Giving up Latin

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zorro
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Giving up Latin

Post by zorro »

DS did Latin in Y7 as it was compulsory and quite enjoyed it , getting mostly A's for prep and exams. In Y8 only the ones that did well enough in end of Y7 exams did Latin, the rest did Classical Civilisation. DS got bored in the middle of Y8 and grades went down to mostly B's. We got a form a couple of weeks ago asking if he wants to carry on with Latin in Y9.DS insistent that he doesn't want to but DH thinks it will be in his favour if he wants to go to Oxbridge if he has a Latin GCSE.
I personally think that would only be the case if he wanted to have a career where Latin is used , i.e. Medicine or Law.
What does everyone think?
hermanmunster
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Re: Giving up Latin

Post by hermanmunster »

Deffo don't need it for medicine - lots of names are greek or latin roots and you just learn and use those ... and it is names and phrases rather than whole sentences ( :oops: thanks goodness says Herman who got a C in Latin O level).

Unless he wants to do Classics at Uni (and it doesn;t sound like it) then he is better to do a range of subjects he prefers... including MFL as Top Unis are wanting this.
zorro
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Re: Giving up Latin

Post by zorro »

Thanks Herman. He is going to do ICT and DT instead of Latin and is doing French. They had to choose between French which they have now done for 2 yrs and he has done well in , or Spanish/German which they have only had taster sessions in. Seem pretty sensible choices to me.
Amber
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Re: Giving up Latin

Post by Amber »

I am sorry to have to disagree, but I disagree! Latin does have some kudos these days with universities as it is a bit different and also regarded as academically rigorous. I suppose it depends on what your DC wants to do ultimately but ICT and DT really do not have the same standing as Latin - many schools do not even offer GCSE ICT but go for the ECDL which is skills-based rather than more theoretical. That said, if your DS doesn't enjoy it and is more practically minded, then obviously his choices are sensible, and clearly you know him best.

I also tend towards German rather than French, but then I would, wouldn't I?!
hermanmunster
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Re: Giving up Latin

Post by hermanmunster »

Amber - I would agree that the ICT/DT is not a great swap (academic wise) for the Latin...are there any other options?
zorro
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Re: Giving up Latin

Post by zorro »

Amber, that is almost exactly what my DH said!! :shock: I can see his point, but I know DS is very stubborn and if he doesn't like a subject will not do well in it. He is very capable of getting good grades, indeed in the first term got the highest mark in his year even though lots of the kids had done Latin at prep school. Only 8 out of 30 children in his year got good enough marks to continue Latin in Y8. But he tells me that only 3 children from those 8 are continuing into Y9, and there are some exceptionally clever children in those 8.
zorro
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Re: Giving up Latin

Post by zorro »

Herman, unfortunately not, I had hoped he could do 2 languages in which case he would have done German as he said 'he got it'!!
Amber
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Re: Giving up Latin

Post by Amber »

Then you must force him to do Latin.
He will thank you for it in years to come. :wink:

(only half joking here. Much easier to advise other people than sort one's own children out)
hermanmunster
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Re: Giving up Latin

Post by hermanmunster »

zorro wrote:Herman, unfortunately not, I had hoped he could do 2 languages in which case he would have done German as he said 'he got it'!!

Shame not being able to do more than one language - the choice of languages in some schools seems to be increasing - (DDs GS is now starting with French German and Spanish and DS with Latin, French and German. ). Perhaps the school should be encouraged to offer 2 languages to more kids rather than latin to 3 kids?
zorro
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Re: Giving up Latin

Post by zorro »

Unfortunately I can't 'force' DS to do anything at present as he is 13 and under seige from his raging hormones :roll: :evil: :evil:
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