Hi
I have received email from WOodford county school to choose a language either Latin or German to study in year 7 starting this year September. It would be helpful if someone can guide me in this regard . My daughter has an excellent memory but she hates literature and hardly reads any story book . I am so confused which language to choose . I want her to study a language which has better scope .
Regards

Well, the obvious difference is that she will more readily find someone to practice speaking the one with than the other, but each has its uses. I'd rather my DC be offered the option to do both, as I was (out of ours, only DS1 did - German in class and Latin as a 'by invitation' lunchtime extra), but I assume that is not an option here.

I don't know what textbooks are used for Latin at KS3 there days, but for German she will almost certainly have a 'topic based' textbook ('In the home', 'Hobbies', etc), not a 'story book'.

I have to say I find 'Latin (a 'dead' language but of some use in understanding where some other languages come from, so to speak) or German (a very much alive language)?' a slightly odd choice to have to make. Is this to be her only foreign language, or as a second one in addition to ?French?

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Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx

There is very little literature (if any) in GCSE language. Latin is seen as a very academic language - and is useful for undertanding the root words in English/Science etc. It isn't hard to get an A* if you learn, learn, learn the rules and vocab. German is one that is more readily spoken than Latin but not as much as Spanish/French/Mandarin in the world.

Which is why I wondered whether this was a second language choice, as indeed it seems to be:

http://www.woodford.redbridge.sch.uk/page/?title=Modern+Languages&pid=58

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Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx

This is a far more serious problem than choosing a language, in my opinion. That's what I'd be concerned about if I were you.

My DD has really enjoyed Latin as a GCSE - much more so than German, and she dropped French as soon as possible. It has also helped with English Language grammar

Yeah that’s true .she wants to be a video game developer , very good in maths and SPAGs but hates comprehension exercises. I have tried my best to develop her interest but now have given up ...

I agree the no reading is a major problem. DD has always been an avid reader but a suggestion I made to a friend's DD has changed her DD into a real bookworm, they set aside one evening a week to read as a family, no TV and no games and they all read the same book and discuss if they want to at the end. Yes both parents work full time but children go to bed later once older so it does get easier to set aside some time unless there are a lot of young siblings. They sit in the same room for half an hour and just read. Their DD now reads alone too. I think it was the setting by example that did the trick in that household so maybe something to try if you haven't already?

DD did Latin in Y7 at her school but decided not to continue with it, mainly down to the teacher. She is loving German. I'd say that it is very much a personal choice for each child, it is hard if they haven't tried either language before or don't know the teacher so I sympathise with the decision making dilemma.

And she is in year 6? That's a little early to give up on her don't you think?

PettswoodFiona's idea is a good one.

Something else to consider: I think she will have to do at least one modern foreign language for GCSE, so if she chooses German now, she will later be able to make a choice between two languages that she has actually studied for two years.

I did both Latin and German when I was at school, and so does my son (yr 8, different school) and he says he likes both. Latin involves a lot of Roman history so if your daughter is interested in that then it might be for her. Also, if she is a mathsy person she may like the logical structure of the language. Translating Latin is a bit like a puzzle sometimes!

Also, Latin obviously doesn't involve any speaking or listening, unlike German, but I'm afraid comprehensions will be a big part of both languages, so no luck there!