Latin Alive vs. LRTEG -- yikes!

[Renaissance Mom]

To really evaluate both programs, I worked through the first two lessons of LRTEG and the first three chapter of Latin Alive 1 (both are equivalent to about 3 weeks of work). I have no previous Latin experience but do have significant foreign language experience. My daughter has not actually worked through any of the lessons but is lobbying for Latin Alive because of the history/culture notes as well the DVDs directed to the student. Here are my impressions and questions.

 

LRTEG

 

• straight forward, easy to understand,
  
• a LOT of handwriting for notebook entries,
  
• easy to understand the correlation between English grammar and Latin grammar,
  
• kind of dull,
  
• a very reasonable pace to absorb the material,
  
• love the color coded flash cards and notebook entries
  

 

Latin Alive

 

• reasonable amount of written work or exercises,
  
• includes fun little tidbits here and there to keep it interesting,
  
• moves at a lightening pace -- e.g. one chart and explanation for future tense verb endings, and, boom, you have to do it from now on,
  
• the explanations of the grammar terms makes my head spin (they're brief or non-existent and they're one right after another)
  

 

For those of you who have used either of these, are my comments on the mark or not? Do I have to go back and memorize every grammar term ever created for English so that I can understand how Latin Alive is explaining Latin grammar? Will my issues with LA be minimized if I get the DVDs?

 

I thought I'd had this all figured out until I actually sat down and played the role of the student!!!

 

TIA,

[elegantlion]

I'm using Latin Alive for myself and ds. Our previous Latin experience has been using LFC A & B. Without experience I wouldn't use Latin Alive without the DVDs. They make a world of difference. We do Latin together, which is another thing I like about Latin Alive, they make the teacher's book an exact copy of the student book.

 

Latin Alive compares with Wheelock's, I believe there is a comparison chart on CAP's website. I took one look at Wheelock's and shut the book. I knew my English grammar was not up to the assumed level of Wheelock's. Latin Alive seems less intense. Maybe it's because we've completed LFC and are familiar with the terms. Most of the English grammar we've covered so far (we're spreading LA I over two years) has been review. If something is covered well enough for you on the DVD, you could easily find it in a grammar reference source.

 

I have not looked at the other program, so I can't comment on it.

 

What age/grade is your dd?

[Renaissance Mom]

Thanks for your insight. My dd is a rising 8th grader. We're both pretty solid in grammar usage but not so much in the formal terminology.