Most Ridiculous Foreign Language Thread Ever!

[HollyinNNV]

I'm just going to come out and say it-
How can dd "do" foreign language without doing a foreign language?

Terrible, isn't it? Basically, my dd is very, very busy. Aren't we all? She has a full schedule next year. I think she will be very competitive (potentially) for college acceptance in a few years (she'll be a sophomore). However, we just don't have any motivation, with the exception of getting into college, to do foreign language. I know that she needs three years of the same language and I just totally want her to use those hours to do other things. I "covet" those hours.

I find myself feeling very, very bitter toward the whole process of learning a foreign language! I taught Latin for a couple years and I am very aware of how many hours it actually takes to learn a language and to comprehend the grammar of that language.

I know that if I do something informal she'll learn next-to-nothing. We'll consistently give it too little time and it'll be worthless. If we do something formal, I'll be annoyed at how much time it takes. Then she'll forget it all be the second year of college.

I can't think of any creative way to get out of this requirement. And I suppose this is just a rant! But, can anyone help me?????? Any alternative, creative ideas? Waaa!:svengo:

[Karen in CO]

How about waiting and doing a foreign language at a community college? Since a full semester college course is worth a year's high school credit, then you could skip the foreign language this year, if there is a cc nearby and if they allow enrollment at 16.

[kate in seattle]

depending on her interests - send her abroad for 3 - 6 months. she will become reasonable fluent, especially if she does some grammar type book. i know of many exchange students who go on to major or minor in the foreign language of their host country.

you didn't say you wanted cheap!

but the cc route works really well.

and she won't be competitive without those years of language.

[Rosie_0801]

ASL classes. It is possible to learn enough to be fluent in three years. You'd have to check if your preferred colleges accept it though. It is a native foreign language, lol.

:)
Rosie

[Virginia in Tx]

I am doing ASL for son. He will do 1st year at home and then do classes at community college. There are a lot of resources: videos at library, internet online classes, computer software. You can also practice it anywhere - when my daughter was taking it - she use to sign the lyrics to songs while we were driving.

[K-FL]

How about waiting and doing a foreign language at a community college? Since a full semester college course is worth a year's high school credit, then you could skip the foreign language this year, if there is a cc nearby and if they allow enrollment at 16.

If possible, I'd do cc. You'll kill 2 birds with one stone potentially also since most u's have the 2yr hs requirement to enroll, but also have a 1 or 2 semester requirement to graduate. My neice had 4 hs yrs, but still needs 1 college year to grad (in med/science degree). Dd#1 did 1 hs yr & 1 cc year (for 3 hs yrs on transcript.) If we'd been paying attention, she should have done a 3rd cc semester since as an English major she's required to have Intermediate Language I (meaning 1st semester, 2nd year.)

Also check & see if your cc/u has a summer intensive study. I did a year of German in one summer semester back when I was a student (early 80's). Great way to get it done, plus I even started dreaming in German even though I'd never had any before.

[FloridaLisa]

I vote dual enrollment as well. It's still an investment of time, but 1) it's more efficient; 2) it will count for college foreign language requirements and 3) a good grade will be reflected in her college GPA.

HTH,
Lisa

[CynthiaOK]

I agree with the dual enrollment thing. I finally realized that I could not teach foreign language at home so this is the option we use. Oldest son took 3 semesters concurrently, got the foreign language requirement, transferred 9 hours, and the state paid for it. All round a win-win situation :-)

[HollyinNNV]

[QUOTE=kate in seattle;1052684]depending on her interests - send her abroad for 3 - 6 months. she will become reasonable fluent, especially if she does some grammar type book. i know of many exchange students who go on to major or minor in the foreign language of their host country.you didn't say you wanted cheap!

You are right. I know I might have to pay extra for an alternative. I'd actually consider something like going abroad, except that she could never take that much time off from her music studies.



and she won't be competitive without those years of language.

You are right!
Holly

[CathieC]

Several have mentioned ASL.... be aware that not all colleges consider that to be a foreign language. The one my son attends does not count it.... but they only require 2 years of a foreign language.

[HollyinNNV]

Several have mentioned ASL.... be aware that not all colleges consider that to be a foreign language. The one my son attends does not count it.... but they only require 2 years of a foreign language.

