TKDmom Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 I'm looking at starting my 4th grader in Latin next semester. I was looking at buying Latina Christiana for him (It's in my RR cart...) But then I realized I already own 2 (no make that 4!) Latin programs. Geesh! I should just delete this and run away before you guys throw tomatoes at me. :leaving: Now that I think about it, I've got Getting Started with Latin, Minimus, First Form Latin 1, and Lively Latin 1. I started to use FFL with him (since I was already using it with dd13), but quickly realized it's too much for him right now--we didn't even get through the introductory lesson before I shelved it. Minimus is fun and all, but it doesn't really teach. I loved the explicit, grammar approach of FFL, which is why I'm considering LC1. Lively Latin annoys me for the same reason. I took my oldest through it in 3rd/4th/5th grade, but I felt like we chanted a lot of stuff and learned some vocab without really learning any of the "why's". It wasn't until we started another Latin program that I discovered what a noun declension is. And she'd been chanting declension endings for almost 3 years! Maybe I could use it with him. It felt like busy work and a waste of time... but he'd probably enjoy it anyway and it's independent... GSWL is still a possibility. I tried it with my older ds when he was in 2nd or 3rd grade, and it was too hard for him after 20-30 lessons, but this ds has more grammar experience and is better with language. Sooo... any opinions on Latina Christiana? Does it do a good job teaching the grammar of Latin? Is it engaging? Is the amount of writing appropriate for a 9yo? Should I just forget it and print out a chapter of LL for him to try? I'd really like to get him into the MP First Form/Second Form series when he's older, and I'm wondering if LC will help us reach that goal without killing his love of learning Latin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Well...we here are fans of Memoria Press and I would refer you to the Prima Latina thread a couple doors down for more information on where to start. But I think you need to choose a publisher and stick with it. They make these programs to be cohesive wholes. Each year builds on the next. I also think for Latin to be as painless as possible, the two foundational programs, Prima Latina and Latina Christiana 1 should be done first. Those two programs focus on memorizing vocabulary, first conjugation verbs, "to be" verbs and 1 declension nouns. And they go over and over and over those things until it really becomes second nature, which it needs to be because in the Form series, the kids start translations and the more difficult verb tenses. For me, and I'm learning Latin right alongside my kids, those two foundational years helped me wrap my mind around what Latin really is. Declining nouns? We don't do that in English. So you need to really understand the reason and function of declining nouns in Latin grammar first. I can say, that at a beginners level, I understand how Latin works. My kids enjoy Latin because they have the tools they need to translate and it's not frustrating. They've never had to work too hard because MP has designed the program so it's like a gentle rain every day that just soaks in and becomes part of you. Now, without me even thinking about it, I see a Latin word somewhere and my mind automatically decides if it's a noun or verb, which declension if it's a noun, and I mentally decline or conjugate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peplophoros Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Ooh, please give GSWL another try...it's amazing. The grammar introduction is gradual but thorough, and the sentences do a great job reviewing and introducing new grammar/vocab. It's a winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 I'm a hard core MP Latin user, but if you already own GSWL, try it next semester. I think it will be good at this age. He should be able to transition to FFL after it without much trouble. If you really, really, really want to buy another Latin program, go ahead & get LC1. It is fine. But since you already own GSWL, I'd use that. Just my $.02. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedarling Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 In the spring we did GSWL, and now this year I am doing FFL with my 8 (almost 9) yo and 13 (almost 14yo). FFL was hard for both for different reasons, but the 8yo is doing great now that we slowed the pace to half as fast. (The 13yo is still struggling...but she's struggling in school in general. I don't think it has much to do with Latin.) Slowing the pace way down helped spread out the amount of writing for the 8yo, and allowed us to add extra online flashcards and such to help with memorization for both (especially 13yo). The 8yo loves Latin now! I do agree with starting with GSWL, though...both girls enjoyed it when we did it last year. Then you could try FFL again, but take it really slow. (That said, I do kinda wish I'd done LC1 with them instead...especially considering my 13yo's school resistance. But I don't think it would be worth another purchase...FF works just fine. Just for someone who hasn't purchased either...