View Full Version : What language would you have your kids learn?
What language would you have your kids learn if you had access to tuition-
Mandarin
Arabic
or a language that is not as popular here in Australia but is spoken by relatives who live overseas.
I know no one (no relatives) who speak Chinese or Arabic yet I have no doubt either would be useful to learn (perhaps more so than the usual school curriculum available when I was at school - French, German, Spanish)
However, if I could even fund such tution for my children to learn a foreign language, I'm torn between having them learn something useful and popular or a language spoken by relatives who live overseas, whom I've never seen and who likely speak English anyway.
WWYD?
Buttoneska
25-02-2011, 19:50
I spose mandarin or arabic is the most logical, but for mine I would probably pick french or latin... because I think they are beautiful languages.
SassyMummy
25-02-2011, 19:51
Sorry OP, I'd choose neither.
I think in LOTE in school, you're unlikely to learn anything truly useful... so because of that, I'd rather DD learn French because it sounds so pretty. lol.
Latin or Irish
But Mandarin or Arabic would be very useful for my children as we have a lot of people in our area who speak those languages :)
One of THOSE mums!
25-02-2011, 19:52
I think that's a really tough question.
When I was younger mandarin and Arabic weren't relevant to the day.
But look at now.
If they learn mandarin and Arabic now, will it be relevant by the time they finish all their studies and go out into the real world.
Definitely Mandarin, if I could speak Mandarin I would have so many career opportunities. But who is to say this is going to be the case when DS enters the workforce!
nothanksbye
25-02-2011, 19:55
My kids will learn irish.
No one really speaks it to them...except distant relatives , who also speak english.
Pina Colada
25-02-2011, 19:58
Other - Spanish
And Italian (for ancestory reasons)
BabushkaMumma
25-02-2011, 19:58
Hard...I speak another language at home - also learned Mandarin at university level, and German too.
I would probably say Mandarin. It's a hard language, requires discipline and commitment which are good qualities to learn and who knows what amazing opportunities could open up there...
They are learning French at school and I am teaching them Japanese and sign language from home.
I think that is enough at this stage.
BabushkaMumma
25-02-2011, 20:04
They are learning French at school and I am teaching them Japanese and sign language from home.
I think that is enough at this stage.
Yes good point - sign language. That is another I will continue with.
Fuchsia!
25-02-2011, 20:06
Spanish or French!
Pina Colada
25-02-2011, 20:09
I know no one (no relatives) who speak Chinese or Arabic yet I have no doubt either would be useful to learn (perhaps more so than the usual school curriculum available when I was at school - French, German, Spanish)
I may be wrong but isn't Spanish the second or third most common language spoken in the world? More so then Arabic?
Off to google....:)
FearlessLeader
25-02-2011, 20:11
mandarin. DP learnt mandarin at school and he really loved it and wishes he could speak more.
I learnt French and (in university) Latin and didn't enjoy either. I only did Latin because it was a summer intensive subject and i could get 2 units out of the way over summer semester :o
I think mandarin would be useful and interesting. It's such a different language to English.
MissSteph
25-02-2011, 20:12
My entire family is French. My parents moved to Australia in their early 20's and had us 3 kids here. My parents speak French to my kids so they will grow up with French being their second language, just like I was.
MummaFug
25-02-2011, 20:18
Mandarin for sure.
It is such a complex and interesting language which is a great stepping stone for so many other skills in life.
I notice you are in Singers ... what a better place to start.
Von Zipper
25-02-2011, 20:30
Mandarin definitely, for future career opportunities. The industry I am in, knowing Mandarin is a huge asset.
I learnt Indonesian at school - a very easy language to learn. It has served me well on trips to Bali :)
OOps, I'm not in Singapore LOL
Although, my Dad, his wife and their son live their. 2 out of the 3 of them speak Indonesian. I would consider that as a language that I would encourage my kids to learn because of the family link. For the same reason, learning Polish would be nice for them. However, who would they converse with? All our Polish relatives live in Poland and very rarely do I meet anyone from there.
I do like Spanish, German and French (Manu Feildel *ggGGRrrrrrrr* :D) However, I guess more people speak Chinese in this country (Arabic is probably easier to learn though :O)
pumpernickel
25-02-2011, 20:31
Other - Spanish. I speak fluent spanish and we are most likely to go on holidays to South America (I was an exchange student there) so I'd rather DD learn that.
I may be wrong but isn't Spanish the second or third most common language spoken in the world? More so then Arabic?
Off to google....:)
ITA, yet I still know more Arabic speaking people than Spanish speaking people. In other countries it's likely the other way around but I've not been to other countries (only on the internet LOL)
Lincolns mummy
25-02-2011, 21:05
I learnt Indonesian throughout high school, loved it!
Can we only pick one...????
If we can have 3 then French, German, and Japanese.
French and German as they're both useful around Europe (if people don't speak English they usually speak one of those 2 - esp. in eastern Europe).
