Some Advice on Ds' Latin Please

[Jean in Newcastle]

Ds17 has taken Latin from 3rd grade until last year.  He's gone through book 3 of the Galore Park Latin Prep series.  He does not want to take any more Latin.  But I was wondering if he would be ready to take an AP or SAT II test in Latin to prove that he has taken Latin to a certain level.  He does very well at Latin translations but his ADHD gets in the way of the detailed work of grammar, at least if it is prolonged.   Is that unrealistic?  What would you suggest?  

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I'm not familiar with the Galore Park series.  But if it is any basis for comparison my dd has been taking Latin through Lukeion.  She was advised to take the SAT II after completing Latin 3 with them.  In completing Latin 3 she will have finished Wheelocks and spent a year working mainly on translations and perfecting grammar skills from original texts.

 

As for the AP test I'd take a look at a prep book (I tend to browse in bookstores or check the public library) or at the info put out by College Board to see if his work has covered what is needed for the test.  (Of course the same could be said for the SAT II.)

 

I hope that helps a bit :001_smile:

[JadeOrchidSong]

I do not have any answers. I have a question: how did your son do the three books of Galore Park Latin? Wg are about to start it now. Thanks!

I'm not familiar with Galore Park, but the AP Latin exam requires a honest year's worth of reading and translating a fixed set of texts.  Without having worked through those lines, there's almost no chance a student could score well on the exam.

 

The Latin SAT II is another story, however.  Students can do well on the SAT II without having studied a fixed text.  As other have said above, I'd focus on the SAT II, and get a test prep book, and a sample exam, and see how he does, then plan from there.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I do not have any answers. I have a question: how did your son do the three books of Galore Park Latin? Wg are about to start it now. Thanks!

The first book he did on his own.  The last two he did with a Latin tutor.

[Corraleno]

In previous threads here people have mentioned that Latin Prep books 1-3 are equivalent to books 1-2 of SYRWTLL (Galore Park's high school level curriculum), which would be equivalent to Latin 1 & 2. SYRWTLL book 3 would be equivalent to Latin 3. I think it would be difficult to do well on the SATII after Latin 2; most recommend taking it after Latin 3 or 4. And as GGardner mentioned, AP Latin focuses on reading & translating specific passages of Caesar and Vergil.

 

Have you looked into the National Latin Exam? Homeschoolers can administer it at home, and your DS might only need a little additional prep to take the Latin 2 exam. Although it doesn't carry the potential for college credit, like AP, it would provide outside verification of his Latin studies.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Thanks, Correlano, that looks like it might be the best for him.  

[Kareni]

If you locate a copy of The Official Study Guide for ALL SAT Subject Tests, 2nd Edition, you can have your son take a practice Latin SAT Subject Test to help determine his readiness to sit the actual exam.

 

My daughter took the SAT Subject test in Latin the same year she took the AP Latin exam.  She was well prepared for the test at that time.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[JadeOrchidSong]

If you locate a copy of The Official Study Guide for ALL SAT Subject Tests, 2nd Edition, you can have your son take a practice Latin SAT Subject Test to help determine his readiness to sit the actual exam.

 

My daughter took the SAT Subject test in Latin the same year she took the AP Latin exam. She was well prepared for the test at that time.

 

Regards,

Kareni

What did dd use for Latin?

[Kareni]

My daughter was in an out of the home class which used Cambridge Latin.  She used Cambridge Latin I through IV before taking AP Latin class.  Before taking the SAT Subject Test in Latin, she spent some time working in a book that her Latin instructor recommended -- Excelability in Advanced Latin by Marianthe Colakis. My daughter also used the REA SAT Subject Test in Latin book.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[8filltheheart]

I agree with Correlano. The NLE is probably the best match. My ds completed LP books 1-2 followed by SYRWTLLatin 2 and 3 and then used the books suggested above by Kareni. He scored a gold on the NLE, but only a decent score on the SAT 2. He was in no way prepared for the AP.

 

Our dd completed the same GP books, spent last yr going through all of Wheelock's, and is taking a Latin poetry class this yr and I still am not having her take the AP this yr. She will take it next yr after a yr of Latin prose. (She will be taking the SAT 2 this yr, though.)