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Ecce Romani vs. Cambridge (x post)


siloam
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Here I thought I had made up my mind and then I go and get myself all confused again. :D

 

My oldest has done both LL Big Book 1 and Minimus (both books) and has done them mostly independently. I dropped out of LL around chapter 12 and haven't been of any help since. I need something she can do independently as much as possible and she prefers the reading approach now that she has done both.

 

I know the readers are more interesting in Cambridge and I have heard that the grammar is easier to understand in Ecce Romani (ER). Given my grammar weakness I was going to use ER. Not that my dd has the same weakness, but if she doesn't have me to fall back on, I will be posting questions for her, or have her posing on the yahoo group. :D I just thought it was the safe bet, and ER has a rep for being strong enough of grammar, where Cambridge I seem to remember I was advised to also do more grammar with it (via another program or supplementing).

 

Of course then I see the independent learning guides for Cambridge, so I have to sir the pot once again. ;)

 

Which would you recommend for a 7th grade girl who works well independently and is strong in grammar? If I do go with Cambridge do I need a Grammar program to go with it? If so which one (I was looking at Latin Alive)?

 

Last question, on the main site it shows a DVD, which I don't find for sale in the states. My dd is an auditory learner, and really loves the CD that goes with Minimus. Would this be a good argument for ER, which has audio CD?

 

Heather

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I would suggest Cambridge. They do have audio tapes, and the stories are more interesting than ER (IMO). ER hits the grammar pretty hard and fast after the first few chapters. Cambridge goes more slowly, and is an inductive approach. I would use Cambridge with some grammar charts or a simple deductive grammar book alongside. I've worked through Cambridge book one myself, and I'm working through ER right now. Both are very good, but Cambridge is more "fun," so if that's a factor at all, I'd go with Cambridge. They also have online games and support.

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If I do go with Cambridge do I need a Grammar program to go with it?

 

In my own search for a Latin curriculum, I phoned Cambridge to ask them about their course. They don't emphasize Grammar in their course, from what the gentleman was saying to me; it sounds like what SWB would call "whole to parts" instruction - the student gets the idea of the Grammar from learning sentences and phrases.

 

Last question, on the main site it shows a DVD, which I don't find for sale in the states.

 

I'm assuming you mean the main website for Cambridge Latin curriculum? I'm pretty sure that the reason why you're not finding a DVD for sale in the US is because you wouldn't be able to play DVDs that are produced here - we're a different DVD region to you. This website http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=502554 shows how the DVD regions are divided, worldwide.

 

HTH. Hedgehog

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The guys at the office are so helpful!

 

I actually e-mailed them to ask about shipping, and they pointed me to the right place to buy them in the US. It was a site I had already found, but was having a horrendous time getting the search to work right. They pointed me to THE page that covered all the Cambridge stuff, including the CD's. Though they said you can't use the independent learning guides with the "North American Version" that I buy over here.

 

I placed my order today. :D

 

My thinking is this will allow us to go at a nice slow pace through High School, and if she needs more grammar work we will cover it then. But my guess is she is so good at grammar (gets 90-80% on clauses and phrases work and aces anything simpler) that she will do just fine.

 

Heather

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In my own search for a Latin curriculum, I phoned Cambridge to ask them about their course. They don't emphasize Grammar in their course, from what the gentleman was saying to me; it sounds like what SWB would call "whole to parts" instruction - the student gets the idea of the Grammar from learning sentences and phrases.
Cambridge does explicitly cover grammar, but it's not a grammar from the ground up approach. However, it's an excellent program, and one I'd be willing to use exclusively with a middle school aged child and up.

 

I'm assuming you mean the main website for Cambridge Latin curriculum? I'm pretty sure that the reason why you're not finding a DVD for sale in the US is because you wouldn't be able to play DVDs that are produced here - we're a different DVD region to you. This website http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=502554 shows how the DVD regions are divided, worldwide.

 

All regions except Region 1 can use the UK DVDs. The North American edition has no single user license and as such is too pricey for most homeschoolers. :glare:
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