I'd like to hear opinions from those using Latin for Children...

[Marsha SC]

I'm considering this for my 2nd grader next year. I know its a year early but her reading skills are very good and she is doing very well with 2nd grade language this year.

 

I would like to know what you like and dislike about the program. Is it easy to use and learn (considering I, like most, have not had Latin before).

 

 

Thanks for any help you can offer,

Marsha SC

[LillianinAL]

for about five weeks. My 4th and 5th grade boys started the year with Latina Christiana 1 but were grumbling some. So I switched to LFCA. They enjoyed the DVD, but the grammar moved way too fast for my 4th grader. So we went back to LC1 and are now really enjoying it.

 

For your younger child, I would recommend doing Prima Latina and holding off on LC1 or maybe LFCA until she's doing 4th grade grammar. Mine are learning the material much better with LC.

 

HTH! Lillian

[Zee]

Hi Marsha,

We are almost 1/2 way done with LFC A. We love it and I have no real complaints. We love the DVD component and we enjoy the chanting. I like the grammar that is included. The only thing I wish it had, was more translation work. I don't know if you were looking at LFC A, but I would not start there with a 2nd grader, even a great reader. I would wait until 3rd at a minimum. JMHO. They do have a new program that is for younger students. I would start with that.

[Karenciavo]

As others have stated, it's not so much the reading as it is the grammar. Primer A covers nouns, verbs (present, imperfect, & future tense), irregular verbs, predicate nouns and adjectives, prepositions and objects of Prep, along with direct objects. That's a lot of grammar for most second grade students.

[Karenciavo]

The only thing I wish it had, was more translation work.

 

Have you downloaded the free extra worksheets from the CAP web site?

[ArwenA]

DD9 tried Minimus in 2nd and hated it. We started LFC A last year in 3rd and loved it, we are now doing LFC B. DD9 has good grammar, writing and reading skill, anything language based is her thing and while she had a great time with LFC A in 3rd I think we would have met disaster if we did it in 2nd.

[buddhabelly]

I think you are going to hit bumps along the way no matter what program you choose. We actually did start LFC A in second grade, which I would only recommend if your child is extremely advanced in language arts. We are now 2/3 through LFC B and are still enjoying it. LFC B has more parsing and translation than A, and you can also get the Libelius Historia (spelling wrong) for each primer. I wouldn't try to do the Libelius for A until you are at about Chapter 16, though. Same with the Libelius for B. Or you could just do the Libelius after you had finished each primer.

 

I would recommend getting the newest of everything, which will probably mean dealing directly with Classical Academic Press. They have wonderful customer service. Since they have not redone all the DVD's, the primer will not always exactly match the DVD. It is not that noticeable in general.

 

Have you done Minimus yet? I wouldn't miss that because it is so perfect for second grade. Be sure to get the CD -- the pronunciation is very good, and it is entertaining for your child to hear the cat mew and the mouse skitter away. We actually did Minimus and LFC "A" at the same time (one week/chapter for Minimus followed by one week/chapter for LFC "A"). It worked fine, except that Minimus ends earlier than LFC. But by then, the child is more mature.

 

Perhaps do Minimus during the fall semester and then start LFC "A" in January? That will work fine as long as you don't take all summer off.

 

Good luck!

 

Buddhabelly, parent of 9-yo lover of Legos & languages.

[King Alfred Academy]

Didn't know if you are aware, but the same company is coming out with another Latin Program to do before LFC Level A. It's call Song School Latin. It is suppose to be more vocabulary than grammar. I am going to do this with my 2nd grader next year who is also a strong reader. I have no Latin experience (dh does though) so I wanted to start very basic.

Song School Latin ...Here are samples...

Hope this might help a bit.

[Zee]

Yes, I saw them at some point. I just couldn't pull it together and truthfully, the amount of time we have set aside for latin the last two years wasn't enough to do more than minimum. Next year we'll give it a bit more time and I've decided to supplement LFC A with Latin Book One. Well...or supplement LBO with LFC. We'll see how it goes. I think it will be a good mix for us. I've got a 30 min. slot figured in for next year. I know that's still not enough time, but it's double what we do now. We are slow, but we are plugging along... We may step it up in 7th, but I'm keeping it light for now. Latin is a fun subject for us at this point, and I don't want to kill the joy too soon. :)

[Marsha SC]

thanks a lot for all the good advice. I knew the language was going to be a bit touch but I like the fact the LFC at least explains it for those who don't know it. I am going to look into Minimus.

 

Thanks again!

Marsha SC