Can my year 11 DS drop a subject?

aliasojo

clearingout wrote: »

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?

I think you missed the 'whether they have any ability' part of the quote.

No-one is disputing the wisdom of being able to converse in another language, that isn't the point.

gem75

aliasojo wrote: »

I think you missed the 'whether they have any ability' part of the quote.

No-one is disputing the wisdom of being able to converse in another language, that isn't the point.

If you can learn one language i.e. English, then there is no reason why you can't learn another if you are prepared to put in the effort.

clearingout

aliasojo wrote: »

I think you missed the 'whether they have any ability' part of the quote.

No-one is disputing the wisdom of being able to converse in another language, that isn't the point.

so....you don't speak, read and, write and understand a language then? you're not sat on the internet now understanding everything (more or less) you read in English? you're not making judgements about the spelling and grammar that you encounter?

we all have 'ability' as we all manage to handle English. The biggest barrier to learning languages to GCSE (which is very basic, and at some level, a memory test as much as it is an understanding of and ability to manipulate language) is students and their parents who say 'I'm no good at languages/I was no good at languages so he/she will never be either'. I should know, I teach French and Spanish at secondary level!

podperson

Dunroamin wrote: »

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

But being able to recognise your own strengths and weaknesses, look at the bigger picture and strategise for a problem rather then simply accept the status quo may be quite good attributes for someone who wishes to go into the forces.

mountainofdebt

clearingout wrote: »

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?

And I could accept all of your arguements if it wasn't for the fact that we don't bother to start teaching languages to children when it's most effective.

Why do the British think its ok to start teaching french / german / whatever at the age of 11 when Germany & France teach english much much earlier? (even in Wales they have a policy of teach welsh as a 2nd language in primary school)

gem75

moromir wrote: »

For example - very broadly speaking, adding ge- in front of your doing word will make it past tense. For example Ich spiele (I play) becomes Ich gespielt (I played), there are some exceptions i.e. trinke (drink?) becomes something like getrunken I think but you get the idea.

Not quite a simple as that. You need to say ich habe gespielt not just ich gespielt and the gespielt as a second verb always goes to the end of the sentence so yesterday I played tennis is "ich habe gestern Tennis gespielt."

aliasojo

gem75 wrote: »

If you can learn one language i.e. English, then there is no reason why you can't learn another if you are prepared to put in the effort.

Does that train of thought work for everything in life, for every person?

clearingout

mountainofdebt wrote: »

And I could accept all of your arguements if it wasn't for the fact that we don't bother to start teaching languages to children when it's most effective.

Why do the British think its ok to start teaching french / german / whatever at the age of 11 when Germany & France teach english much much earlier? (even in Wales they have a policy of teach welsh as a 2nd language in primary school)

if you mean from primary age, then you should know that's a myth. Being a young language learner doesn't give you the advantage we believe it does. Motivation is the biggest factor. Having a reason to learn. Older language learners who persist because they need learning for work purposes, or to fulfill some kind of travel ambition etc. are seen to be far more effective in the short, medium and long term. That's not to say that primary children are ineffective language learners, they're not. But neither are 11 year olds, or 21 year olds or 51 year olds.

aliasojo

clearingout wrote: »

I should know, I teach French and Spanish at secondary level!

Well there you are then. I guess the conversation is over.:)

clearingout

sorry, mountainofdebt, that we learn from the age of 11 is one of of those mysteries of the British government. Just the way it is. You will find that many secondary schools now do 'outreach' to primary schools, teachers support their colleagues in delivering language lessons, host events in the secondary schools, deliver one off events in primary school, 'lend' language assistants to local primary schools, do early morning/after school language learning clubs etc. etc.