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Wheelock's Latin - How do you master each chapter (daily schedule and tips) ?


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Can anyone share their study schedule/process with me? For example, how do you master vocabulary (pronunciation, spelling, definition), grammatical rules, etc. on a daily basis for each chapter? How long does it generally take you? Do you master the vocabulary before you attempt the sentinae at the end of each chapter? How do you master the vocab? Do you write everything out? Listen to audio? How much time do you spend on this each day? Any study tips and suggestions would be appreciated. I have seen the various links for study aids in previous posts. I was just wondering how much time and in what sequence to do all this work -- it's a bit overwhelming and I don't think my dd is scheduling enough time for drill.

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Can anyone share their study schedule/process with me? For example, how do you master vocabulary (pronunciation, spelling, definition), grammatical rules, etc. on a daily basis for each chapter? How long does it generally take you? Do you master the vocabulary before you attempt the sentinae at the end of each chapter? How do you master the vocab? Do you write everything out? Listen to audio? How much time do you spend on this each day? Any study tips and suggestions would be appreciated. I have seen the various links for study aids in previous posts. I was just wondering how much time and in what sequence to do all this work -- it's a bit overwhelming and I don't think my dd is scheduling enough time for drill.

 

There are many possible effective ways to tackle these chapters. Here's what I did when I studied it over 15 years ago!

 

1) Read over the chapter, noting terms.

2) Drill vocabulary, developing a system of grouping the words.

3) (optionally, depending on how much detailed paperwork the student can stand or needs) Work through the first 6-7 exercises in the Self-tuts.

4) Translate easy sentences from the Self-tuts.

5) Translate sentences in chapter.

6) Translate paragraphs.

7) Go back to reread the paragraphs of earlier chapters.

 

Intersperse short, regular sessions of drilling vocabulary and endings!

 

I would suggest that you cover about one chapter per two weeks, on average. Sometimes you might go faster than this. Or a little slower--especially if your student isn't strong on grammar concepts in English.

 

You should read through the chapter, noting any terms in bold that you should study. Then go over vocabulary, categorizing the words. Collect all of the 1st declension nouns on a page, then all of the 2nd declension nouns, etc. At first the vocabulary seems to be manageable just studying each chapter's list together, but after a while you will realize that you need to give your mind a little help to keep their gender and category straight. What I liked to do is make lists on notebook paper:

 

1st Declension Nouns (Feminine)

2nd Declension Nouns (Masculine)

2nd Declension Nouns (Neuter)

3rd Declension Nouns (Masculine)

3rd Declension Nouns (Feminine)

3rd Declension Nouns (Neuter)

etc.

and also the verbs:

1st Conjugation, 2nd Conjugation, etc.

 

The act of associating a word with its "peers" makes it much easier to recall what gender it is, which is going to be very helpful in the long run.

 

Many students like to make flash cards, which is great. But when you have such a huge set of words, as you will in Wheelock's, the stacks of cards can get unwieldy. So I recommend drilling the vocabulary with lists on paper (or files on the computer) and then just making flash cards of the ones you have a hard time with. I.e, since many of the vocab words are easy to remember (such as femina, magistra, remedium, gloria...) don't waste space in the pile of cards on them! But you do need to remember that remedium is neuter, so having it in the list with its "brothers" will help!

 

The sentences in the chapter are probably one of the last exercises you should tackle. First do easy practice sentences from workbooks that go with Wheelock's and translate the "Self-tutorials" in the back of the text---this is an excellent way to practice. There's a key for them right in the book.

 

Another excellent thing to do before moving on to the next chapter is go back to earlier chapters and simply read aloud the paragraphs at the end of the "Sententiae" --such as "The Grass is Always Greener." Once you've mastered its vocab, reading and internalizing the sentence structure of an easy, previously translated passage helps a lot. It gives the student more confidence to see that he/she can actually read a passage!

Edited by Beth in Mint Hill
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Currently I read the text, do the workbook, do the self tutorials, then do the sentences in the book, the translations for 38 latin stories for the associated chapters is last. I write out each latin or english sentence before I do the translations for practice. Daily I try to do the declension songs for those that I have learned and I use the youtube flashcards to drill the vocabulary for each chapter until I have the pronunciation down and then move to drilling from lists. I have a notebook that is just for drill, it's just pages and pages of me writing the vocabulary and declensions out over and over.

 

I like the idea of lists of male, female, and neuter and will add that to my toolbox. If I'm learning both the nominative and genitive cases for each vocabulary word the declension should be self evident, should it not?

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.... If I'm learning both the nominative and genitive cases for each vocabulary word the declension should be self evident, should it not?

 

Yes, the declension would be evident, since its determined by the genitive ending:

1st dec. -ae

2nd dec. -i

3rd dec. -is

4th dec. -us

5th dec. -ei

(some of these have long marks over them)

 

But the gender wouldn't always be. For 3rd declension nouns grouping them on pages by gender helps you internalize which gender the word is, and it will also help reinforce the spelling patterns that act as clues to a 3rd dec. noun's gender. (See the footnote in Wheelock's Chapter 7.)

 

;)

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Here's a link to a post where I share my year 1 and year 2 syllabus for Wheelock's: Wheelock's Plans.

 

My dd did it in two years at home, and then she merged into Lukeion this year for Year 3, and she is earning high A's.

 

She didn't use audio, but she did make flashcards for everything. I had found many resources online, but really the text and workbook were plenty.

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