Learning A Language - Parents Page
Why include A language In Home Schooling
Learning a foreign language can be a really exciting and useful skill for home-schooled learners. It helps you understand different cultures, travel more easily, and even meet new people from around the world. When you learn another language, you also learn how other people think and communicate, which can make you better at solving problems and seeing things from different points of view.
Learning a second language can also help you with English. You start to notice how words are built, how grammar works, and how languages are connected. For example, many English words come from French and Latin, so learning those languages can make your English vocabulary even stronger. Plus, if you ever want to work abroad or study in another country when you’re older, knowing another language can open up a lot of opportunities.
However, for dyslexic learners, learning another language can be quite challenging. Dyslexia often makes it harder to remember spelling patterns, grammar rules, and sounds that are different from English. Some students find that trying to learn two languages at once makes reading and writing even more confusing. For this reason, it can sometimes be better to focus fully on mastering English first — making sure you feel confident with reading, writing, and spelling in your main language. Once English feels easier and more secure, learning a second language later might be more enjoyable and less stressful.
So, while learning another language can be a wonderful experience, it’s important to choose what works best for you and your learning style.
However, it doesn't have to be a foreign language - you could learn sign language.
Choosing Which Language To Learn?
In most UK schools, the National Curriculum only offers three Modern Foreign Languages — French, German, and Spanish. These choices mostly come down to cost and the question of why we should learn another language when so many people around the world already learn English.
Traditionally, schools taught French because France is our closest neighbour. German became popular after the world wars, and Spanish was added when the UK joined the European Community.
Each language has its uses:
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Spanish is helpful for travel in South America.
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French is spoken in parts of Africa and other countries.
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German is spoken in fewer places overall.
In primary school, you’ll usually learn whichever language your teacher knows best. In secondary school, you might try both French and Spanish before choosing one for GCSE.
But for home-schooled learners, things are different — you don’t have to follow the National Curriculum. That means you can decide for yourself whether learning another language is actually useful to you.
For some people, it might not be. For example, one of our autistic learners was made to study Spanish at school. But as an adult, he has never left his home town and finds travel very stressful. He later said, “Why did they waste time teaching me Spanish? It’s not a skill I use.” Instead, what really helped him was learning healthy cooking — a life skill that made a big difference to his health.
For others, learning another language can even make things harder. For example, as a dyslexic learner, I started learning German before I fully understood how to read and write in English. This made my writing confusing — I started putting words in the wrong order, like in German sentences! Later, when I learnt French, I sometimes mixed the two languages together without realising, which made writing English even more difficult and affected my exam grades.
So, before choosing a language, think carefully about whether it’s right for you. Learning a second language can be fun and useful — but only if it truly supports your goals and needs.
Following A Set Programme of Learning
If you are able to learn a second language, I recommend trying a technical or online course. This type of learning lets you go at your own pace and practice pronunciation in private before speaking in front of others. That way, no one can laugh or make you feel less confident. You can repeat lessons as many times as you need until you feel ready to move on.
There are some great online programs you can use, such as Rosetta Stone or Babbel. These provide clear, step-by-step lessons to help you build your skills.
Previously, I was challenged to learn Spanish alongside one of my learners. He had already started learning Spanish at school before moving to home education and wanted to keep going.
We’ve now set up a Spanish Learning Buddy Group, and you are very welcome to join us!
Including A Foreign Culture In The Learning Routine
Here at Orchard Training, we like to include foreign cultures in our projects in ways that feel natural and fun.
You don’t need any fancy or expensive equipment to learn a foreign language — you can simply download a language app onto your phone.
For learning about other cultures, our projects list the resources you’ll need and suggest places to visit, all written with a home-school budget in mind.
The main cost is usually visiting attractions. Some are free, while others may charge for tickets. To save money, you can plan ahead, combine trips, and bring a packed lunch — just like a real school trip!