Another Latin question....SAT2 related

[Gwen in VA]

I am trying to get my Latin thoughts straightened out.....Thanks for bearing with me.

 

My older dd took the Latin SAT2 after working through Wheelock's and then doing one semester of "Latin readings." She did fine.

 

My son is finishing up Regina Coeli Henle Latin 3, which means that by June he will have finished the Henle Latin 1 book and done some outside readings.

 

* Is just finishing up the Henle 1 book the equivalent of finishing Wheelock's?

 

* Would he have enough grammar and reading experience to take the SAT2?

 

* Or should we consider finding a "Henle Latin 3" program that works through part of Henle book 2?

 

(Ds is not a linguist and he just wants to be done with Latin. We want him to continue studying Latin until he takes the SAT2, and we don't want him to take it in June if he doesn't have a decent enough background to score reasonably.)

[at the beach]

Great questions, Gwen. My dd 13 just started with Henle I with RCA this year, so I am interested in hearing answers to this, too.

[Cedarmom]

I can't compare Wheelock's to Henle however I can tell you my experience with SAT2 . We were about 1/4 into Henle and had done some Lingua Latina when he took the SAT2. He foundit hard. He did not know many of the vocabulary words. You may want to buy the SAT 2 prep book and have him take the practice tests to let him get a feel for what he knows.

[Nissi]

Gwen, do you think a student would be prepared to take SAT 2 test after completing Wheelock's Latin?

Thanks.

[Kareni]

My daughter took the SAT subject test in Latin after having taken out of the home Latin classes through AP Latin. (She used Cambridge Latin I through IV before her AP Latin class.) She scored around 740 as I recall.

 

When I asked my daughter what she found most helpful as regards this test, she said taking the sample test in the Official Study Guide for all SAT Subject Tests was quite helpful in showing her what was expected. If your child were to do that, I think that would give you a good idea of how prepared your child currently is. My daughter's Latin instructor recommended Excelability in Advanced Latin by Marianthe Colakis. My daughter also spent some time with the REA SAT Subject Test in Latin book.

 

The SAT subject test in Latin is only offered twice a year.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kathy in Richmond]

I wouldn't attempt the SAT II Latin after Henle I only. Looking at the table of contents for the different Henle volumes (and oh how I hate that Henle doesn't have indices in the back!), I can see some topics that aren't addressed in Henle I:

 

Gerund & gerundive, ablative absolute, cum clauses, comparison of adverbs, result clauses, characteristic clauses, dative of purpose & double dative constructions, some of the irregular verbs like fero & fio, and conditional sentences (I don't see that one till Henle 3 and Cicero)...these are all topics that the SAT II expects. (I may be mistaken on one or two of these because of that darn lack of an index).

 

The other issue I'd have is that there isn't enough reading practice in Henle I to do well on that particular section of the subject test.

 

The Excelability text that Kareni linked is excellent for both grammar and reading passage practice. But both of my kids found it more appropriate when they reached the AP level in Latin. The REA book Kareni linked is great for seeing what topics are covered and for test prep practice.

 

~Kathy

[Gwen in VA]

Thank you for all the hlep and information!