Starting foreign language @ 16?

[onelmichele]

My son would like to learn French. He had 1.5 yrs of Spanish in public school, but we've recently pulled him from ps. Spanish was the only foreign language offered there, so that's what he took. He'd rather learn French, but the curricula I'm seeing for beginning French seems geared toward younger children. Any recommendations for what to try?

 

Thanks.

[Ohdanigirl]

Do you speak French? recommendations will likely depend on that. Also, do you want a self study course, or are you open to an online option?

 

If you do a search of the boards, you are likely to find many posts with valuable information. My children are not doing French, but off the top of my head.... Galore park's, So you really want to learn French, has had great reviews. I know there is a foreign service web site that has many languages, but I have heard it is dry. For online, The Potters School has great reviews.

 

You may also look into buying a college text (if you speak French), and working through that. I have had luck buying old editions of college texts for about $3 on Half.com. You can also head to the local community college, and take a look at what they use.

 

HTH

[Melissa B]

There's also Breaking the Barrier: French.

[TammyS]

My son would like to learn French. He had 1.5 yrs of Spanish in public school, but we've recently pulled him from ps. Spanish was the only foreign language offered there, so that's what he took. He'd rather learn French, but the curricula I'm seeing for beginning French seems geared toward younger children. Any recommendations for what to try?

 

Thanks.

 

Given that he's already 16 AND that he's already had 1.5 years of Spanish, I would strongly encourage him to at least do one more semester of Spanish. That way, he will at least have the minimum 2 years of the same language that most colleges want to see for entrance. He could do French after, or even concurrently, but I wouldn't let that 1.5 years go essentially to waste.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

My son would like to learn French. He had 1.5 yrs of Spanish in public school, but we've recently pulled him from ps. Spanish was the only foreign language offered there, so that's what he took. He'd rather learn French, but the curricula I'm seeing for beginning French seems geared toward younger children. Any recommendations for what to try?

 

Thanks.

 

Does your area have adult classes outside of the community college? Our area has ACE, which is Adult Continuing Education. They do a number of language classes in the evenings. This might be a way of both getting in the last .5 semester of Spanish and starting French.

 

Or he might be able to enroll at the community college.

 

Both options would use more adult geared material.

[onelmichele]

He'll still get 2 years of a language, he's currently in 10th grade.

 

I took 2 yrs of French in high school but that's going WAY back!! I don't think I'd be able to remember enough to help him. Anyone use rosetta stone's homeschool version?

 

Ideally I'd really like to keep him off the internet. He gets way too sidetracked when he's online.

[TammyS]

RS is no good for a language credit. No grammar or written language.

[onelmichele]

Yeah I found some reviews after I posted that. lol They don't sound so great!

[TranquilMind]

 

Given that he's already 16 AND that he's already had 1.5 years of Spanish, I would strongly encourage him to at least do one more semester of Spanish. That way, he will at least have the minimum 2 years of the same language that most colleges want to see for entrance. He could do French after, or even concurrently, but I wouldn't let that 1.5 years go essentially to waste.

 

 

I agree with this. Here, kids must have 2 years of 2 languages, or 3 years of one language for an Honors Diploma. I'd finish that semester.

[Kimm in WA]

I also agree with TammyS on both counts above!

[Jen in NY]

For an older learner such as your son, French in Action might be a good place to start. You can watch the programs for free on Annenberg, and buy the text used for very little moolah. I usually like things that are very little moolah --- of course I'd love to hire private tutors for everything --- especially language --- but moolah sometimes decides for me. :)

 

http://www.learner.org/resources/series83.html

[jhschool]

For an older learner such as your son, French in Action might be a good place to start. You can watch the programs for free on Annenberg, and buy the text used for very little moolah. I usually like things that are very little moolah --- of course I'd love to hire private tutors for everything --- especially language --- but moolah sometimes decides for me. :)

 

http://www.learner.o...s/series83.html

 

 

Thank you for the link, Jen in NY!

[Trilliums]

You might check if your local library offers online courses. Ours has Mango. I know you said you wanted to keep him off the internet, but online does make it easy to access free materials.

[Cosmos]

Community college? Ours offers intro language courses, and of course they are aimed at adult students.

[Mom22ns]

We're almost through the first year of Breaking the Barrier French and I highly recommend it. They already have an iPad version for their Spanish program, but have assured me that the French book will be out in iBook format this summer. We can't wait!

 

I had French in high school and college, but it has been a long time and I was never fluent. Dd and I have done this together so she has a learning partner and that has really helped.

[jhschool]

Another idea is you could have him do just Spanish until graduation.

2 years of one language and 2 years of another are not as good as 4 years

of one, some colleges think.

(Although it would be a lot more fun and useful to take 2 and 2).

Maybe ask your college of choice what they would prefer?