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazzaroni Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 My 4th grader just started Prima Latina to go with our SOTW study of the Roman empire. He has loved it! I like Prima because it is simple and covers the some of the same grammar issues we just went over in FLL 1 and 2. I plan to follow up with GSWL after Prima because I really love GSWL and I am hoping it keeps his interest in learning Latin alive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted December 1, 2014 Author Share Posted December 1, 2014 Thanks everyone! I Just pulled GSWL out of my "to sell" box. Whew! Good thing no one bought it. :D I think I will go ahead and start with that. It's such a nice, gentle introduction and I'd totally forgotten I had it till I posted this weekend. I'm still up for hearing reviews for LC1, though. I get hung up on MP listed grade levels, but it seems like FFL is just too much for 4th/5th (unless maybe you'd already taken them through Prima and LC and they didn't mind a bunch of writing?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLMom Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I used and liked both LC I and II because of the DVD component. Maybe FF has that, I don't know. Also, I created some Latin Games you might want to use to help with vocabulary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I used LC with DD last year and will use it next year with DS. I love the program because it has a very straightforward video teacher, lots of workbook and drill practice to cement the lessons, and my kids seem to love MP Latin products. The program is definitely very appropriate to a 9 year old, and it set my DD up well for FFL this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 We started Prima Latina with our 3rd grader. They do expect the child to have a pretty good grasp on nouns and verbs. Then LC1 in 4th and FFL in 5th. The biggest thing for me would be to not to start FFL before 5th. My boys are both average intelligence and I think that starting FFL earlier would have been too much, both conceptually and the amount of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted December 1, 2014 Author Share Posted December 1, 2014 I used and liked both LC I and II because of the DVD component. Maybe FF has that, I don't know. Also, I created some Latin Games you might want to use to help with vocabulary.FF does have the DVDs, but the instructor speaks very quickly. Dd13 complained that she couldn't always keep up with him. I wasn't even going to use the DVDs with ds9 because of that. But of course that makes it more teacher-intensive, and I'm stretched thin already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenDaisies Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 FF does have the DVDs, but the instructor speaks very quickly. Dd13 complained that she couldn't always keep up with him. I wasn't even going to use the DVDs with ds9 because of that. But of course that makes it more teacher-intensive, and I'm stretched thin already. We play the DVDs on the computer and adjust the playback speed to 80% so dd can keep pace with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 We play the DVDs on the computer and adjust the playback speed to 80% so dd can keep pace with him. What a great idea! Can you explain what you use and how you do this? Are you using a PC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenDaisies Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 What a great idea! Can you explain what you use and how you do this? Are you using a PC? I have VLC Media Player on my PC. When I play the video, I select the 'Playback' menu and click 'Slower' twice. Each click reduces the speed by 10%. I am certain other media players will do the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I have VLC Media Player on my PC. When I play the video, I select the 'Playback' menu and click 'Slower' twice. Each click reduces the speed by 10%. I am certain other media players will do the same. Thanks so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 This is the one thing I don't like about FFL - the teacher talks way too fast. We've learned how to get over that, but it is a downside of FFL. As I understand it, SFL has a different teacher. FF does have the DVDs, but the instructor speaks very quickly. Dd13 complained that she couldn't always keep up with him. I wasn't even going to use the DVDs with ds9 because of that. But of course that makes it more teacher-intensive, and I'm stretched thin already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Actually, I think (but don't know) that SFL has the same teacher. We aren't using the DVDs this year. Third Form Latin has a different one - for sure. We actually like the DVD teacher. DD affectionately calls him, "Mr Squished Face" because his face looks so skinny next to the charts they put up on the screen sometimes. It might have been our perception, but he seemed to slow down a little bit near the end of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Creek Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 This is the one thing I don't like about FFL - the teacher talks way too fast. We've learned how to get over that, but it is a downside of FFL. As I understand it, SFL has a different teacher. My daughter just finished Second Form; it has the same teacher on the DVD as First Form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 My daughter just finished Second Form; it has the same teacher on the DVD as First Form.Yeah, it does. We actually like Glenn a lot. His illustrations include lego references, he wears sunglasses with a rear view lens and he's much more concise than Leigh on the first two videos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classically Minded Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 We enjoyed the gentle introduction with Prima Latina and then have moved on to Latina Christiana I and love that one too! We use the DVD teacher and plan on continuing on with Latina Christiana II and then Henle Latin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.