Aaaand Japanese, as we like going there too, so she'll have lots of opportunities to practise! :)
And any others! The more languages she wants to learn the better :)
lemonpancakes
25-02-2011, 21:25
I picked 'other'. I think a Euro language like French would be useful if my kids want to travel and work in Europe one day. I'm assuming they're less likely to want to work in the middle east or China. I know I'd pick Europe over those (to live/work in).
mum2bubba
25-02-2011, 21:36
Auslan.
spunkles
25-02-2011, 21:37
Greek for my kiddies-DP is greek and they pick up words here and there from the inlaws which I encourage (its SO important IMO!) I have so much trouble understanding languages and I think the way that business and globalization is going you cant not know another language. Besides I'd rather my children didnt struggle the way I did/do and its important for them to know their heritage.
I agree that with a PP that Mandarin would be interesting/different to English.
Sweetfaith
25-02-2011, 21:53
The best language for a child to learn (well) would be his/her own – a young person that speaks English well will be better placed to make the most of opportunities, not just in their working life, but in their self-expression and personal relationships too. That said, the best foreign language is probably the one the child has an affinity with! I always struggled with German at school but the Latin-based languages came a bit easier. Maybe that's the kind of simple thing that leads to a spark of interest in a place and its people – an enjoyable learning experience may lead to a lifelong affinity with a particular culture. One thing's for sure, I'd hate to be force-fed any old language just because Mum or Dad wanted me learn it.
Mandarin - because DH's family speak it. I'll leave it to DH to teach him because I'm only able to understand a little when it's spoken.
Italian or some other European language. It helps with understanding how words and languages work. I loved learning Italian at school, it would be nice if DS was interested in it but for now he listens to the music. The only way to settle him in the car is play some Italian rock :D
delirium
25-02-2011, 23:03
Out of your list I'd say madarin. DD is being taught the aboriginal dialect for our local tribe atm by elders at her school. The school and our community has a high indigenous pop so I like the idea. :) She knows about 15 words now, I'm rather proud ;)
trishalishous
25-02-2011, 23:28
we are multi lingual at home, so id pick something like spanish which they wont learn from us.
TimTamsandTea
25-02-2011, 23:50
I chose 'other'.
Ideally, it would be a language that they have the opportunity to use outside of the classroom and on a regular basis.
I say this from the perspective of someone who has a european background with parents/inlaws that are fluent in two particular european languages.
Otherwise, I'd be inclined to encourage my children to learn a language based on their interest.
But either way, my children would have to show some degree of strength in English before I'd happily agree to them learning another language.
Out of your list I'd say madarin. DD is being taught the aboriginal dialect for our local tribe atm by elders at her school. The school and our community has a high indigenous pop so I like the idea. :) She knows about 15 words now, I'm rather proud ;)
Wow :eek: Can't say I ever got that opportunity when I was at school.
auslan
braille
latin because it's such an amazing, beautiful language and goes hand in hand with an extremely colourful and interesting historical city (that i WILL visit one day. if i can only go to one overseas destination for the rest of my life it would be rome)
old english because it's one of the important milestones in the journey to contemporary english. and again, another that interests me. middle and early modern english are easily enough learnt without tutoring.
hebrew because i wanted to do that when i was at uni but then they cut it. it looks absolutely fascinating
german because it's quite close to english
out of the two you have put, arabic. i was forced to do mandarin at primary school and absolutely hated it.
obviously i wouldn't force *all* of them on my kids but they'd be the ones i'd be choosing from. lol
With Asia being so close and so influential in many professions I would consider Mandarin, Japanese and Indonesian.
Having travelled to Europe many times English is spoken in most major cities/towns and so I wouldn't learn French just for this reason. However, it is a beautiful language and fairly easy to learn so it would be nice to have the ability to converse in it.
I did a couple of units of Auslan at TAFE and it is also a beautiful language.
Misschief
01-07-2011, 22:21
Dutch. Simply because I speak it fluently and I have family living in The Netherlands who cant speak English but do love to have a chat with DS when he's old enough.
lemongrass
01-07-2011, 22:32
We are already bilingual at home, DS learns Mandarin at his daycare/kindy. Another language I would like my kids to learn will be Japanese.
TinyStar
01-07-2011, 22:36
Why not both? Learn one when they are young and one later when they are older?
Why dont you find out about the Saturday schools of community languages? They are generally cheap (like around $200 fees per year) and the children participate in cultural activities too.
Then when they are older they can learn another language in school or on a gap year.
No idea really. Mandarin is probably more useful. My sons school which he starts at next year does our local aboriginal dialect and also Aboriginal cultural lessons every week. It is relevant where we live, although probably not for the purposes of becoming a business man lol
Out of your list I'd say madarin. DD is being taught the aboriginal dialect for our local tribe atm by elders at her school. The school and our community has a high indigenous pop so I like the idea. :) She knows about 15 words now, I'm rather proud ;)
Oh! Do you live near me? Interesting.
ElastiGirl
01-07-2011, 23:59
My kids would learn, Chinese, Arabic and Italian as their nationality is a mix of these. :)
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