at my school who did 2 languages at GCSE.
Fairly certain my brother did 2 MFL, and Latin.
However, my kids are only being taught one language - and I think that is the way many schools are going. If she loves them, go for it - and don't be put off by people saying its tough. If you enjoy it, and are good at it, it's not a chore.

PS the above is written by someone who thinks doing 2 languages would be an awful choice, and would much rather do maths and physics! Everyone is different and she should follow her preferences.

I wouldn't worry about her picking up French late @zippygeorgebungle, the new 2026 spec is designed to be able to pick up in Y10 and do the course ab initio in 2 years. If she wants to, then absolutely do it! How fantastic.

I did two MFL GCSEs and got two A*s. Also did a third MFL GCSE alongside my A Levels (which included two MFLs). I am not from a bilingual family. If she loves languages and has an aptitude for them, then id let her go for it.

Nothing wrong with multiple languages. As others have said they complement each other, the more languages you learn the easier it is. I did French and German for GCSE and A level, French and Russian at uni and have recently learnt sone basic Spanish and Italian. In most European countries two MFL is the minimum everyone does, and they start much much earlier. The British system is so bad for languages.

A lot of times timetabling or wanting to do other subjects and not having enough slots will stop kids doing two MFL. But if it's what your kid is good at /interested in, go for it.

My not academic DD did 2, French, and Spanish which she started only in y10.

This was under the old grades so I know things have changed.
Fewer facts to revise, exam technique the same for both, could guess meanings from knowing the other language.

This was in a comp.