I have a couple of deaf friends. They "educated" me on the political issues regarding ASL a few years ago. It is a hot button issue within the deaf community. So, while on the surface ASL seems like a good alternative foreign language, I'd be losing a few friends over the choice. It is just not a good choice for my family.
Holly

[Grace is Sufficient]

I have a couple of deaf friends. They "educated" me on the political issues regarding ASL a few years ago. It is a hot button issue within the deaf community. So, while on the surface ASL seems like a good alternative foreign language, I'd be losing a few friends over the choice. It is just not a good choice for my family.
Holly

This intrigues me... I know it's totally off topic, but would you mind giving a quick summary of why it's a hot button issue?

TIA

[Rosie_0801]

I have a couple of deaf friends. They "educated" me on the political issues regarding ASL a few years ago. It is a hot button issue within the deaf community. So, while on the surface ASL seems like a good alternative foreign language, I'd be losing a few friends over the choice. It is just not a good choice for my family.
Holly

I'd also like to know. My deaf friends are all in favour of people learning to sign. Just don't ever even think of saying you want to teach it.

Rosie

[Cindy in WA]

I would choose to not obsess if this isn't to her or to you. Switched on Schoolhouse has a good spanish program that doesn't take a long time each day. Will she be speaking fluently, probably not, but she will get the credits for her transcript.
HTH
Cindy

[Laurel-in-CA]

This is what we did/are doing.

[HeatherInWI]

It doesn't take very much time each day, but it fulfills the requirements.

[HollyinNNV]

Thanks for all of the suggestions re: cc. I can't really imagine fitting spanish cc into any of the next three years. I don't see any subject I can take time from-she's overworked as it is. I'm just stumped. Waaa-:willy_nilly:

[kiana]

Thanks for all of the suggestions re: cc. I can't really imagine fitting spanish cc into any of the next three years. I don't see any subject I can take time from-she's overworked as it is. I'm just stumped. Waaa-:willy_nilly:

Summer school? I took German I and II in summer school at a university, it WAS 3 hrs/day 4 days/week for either 8 or 10 weeks (I forgot :/) but if you are wanting a get-it-over-with method, that might work. Many colleges only ask for two years of a foreign language, so she could be done with one summer unless the specific college wants more.

[Sharon in MD]

It doesn't take very much time each day, but it fulfills the requirements.

If what you really want to do is put the check mark beside the foreign language requirement...without expecting that it is really going to do anything else for you, Rosetta Stone is the easy way to go. And many schools still only require 2 years...which is what we did.

By the way, it didn't hurt him at all....he got three really good scholarship offers and they didn't care two hoots about foreign language. It's also cheaper than the CC and doesn't take as much time, especially when you add in the transportation factor.

[Starr]

We took the advice of our neighbors and went with the early college route for Spanish.

[kate in seattle]

[quote]
I'd actually consider something like going abroad, except that she could never take that much time off from her music studies.


I don't know what instrument she plays, but I can't believe there isn't some master teacher in France or Germany or somewhere that couldn't take her on.

If you are willing to exchange money for time -
Concordia Language camps in . . . Minnesota? they do some long, intensive type camps.

University of Washington, here in Seattle, also does intensive language summer programs. In eight weeks you cover a year (or more) of a language at the college level. These are summer programs, so you don't have to enroll in the college, just pay your money. Students can attend as young as 16 (maybe younger, but I have known about 16 year olds) and can live in the dorms. You are in class 3 -4 hours a day and a lot of practice/memorization in the afternoon and evening, but there would be time for music practice. I know there are music practice rooms available, etc. I have a lot of contacts with piano/strings type people if she would like to have lessons or you might be able to find a professor who would take her on for the summer.

hope that helps

[Brenda in MA]

It doesn't take very much time each day, but it fulfills the requirements.

We also used Rosetta Stone. Not ideal, but like you, I didn't see any other way to fit in Foreign Language for a kid that is headed to engineering school and needed to spend most of his school time on higher level math & science. I listed his courses as Spanish I, II, and III on his transcript and in the course descriptions I attached, I listed that the course was done with Rosetta Stone. We received no questions about this during the college application process, and he was accepted to 8 schools.

Brenda

[HollyinNNV]

Hi Kate,
DD plays harp. She is actually at harp camp in Georgia right now. If someone comes up with a harp/spanish camp, we'll be there in a heartbeat!! France is the "harp mecca," or so I've heard. If we lived on the east coast, maybe I'd have some kind of French connection. However, we really only have connections to the harp community in Israel. And my understanding is that the language we'd have to know is Russian.

