Options if my school doesn't do French?? (1 Viewer)

[nathanb98]

So after 4 years of me studying french, my school might not be running a class next year due to numbers (about 5).

Just wondering what some other options would be if there is no class. Has anyone had any experience at open high schools? What was it like? Did you feel disadvantaged? I am planning to go on exchange at the end of next year to improve my french and I really want to do it in my HSC.

Would it be better to move schools?

What should I do!?


I am planning to do the following in Year 11 2015
English Advanced
Maths Extension 1
Chemistry
Biology
SOR 1
French Continuers


Thanks

 

[laura-jayne14]

I'm doing italian at the moment (at school). We have 5 in my class at the moment, dropped from 18 at the end at year 11... haha it's great having the smaller class. From what I've heard to do italian, or any language for that matter via distance, you have to be very motivated, interested and able to work independently. It sounds like you're pretty keen, considering you've studied it for a few years. Exchange is great in improving grammar, vocab and and sentence structure. Unfortunately, I missed out (they're planning a trip next year) I imagine it would be quite hard speaking to your teacher as it may be only an hour a week.
It's a lot to take on. Just think... will I use this in the future?
It's worth a try.
Good luck!

 

[meggles_]

My friend does French Continuers through Open High School - from what I hear, she has weekly phone calls to her teacher to discuss work and practise speaking, and she also occasionally attends classes in person at the campus. She has packages of work sent to her which she has to complete each week
For her, this works pretty well, but she is an independent learner
So if you are very passionate about the language, I'd really suggest you take up that option, even though you would need more initiative and have more responsibility over your learning
I'm pretty sure Open High School is the only option if your school doesn't offer the classes?

And I second laura-jayne14 - please take any opportunity for exchange to France, it really improves your speaking skills and increases your passion about the language and culture

 

[cem]

As your school has been offering the language in the junior years no doubt you could arrange a time to speak to the French teacher on a regular basis in French. I know that happens at my school where we can't always offer Japanese into the senior years due to lack of numbers but the Japanese teachers always take the time to speak to the kids doing the work through the Open High School. That teacher would also probably be the 'contact teacher' at the school so would be the one you would go to to get your work and to hand it in so it can be sent away.

 

[nathanb98]

So if you are very passionate about the language, I'd really suggest you take up that option, even though you would need more initiative and have more responsibility over your learning
I'm pretty sure Open High School is the only option if your school doesn't offer the classes?

Does she enjoy going through open high? I'm just a bit worried that I won't do well through their system? Do you think it would be better to move schools or would that be a worse option iyo?

 

[ConorDevaney]

I'm in year 12 studying french continuers and extension through the open high school and i can confirm it is great,. My teacher is brilliant and you can be sure that all of them are fluent french speakers. As mentioned above you do have to be quite independent when it comes to submitting work, but the lessons at the school and lessons with your teacher on the phone help immensely, and if you are going on exchange your speaking will improve even more. It's also great as the class is always such a mixed group of people, and everybody is very friendly. Definitely would recommend.

 

[meggles_]

Yes I'm pretty sure she does, she's had a good experience and she really enjoys going to the monthly (?) classes in person because she gets to meet and work with so many people from different schools

To be honest, I think if you genuinely love the language, you'll do well in any system because you'll have the motivation and drive to actually do the work and go the extra mile to make sure you understand everything regardless of a bad teacher/bad system/etc

How is your school?
And in terms of your other subjects and teachers?
I wouldn't recommend moving schools unless you're really desperate, because it really wouldn't be worth the effort just to move for one subject

You could always get a French tutor if you're worried that the long distance calls aren't enough

 

[Simran-]

I was in the same situation last year.
We only had about 5 kids who wanted to continue. However, we all wrote a wrote letter to our deputy principle, as he's the one who does all the timetabling and works out the lines for next year. We all signed and even got our teacher to back us up.
We ended up getting the class running offline, instead of online.
So I have classes during monday lunch, tuesday during sport time and thursday after school.
So, my only advice to you would be..dont give up! Push for the class to run..doesnt matter if its offline..because its for your own benefit only!

 

[nathanb98]

Thanks. The school has decided to run a class

 

[sweetalmond]

I do french continuers through the open high school because there weren't enough people to make a class.
I think if you are going on exchange and you really want to do it, definitely do it through open high school.
In terms of being disadvantaged, I tended to forget about it as I got immersed in the work. It also depends on your teacher. I have a phone lesson for about 45 minutes once a week, and you get work through the moodle site they have. So I basically have the whole years work right there. If you are unsure, try it out for a term. If you drop within the first term you not only get all your money back but you can save all the work booklets to your computer so you can learn by yourself.
also the teachers at OHS are generally HSC Markers and have many years of experience, and do things at the Board of studies so they have good experience. Also because its an independent thing, the teachers whole focus is on you, you don't have to worry about annoying students and you have the freedom to go at your pace.
Disadvantages is if you lack motivation, learning the language can be a struggle. Also, because you may be the only one in your school doing it, it can get lonely, you can't relate to others. You will also have to go there once or twice a term, usually its on the same day of the week. It can be annoying sometimes because you miss work or tests at school, and you make so much more of an effort just to learn the language that you feel like giving up, because the rest of your friends can enjoy their study periods to do what they want but you have to do French in that time.

But ultimately, its your decision. I can definitely reccomend it if you have the passion.

 

[crowley926]

I study at Open High for French Continuers as well and I think it's pretty good. The teachers are (mostly) nice and supportive and I think that their work programme is well made - if you stick with their proposed timetable and do all the work they tell you then your French will be at a very respectable level. Obviously you have to combine it with wide reading and other stuff but yeah Open High is great. Downside obviously you need to be very motivated and sometimes it's such a struggle making that weekly phone call and that one visit every term + you have to be very organised since it's all electronic (or u can do snail mail but...why would you) and can easily get confusing.

You do have to put in a lot of work by yourself and kind of self-teach at times but I wouldn't say this is a disadvantage. If you genuinely like French (which I think you do) then the only problem you will have is making sure that you don't slack off or start doing other work during your designated French periods.

Idk about exchange options because I wasn't really interested in that but I'm sure that if you call Open High they can give you more info