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Delaying foreign language


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Hi ladies,

We just started back to school and are doing HOD for my oldest daughter. It's exactly what she needs and is such a great fit. The problem - I'm adding too much in. I think I'm going to drop most everything else except our online writing class. We just need a peaceful, slow year. Long story there.

Here's the question. We have done 1 year of Latin. I really would like to drop that too. One idea is to do no foreign language this year. Then for her 6th grade year, do a roots program and perhaps start Rosetta Stone (or something else) for Spanish or French. It seems opposite of most people here that do full on Latin. But it seems so much more doable to me. What do you think of this path?

So to recap:

5th - no foreign language

6th and up - roots program and French or Spanish

Overall, no thorough Latin program.

Thoughts?

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In the US, foreign language is high school level. Anything younger than that is early foreign language. Lots of people don't do Latin at all. If your child has done some, they already ahead of the curve. Prioritize and be realistic about the fact that something will probably be left out.

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I think you need to do what works for her. I disagree that middle school is "early" but I do think your plan is right on track.

 

A year of Latin in HS as part of a PSAT/SAT vocabulary prep course could be a nice compromise if she is making good progress in her modern language.

 

I would not recommend Rosetta Stone.

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I think you need to do what works for her. I disagree that middle school is "early" but I do think your plan is right on track.

 

A year of Latin in HS as part of a PSAT/SAT vocabulary prep course could be a nice compromise if she is making good progress in her modern language.

 

I would not recommend Rosetta Stone.

Just curious - why not Rosetta Stone?

So you are saying start another language first and add in Latin later on?

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RS isn't a very effective language program if you want to actually end up communicating with someone. I think it can be a small part of a decent course of study with other resources but it isn't enough on its own and I think it's too expensive for what you do get. There are much better options especially for Spanish and French. RS is pretty painless for the parent though.

 

I don't think middle school foreign languages are necessarily early, but I also don't think many USians would think that a foreign language had been delayed by starting in high school. It depends on what you're comparing things to and how much emphasis you put on foreign languages in your homeschool.

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Rosetta Stone also doesn't do grammar well (or at all), so some colleges do not accept it as a foreign language credit.

However, the vocabulary I have learned through RS has allowed me to communicate with others in Chinese (at the low level that I am at).  i cannot compare with other language programs, however.   Fluenz looks good to me.

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