Dilemma! Mandarin or Latin??? Which is better?

East lancs mumof4 · Post by **East lancs mumof4** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 3:23 pm

Wow thanks for the information guys!!

Snowdrops - Firstly congratulations on the movement of the ticker!!

You must be a shadow of your former self

Grrr typical I missed the programme

Interesting comments though! 4% much less than what I thought

Thanks so much for that

DD will read all the posts when she comes home (still not filled in the language form) and I am sure they will help her!!

Amber - Sorry I didn't see your other post and have no idea where it could have gone!!! Your DD is so lucky to be able to continue with both! DD would drop French like a brick given half a chance and continue with both Latin and Mandarin! We have asked about the possibility of this.. but it's not going to happen

All girls 'have' to drop one of these and continue with the MFL they all started with

Does your DD study any other MFL besides Mandarin/Latin?

Tipsy - Yes after reading all the info so far I think Latin seems to be coming out on top and seems to lend itself more to other subjects! (I should have done a Poll

)

KB - Yes I think there would be many unhappy MFL teachers with no students to teach if all the girls who wanted to continue with just Madarin and Latin!

I have to say DD didn't think much to the taster Spanish lessons either but surprisingly quite enjoyed the German ones

Amber · Post by **Amber** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 3:28 pm

Amber - Sorry I didn't see your other post and have no idea where it could have gone!!! Your DD is so lucky to be able to continue with both! DD would drop French like a brick given half a chance and continue with both Latin and Mandarin! We have asked about the possibility of this.. but it's not going to happen All girls 'have' to drop one of these and continue with the MFL they all started with Does your DD study any other MFL besides Mandarin/Latin?

French. You know the brick analogy? She can't wait (just 4 more months)! Ironically I am wondering whether to enter her privately for GCSE - she has done 3 years already and I could easily bring her up to standard in a few months. She won't hear of it though - being her mother, I, of course, know nothing!

Your DD sounds like she has sensible taste (German as well as Latin and Mandarin. The girl will go far!). Or she will end up as a frustrated teacher like me!

East lancs mumof4 · Post by **East lancs mumof4** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 3:29 pm

Amber - My Primary school would give their right arm to have your sevices

Amber · Post by **Amber** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 3:37 pm

Will they pay my travel costs?

East lancs mumof4 · Post by **East lancs mumof4** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 3:42 pm

Hmmmm

East lancs mumof4 · Post by **East lancs mumof4** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 4:01 pm

Amber - Interesting that your DD can drop French

sounds like forward thinking school!! She will go far and thank her mother!!

I have to say I love DD's school and so far this is the only thing I do not agree with, however I can see the schools point, I think

(timetabling issues)

DD thinks that Latin and Mandarin are so much easier too but this could be just because she enjoys them more

Sometimes too much choice can be a bad thing says DH

Amber · Post by **Amber** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 4:33 pm

She will go far and thank her mother!!

Ho ho! Hollow laughter. Thank her mother?! That will be the day!

East lancs mumof4 · Post by **East lancs mumof4** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:47 pm

Just to say thank you for all your advice it really helped DD (me too

) to make her decision!

The form has been completed, signed and returned to school with her 'informed
choice - thanks to you guys- of, 'LATIN'

DD said that most of the girls chose Latin with 'very' few taking up the offer of a new language!

Cheers everyone!

Milla · Post by **Milla** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 7:02 pm

feel I've banged on in a pro-Latin way enough on another thread, so didn't repeat myself here but now that the deal is done I'll just reiterate what the others have (mainly!) been saying. Yes to Latin. I didn't enjoy it much at the time, to be honest (partly as taught by a gruesome old trout who'd taught my mother and had been a gruesome old trout then, shudder) but of all the subjects I took when younger that is the one of which I am most proud and for which I'm most grateful. All this "dead language" is so irritating!

East lancs mumof4 · Post by **East lancs mumof4** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 7:37 pm

"Grruesome old trout" Milla!

Glad though, to hear that you give so much value to Latin

Would you mind if I ask, if you have ever found Latin useful since studying it?