Question about using college texts for foreign language...

[Heather in VA]

I am considering using Prego: An Invitation to Italian with my daughter. From what I can tell colleges use the one book for 2 semesters of college Italian. Since typically one year of high school is equivalent to 1 semester of college would it be reasonable to use the text over two years and give two years of high school credit for it? 

 

Thanks

Heather

[regentrude]

That is what we are doing.

Some of the language texts are even used for three semesters (DD covered the middle third of the college French text in her French 2 college class)

I have seen syllabi covering Prego! through chapter 6 for Italian 1.

[Heather in VA]

That is what we are doing.

Some of the language texts are even used for three semesters (DD covered the middle third of the college French text in her French 2 college class)

I have seen syllabi covering Prego! through chapter 6 for Italian 1.

 

THANK YOU!! I was so hoping you would respond. When I did a search I saw you were doing Prego and I was hoping I'd hear from someone who had used it before. How is it going for you? My middle daughter is adamant about doing a modern language and that it not be a "normal" one. So all the typical programs are out. Since most colleges we dealt with for my oldest who just graduated liked a minimum of 3 but preferred 4 years of language I worry about getting a text and then having no where to go after that. I feel better knowing I can use it for at least a couple of years and then see where we are. 

 

Thanks again

Heather

[regentrude]

THANK YOU!! I was so hoping you would respond. When I did a search I saw you were doing Prego and I was hoping I'd hear from someone who had used it before. How is it going for you? My middle daughter is adamant about doing a modern language and that it not be a "normal" one. So all the typical programs are out. Since most colleges we dealt with for my oldest who just graduated liked a minimum of 3 but preferred 4 years of language I worry about getting a text and then having no where to go after that. I feel better knowing I can use it for at least a couple of years and then see where we are. 

 

It goes as well as studying a foreign language I am not fluent in can possibly go. The materials are OK. We work our way through the book, we have the audio CDs, the lab workbook and the workbook. We supplement with duolingo. But it requires a lot of discipline and is always the first thing that falls by the wayside. I am seriously hampered by my lack of Italian proficiency.

 

I have been through the whole thing before with DD's French. There, I had even taken some introductory classes and had some background and was actively studying myself. Still, we only progressed beyond French 1 (over two years) with the help of a native speaker as tutor, and I outsourced to college classes for French 2 and up.

 

I am seriously concerned that this is simply "going through the motions" and will not actually result in Italian fluency. In my opinion, it is impossible to homeschool a foreign language one does not speak without outside help. I still have hope that we may find a tutor; our local university does not offer Italian. So far, we are slogging along. If we do not find a solution for advanced Italian, I will have him step up his German studies and use that to satisfy the language requirement, but it would be a shame.

 

 

[G5052]

Yes, for example Wheelock's is a college Latin text typically used over two semesters, but it usually used over two years for high school.

 

And I agree with Regentrude on language fluency, even for Latin.  I worked my up through Latin with my kids, even teaching Latin 2 for pay at the high school level through a local group for two years.  And I came out convinced that I am a very poor Latin teacher who needs a lot more study.  I am not at all as fluent as I like, and dealing with anything beyond textbook passages just isn't possible at this point.  I did the Lukeion Latin placement tests just to see where I was, and I'd have to go back and do Latin 2 again.  I was fortunate that my students were thankfully at a level where that wasn't issue (i.e. I was well ahead of them), but if I taught one like my oldest (currently in AP Latin), I'd go down in ruin.  

 

Now I'm retired from teaching anyone Latin but myself, and frankly it is a relief.