Starting this year, our district eliminated language at the elementary level in order to give more time to technology classes. I'm angry about it! They used to teach Spanish starting in 1st grade. Granted, it was only a token 45 minutes once a week, but it was better than nothing. At the middle school level, all 6th graders have 4 weeks of Spanish. In 7th and 8th grade, it's an elective. In high school it's required.
I think learning foreign language is very important, and the earlier the better. It makes no sense not to teach it in elementary, since research clearly shows the benefits of early exposure to foreign language.
I would like to find a way to have my kids study a language at home, especially my youngest two (1st and 3rd grades) since they won't have it at school until their 4-week Spanish class in 6th grade (assuming the district doesn't eliminate that, too). But, we're already trying to do so many after-schooling projects that I haven't come up with a plan yet for language.
My main dilemma is what language to have them study? My college minor was French, and I also took a year of Russian. So it makes sense, if I were to teach them myself, to choose French since I know that the best. But then I think, maybe I should have them learn Spanish because oldest DD(12) already knows it and could help teach it and because that is what they will (presumably) have to take in middle school and high school? But I don't know Spanish myself, so I'd have to learn it too, when I'd really rather brush up on my French or Russian....
So, I go back and forth and can't decide and therefore have done nothing! (Although they do know a few phrases in French and Russian.)
