Greek for Children vs. Elementary Greek

[Embassy]

I am planning on switching from Hey Andrew. Cost is a concern, but if the program doesn't require me to repurchase for each child then I could spend more to start out. I want something that will take us in a logical procession. Greek for Children appears to be just one year if done on their time schedule. Elementary Greek is supposed to be 3 years? How do they compare content-wise? I would love to go the route of a focus on learning to read Greek and then learn the grammar alongside of that, but I haven't found anything suitable. I was thinking of the video classes at teknia, but $90 per year makes it an expensive option when we are taking a slower pace to Greek.

 

What is a logical sequence anyway? Elementary Greek to Mounce?

 

The ability to read, understand, and translate Koine Greek is the goal. Now how can I reach that goal? Any input?

 

As of right now my kids know the alphabet, some vocabulary, and one knows how to read simple words.

Edited November 7, 2011 by Wehomeschool
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[Mystie]

:bigear::bigear:

[AmericanMom]

What is the age of your child? My 13 year old is using Crosby & Schaeffer Greek, which is really cheap. But it is not for the faint of heart -- there is no teacher key. Athenaze is supposed to be more reading than grammar if I remember correctly, but it is a high school course I think. We started out with Elementary Greek but the grammar was too slow for my middle schooler. But, it would be a good pace for under 10, I think.

[mom2boys030507]

We are currently doing a combination of Hey Andrew and Elementary Greek. I don't think doing both is necessary but my boys are young and they really enjoy Greek. I like Hey Andrew for the repetition but things are just learned by repetition and assumptions. There is no real teaching. I was planning to just switch to Elementary Greek after Level 3 of Hey Andrew for the more direct teaching. I really like Elementary Greek. It does move faster but for kids starting in grade 3 or 4 I think it would be just fine. The cost for Elementary Greek is much lower then Hey Andrew as you only need to purchase the workbook for each child. Our goal is also to be able to read the new testament. I have no idea where we will go after Elementary Greek or at this point when we will stop9 Hey Andrew. Like I said my boys love learning Greek, it is the subject they ask to do first and they are the ones who are requesting to continue doing Hey Andrew, I am the one who wanted Elementary Greek added in for it's instructional value.

[Zoo Keeper]

EG is great; I think it is fine for a third or fourth grader, if you take it slow and review as needed. New workbooks for each child would be the only new cost. (or I'm having my boys write it out in their own notebooks and keeping the student text clean...)

EG seems kind of dry when compared to Greek for Children, but sometimes all the bells and whistles don't help with learning, they are just making noise. Depends on the child. One of my boys loves bells and whistles, another one just wants the facts, ma'am. :)

Machen's NT Greek for Beginners can come after the three levels of EG.

[Embassy]

I'm interested in something that will suit a 5th grader. I have younger kids too, but I'm primarily looking for something for my older son. Anyone here use Greek for Children? Then I'm wondering if a more difficult course done slowly would be the best choice. :bigear: Does the pronunciation chosen really matter?

[crazyforlatin]

We're using Elementary Greek and it's going very well. I looked at other Koine programs but I liked the layout of EG. Even though I have Song School Greek as a fun supplement, I decided not to get Greek for Children because I favor a simple format without all the extra fun stuff as it prevents us from concentrating on learning.

 

After EM 1, I plan to buy Athenaze, or if that's too difficult, I will continue with EM 2 until DD is ready.

 

One of the reasons I think EG is going so well is that DD has studied Latin for 2 years and there's no need for me to explain declensions and conjugations.

[Embassy]

Thanks so much for all the responses. I think I've finally come to a decision. It looks like I'm moving my oldest to Greek for Children Primer A and then we will go through Mounce's course together at a slow pace. My younger son who is finishing up Hey Andrew 2 will move to Song School Greek and then to Greek for Children Primer A.

[Verity]

Hope it works out well for you. I am using Greek for Children A with my oldest this year and we are both getting alot out of it. I thought it would be too hard to do both Greek and Latin but using Classical Academic Press for both has made it easier (I think).

[Paige]

My son uses Greek for Children. I do not know where or what this extra fun stuff in Greek for Children you are talking about is. Seriously. No fun stuff. Maybe if we had time to play games on the website there would be some fun but the text is extremely dry. I found that it moved too quickly for my 4th grader until I bought the DVD. If you want to use Greek for Children, definitely get the DVD! It takes the course from being extremely painful for me and DS to my DS's favorite subject. The DVD is not fun, in any way, however. It reminds me very much of a boring college lecture.

[Embassy]

I like the DVD, but I'm going to try and do the course with just the audio files available for free. I had my sons watch the DVD sample. My oldest liked it, but my younger one did not:tongue_smilie:

 

Elementary Greek looked good too. I did think Elementary Greek looked more fun though. It looks like it has some puzzle-type activities in the workbooks, but Greek for Children doesn't as far as I can tell.

[Zoo Keeper]

My son uses Greek for Children. I do not know where or what this extra fun stuff in Greek for Children you are talking about is. Seriously. No fun stuff. Maybe if we had time to play games on the website there would be some fun but the text is extremely dry. I found that it moved too quickly for my 4th grader until I bought the DVD. If you want to use Greek for Children, definitely get the DVD! It takes the course from being extremely painful for me and DS to my DS's favorite subject. The DVD is not fun, in any way, however. It reminds me very much of a boring college lecture.

 

 

You're right, the fun is not in the text; I meant the whole package of Headventureland.com and all the goodies there that are for GfC.

 

I agree that GfC moves quickly; that is why I prefer EG--I think it's lessons are a little more approachable and don't require a DVD to explain it all.

[Embassy]

Thanks so much for all the responses. I think I've finally come to a decision. It looks like I'm moving my oldest to Greek for Children Primer A and then we will go through Mounce's course together at a slow pace. My younger son who is finishing up Hey Andrew 2 will move to Song School Greek and then to Greek for Children Primer A.

 

Argh! I spoke too soon. Back when I started searching for a replacement for HA I reserved two Greek texts from the library (Athenaze and Basics of Biblical Greek). I had looked at Athenaze last year, but didn't realize I was looking at book 2. It looked too difficult. I have book 1 of Athenaze in my hands now and it is definitely doable. I love the immediate jump into reading. It looks so much easier to implement than Basics of Biblical Greek when I compare texts. So I will use Athenaze with my oldest and just go at his pace. I'm still deciding what route to take with my younger kids though.

[crazyforlatin]

Argh! I spoke too soon. Back when I started searching for a replacement for HA I reserved two Greek texts from the library (Athenaze and Basics of Biblical Greek). I had looked at Athenaze last year, but didn't realize I was looking at book 2. It looked too difficult. I have book 1 of Athenaze in my hands now and it is definitely doable. I love the immediate jump into reading. It looks so much easier to implement than Basics of Biblical Greek when I compare texts. So I will use Athenaze with my oldest and just go at his pace. I'm still deciding what route to take with my younger kids though.

 

That's encouraging that Athenaze is doable. It's the book that I would like to use after EM1 or possibly EM2 depending on whether DD is able to handle the jump.

[Bloggermom]

I own both Elementary Greek and Greek for Children. If you want to go the Koine route go for Elementary Greek. If you want to go the Attic route go for Greek for Children.