I've looked at Concordia. It looks like a great place! I went to the UW website and the foreign language immersion programs look really neat! One year of college foreign language in 9 weeks is fantastic!
Thanks for bringing up these ideas. I'm talking it all over with dh!
Holly


Kate in Seattle
I don't know what instrument she plays, but I can't believe there isn't some master teacher in France or Germany or somewhere that couldn't take her on.

If you are willing to exchange money for time -
Concordia Language camps in . . . Minnesota? they do some long, intensive type camps.

University of Washington, here in Seattle, also does intensive language summer programs. In eight weeks you cover a year (or more) of a language at the college level. These are summer programs, so you don't have to enroll in the college, just pay your money. Students can attend as young as 16 (maybe younger, but I have known about 16 year olds) and can live in the dorms. You are in class 3 -4 hours a day and a lot of practice/memorization in the afternoon and evening, but there would be time for music practice. I know there are music practice rooms available, etc. I have a lot of contacts with piano/strings type people if she would like to have lessons or you might be able to find a professor who would take her on for the summer.

hope that helps

[kate in seattle]

well, there is a harpist or two for the Seattle Symphony and I am sure they give lessons (because, really, you probably don't make a living as a symphony harpist) You would think there would be a harp professor at UW, as it is such a large school. One summer = 1 year of college language = 2 years of high school language, plus she would have time with a different harp instructor. I would think at some point in your music studies it would be good to have some different input. And it would be really good language instruction, not just 'check off the box'. i hope it works out for you and though you don't know me from Eve, I am a mom here in Seattle who would be happy to check on her if you - or she - would like that.

[HollyinNNV]

Thanks Kate!! The Seattle Symphony has a wonderful reputation. I'm sure the harpist is a fabulous player. In fact, I think one of Megan's friends at harp camp (she's there right now) is from Seattle. I'll ask her.
Thanks again for all of your help & advice!
Holly

well, there is a harpist or two for the Seattle Symphony and I am sure they give lessons (because, really, you probably don't make a living as a symphony harpist) You would think there would be a harp professor at UW, as it is such a large school. One summer = 1 year of college language = 2 years of high school language, plus she would have time with a different harp instructor. I would think at some point in your music studies it would be good to have some different input. And it would be really good language instruction, not just 'check off the box'. i hope it works out for you and though you don't know me from Eve, I am a mom here in Seattle who would be happy to check on her if you - or she - would like that.

[danielle]

Holly,
This is probably bad news, but she really does need a language if she's going into music. For example, my dd was told by the harp prof at Northwestern that at a minimum they'd expect her to know French and German by the end of college. And Latin and Italian would be important also. One was essential before applying. FWIW. For a potential music major, I'd bag science (maybe even advanced math) before I'd drop languages. but only if time was really tight.

In academic situations and proficiency testing, the reading/grammar is much more important than the speaking, so Rosetta Stone is not the program of choice if she will need to do placement tests at the college or take the SAT 2s. We all wish to be able to speak the language, because we think of language study as for travel. However, it's really for study and research when you're talking academics, or grad programs especially.
Danielle

[HollyinNNV]

Hi Danielle,
At this point I do not think M's going into music. We are just hoping for a music scholarship. But, we are trying to leave all options open.

I did not have to study a foreign language for my music major. I think Northwestern's foreign language requirements are.....interesting. That is a lot of time away from the practice room.:001_smile:

Thanks for the input on Rosetta Stone-I see what you mean about the focus on speaking with that program.
Holly

Holly,
This is probably bad news, but she really does need a language if she's going into music. For example, my dd was told by the harp prof at Northwestern that at a minimum they'd expect her to know French and German by the end of college. And Latin and Italian would be important also. One was essential before applying. FWIW. For a potential music major, I'd bag science (maybe even advanced math) before I'd drop languages. but only if time was really tight.

In academic situations and proficiency testing, the reading/grammar is much more important than the speaking, so Rosetta Stone is not the program of choice if she will need to do placement tests at the college or take the SAT 2s. We all wish to be able to speak the language, because we think of language study as for travel. However, it's really for study and research when you're talking academics, or grad programs especially.
Danielle