Can my year 11 DS drop a subject?

mountainofdebt

If the authorities are so concerned about our youngsters learning a 2nd language then might think about introducing it at a much younger age than at 11.

Bennifred

mountainofdebt wrote: »

If the authorities are so concerned about our youngsters learning a 2nd language then might think about introducing it at a much younger age than at 11.

Most secondary schools would just be grateful for their incoming students to have received a good grounding in English - the number of children needing remedial classes in English is just ridiculous, and growing year by year.

busiscoming2

I haven't read all the replies but this is my experience.

My DD took Food Tech (Cookery to most of us!) because the way her options were she couldn't take all the ones she wanted IYSWIM. She hated it. I told her to just put all her efforts into the other subjects and do the bare minimum to get by in the Food Tech. She ended up with a D or E in the subject.

My DS2 now in Year 11 had to do a language and so is taking Spanish but he struggles and doesn't enjoy it. I have given him the same advice to concentrate on the others and do enough to get by.

The only negative to this was trying to get them to understand they mustn't be disruptive (talking etc) in the lessons as other pupils enjoy the lessons.

System

In 10 years since studying it and getting a GCSE in it i have never used French...

...not that i could remember any of it now :rotfl:

Brighton_belle

I'm another one who strongly believes in the valuable life lesson that it is a good thing to beable to recognise that it is ok to walk away from something that is making you deeply stressed and very miserable and really really isn't that important (especially if detracting from things that are)
I wish I had been given the opportunity to learn this at 15.

Dunroamin

mountainofdebt wrote: »

If the authorities are so concerned about our youngsters learning a 2nd language then might think about introducing it at a much younger age than at 11.

Except that there's a shortage of MFL teachers even at secondary level.

Dunroamin

Walking away from stressful situations might not be the most appropriate attribute for someone who wants to go into the army.

aliasojo

Dunroamin wrote: »

Walking away from stressful situations might not be the most appropriate attribute for someone who wants to go into the army.

That's hardly the same thing.

Recognising when something isn't working does not equate to simply 'walking away from a stressful situation'.

And for what it's worth, my OH had similar issues at school. They mattered not a jot when he was in the Gulf war picking up body parts from mined areas.

MissKeith

Personally, I would teach him to say and write ridiculous sentences such as "where is my banana" and "I love to hop on one leg" and not bother with anything else then watch the examiners confusion. I remember telling my German teacher that I ate apple strudel for breakfast and liked her bagpipes during an exam. It took the pressure off and made me giggle. Somehow I managed to pass but keeping things humorous really kept me sane. (I also replied to pretty much every question with "ich weiss nicht" - I don't know. It got me by, haha.)

clearingout

mountainofdebt wrote: »

And lets be honest its the government that have decided that everyone must study languages regardless of whether they have any ability up to the age of 16 - where's the sense in that ???

And as for not wanting to go to Uni, does that mean you class everyone who doesn't to be a 2nd class citizen?

oh I don't know....the fact that we lose millions in business as a country annually because we're unable to communicate with the rest of the world at a basic level? because contrary to popular opinion, the rest of the world doesn't speak English? because opening the eyes of the young to other ways of life and cultures reduces stereotyping, misconception, misunderstanding on a global scale? because good interpreters stop wars and bad ones start wars? because it's polite to go into another person's country able to say please and thank you? because we live in an increasingly shrinking world in terms of communication? for the mental discipline? because understanding another language opens up and improves understanding of our own language?