Latin for 1st grade?

[CoffeeMusicLaughs]

Hi there,

I'm starting homeschooling for the first time this coming fall with my oldest son, who will be in 1st grade. I read WTM, and I notice they recommend not beginning Latin until 3rd grade. I'm wondering if that's what most of you do, or do you start something small in 1st grade? If you start in 1st grade, what do you use? I know I want my son to learn Spanish. Would it be better to do that first? I'm interested in your opinions.

 

Erin

[Dmmetler]

My daughter really wanted to start Latin (we've done Spanish basically since birth), so we did Song School Latin first, then a combination of chants and vocabulary from LfC (with some grammar, but I expect to go back and do LfC A again, with the DVDs, when she's in 3rd or so) and Minimus/Minimus Secundus. She's loved it, and picked up a lot more than I would have expected.

[....]

We started Latin this past year with a 2nd grader and 3rd grader. They were both fine, but the 3rd grader was able to remember things a lot easier than the 2nd grader.

 

Also, I didn't allow the 2nd grader to write in Latin because his writing in English wasn't that wonderful at the beginning of the year. I was afraid multiple ways to spell words was going to be overwhelming for him.

[sunshine_librarian]

We're using Song School Latin. I have used it orally this year, for kindergarten, and will repeat it next year using the workbook. My ds3 and my ds2 sing along during Latin time each day - I love it.

 

I think the idea with doing Latin first instead of jumping straight into Spanish is the structure aspect and how it affects the way our children think about things. But we are new to the Hive and I am sure a more experienced WTM-er could explore that idea more fully.

[rafgaf4]

We will be using Prima Latina for my son who will be in 2nd grade. He already knows quite a bit of latin from his two older brothers. He also has watched many of the DVD lessons that accompany their curriculum. He can't wait to start next year. BTW, Prima Latina is from Memoria Press.

[twoxcell]

I second Song School Latin! It is really fun, and gentle.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

My first grader and my littles have been enjoying both Song School Latin and La Clase Divertida this year. They were exposed to both Spanish and Latin before this.

[Kirch]

We used SSL for 1st and loved it. It's a great, gentle introduction to Latin. I chose to do it because I figured a gentle, enjoyable exposure now would help ease into more serious study in a few years.

[Rivka]

We're using Song School Latin. I have used it orally this year, for kindergarten, and will repeat it next year using the workbook. My ds3 and my ds2 sing along during Latin time each day - I love it.

 

I think the idea with doing Latin first instead of jumping straight into Spanish is the structure aspect and how it affects the way our children think about things. But we are new to the Hive and I am sure a more experienced WTM-er could explore that idea more fully.

 

I guess my question about that is whether the kind of Latin you can do with a little kid does involve "the structure aspect." Now, I say this as someone who has bought SSL for my rising first grader and is really looking forward to getting started with it. It looks like fun, and it looks like it will create affection for the Latin language and will decrease the likelihood that kids will think of Latin as some Big Scary Monster when the time comes to study Latin grammar.

 

But honestly, SSL teaches a collection of undeclined nouns and a few phrases and adjectives. It doesn't teach Latin grammar at all. It doesn't offer anything more structured, or more likely to promote better thinking skills, than any other collection of beginning foreign language vocabulary.

 

That's what makes it suitable for first graders, and as I said, I'm getting ready to start using it. I think my family will have fun with it. But I don't think that the kind of Latin you can teach to six-year-olds provides the same benefits as systematic Latin study at an older age, or that it provides more benefits than early study of a modern language like Spanish.

[jengjohnson]

I'm looking at I Speak Latin for my rising first grader. Drew Campbell wrote it and it's available at Lulu. I'll probably follow it up with Prima Latina in 2nd grade.

[GTJo1996]

What is "Lulu"??? Enlighten me please!:confused:

[jengjohnson]

sorry! lulu.com :)

[mnllj7]

I also think Song school Latin is a good choice and not too hard, If your child is really advanced you could do Prima Latina and just do it slowly. Latin for Children is another good

program but it would have to be done very slowly, but the dvd's with the guys girls on there are fun. nancyt.

[SnMomof7]

We do wait until reading is established. DD wanted to start Latin as soon as she finished her phonics so we started it just before she turned eight (a month or so ago) at the end of second grade.