<p>I'm very indescisive about which foreign language I should take. On one hand, I think that I should take Spanish, because it's obviously more practical. On another hand, I kind of want to take French, because I think that the language is very beautiful. So, please tell me your ideas on this matter.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>autumn</p>
<p>Is there any chance that your family will need to move to a different school district while you are in junior high or high school?</p>
<p>If there is, take Spanish. It's the one language that seems to be offered in every school system in the United States, so you would not have to switch languages if you moved. French is probably second most common, but there are some schools that don't offer it.</p>
<p>If there's no chance that you will move, take whatever language appeals to you. French is a lovely language, and there's a lot of interesting literature written in it. On the other hand, Spanish may be easier to learn because its spelling actually makes sense -- unlike spelling in either English or French.</p>
<p>I learned French first and then Spanish. I would start with Spanish only because the tenses/cases are easier in Spanish. Once you learn them in Spanish it will be easier to learn the French.</p>
<p>Ideally, take the language you're more interested in. However, check with your schools to see how many years of it they teach. You may choose to take the language for 4-5 years which inludes AP Language and possibly AP Literature in that language. If you're in an area that offers that much French and, as Marion stated, you're not likely to move to another school, then go for the French. If they only offer a couple of years of French and all years of Spanish, then it might make sense to take that.</p>
<p>About 90% of language learning is motivation. So, I say study the language that you feel the greatest attraction for.</p>
<p>Just choose what you WANT. Learn some basics beforehand and see which language appeals to you more. It really sucks getting stuck in a class you hate, especially a foreign language.</p>
<p>My daughter took French because it was "different" and what the artistic crowd took. She finished the required 3 years and then realized that she had no deep interest in French. Started over in college with Spanish I. Her French classes meant that it was marginally easier than it would have been for a kid with no language classes, but pretty hard.<br>
Unless you have a really powerful reason to take French (Canadian relatives might pay for your college in QUebec?) , take Spanish first.<br>
If you don't want Spanish for some reason, take Latin!</p>
<p>Do you know anything about the teachers?</p>
<p>Learn what you want. My kids want French, and will only take French. They don't want to take Spanish. My nephew and nieces are all taking Spanish because they want to be doctors. You need Spanish in CA if you want to be doctors. However, it's not hard to learn Spanish in CA. My uncle is fluent in Spanish and he learned them in his late 30s.</p>
<p>almost junior high? does that mean 4th grade?</p>
<p>My D takes both. She finds Spanish A LOT easier than French (even though she'd been taking French since first grade- we live in Canada). Maybe Spanish is objectively easier for a native English speaker to learn? She thinks so. Or could be because she already 'learned how to learn a language' with French so the next one came easier in HS? Not a clue. </p>
<p>I do think choosing what you gravitate to or enjoy is better for almost everything academic. You'll likely work much more with something you enjoy and that will make a huge difference in your ability.</p>
<p>My advice, given lovingly, is to get off of CC until you are in high school.</p>
<p>Study what appeals to you. The prevailing wisdom around here is that French is more unusual, more difficult, and has more interesting study-abroad programs. It's also probably less useful in a day-to-day in America sense. My son has been studying French since 4th or 5th grade and refused to study Spanish. He has also had Latin, and wants to learn Italian.</p>
<p>I use my high school Spanish to talk to the landscaper guys, the cleaning people and the clerks at the big box stores. Russian is useful for talking with cab drivers in New York City and prospective Polish fathers-in-law.</p>
<p>Also, think about what careers interest you. One or the other language may be more useful for that career.</p>
<p>40 years later I can say, I wish I'd studied Spanish. French has not been that useful, I now have a lot of Hispanic clients and a housecleaner with limited English skills. The language I enjoyed most studying though was German. The fact is, if you learn French now - the other Romance languages such as Italian and Spanish will be relatively easy to pick up if you need them.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all of your replies. My sister, now a freshman in college, got a lot of good advice on the parent's forum, and I definitely agree. mcel123, I am in 6th grade. Interestingly enough, most junior high schools start in 6th grade. Our school does not go by the regular rules, though. >: )</p>
<p>You should ask your sister (and other older friends) which language teachers are better in your specific school. It can make a difference between wasting your time, and actually learning a language.</p>
<p>In the HS my kids attended only one out of 4 languages offered was actually worth taking - unfortunately, it was not the one my kids picked..</p>
<p>I took French in school way back when. My other choice was Spanish, and I chose French because it was said to be the more difficult. It is a decision I regret to this day. I did just fine in high school French (all high A's), but once I finished I had no occasion to use the language, so I've completely lost it. I have never, in my entire life, had any occasion at all to use French. Spanish, on the other hand, would have been very useful. There have been many times throughout the years when I've wished I was able to speak Spanish. I encouraged all of my children to choose Spanish, and they all have. Now, if you think you'll have reason to use French, and that you'll be able to keep it up, go for it. If not, I think that a language learned other than as a young child is a "use it or lose it" thing, and most people in this country would have greater opportunity to use Spanish than French.</p>
<p>Autumn - How I envy your ability to think about your future at such an early age. I was in my mid-twenties before I had a clue!</p>
<p>My only addition to what's been posted above is that it's MUCH more enjoyable to visit countries when you know the language. Traveling abroad can be such a wonderful experience.</p>
<p>be careful because wherever you go to high school french is probably less popular so there may be fewer sections of it offered and it may limit your other class selections. this happened to me after 3 years of middle school french and 1 year of high school french: there was only one section of french offered and it clashed with my math class so i had to drop it and switch to spanish. another thing to watch out for is that some schools are starting to phase out french, so if you take it, make sure your high school will still offer it by the time you get there.</p>