Latin Textbook of New High School Learners

[Guest danieljdoleys]

I am starting a Latin program at the school where I teach. I am self taught so I am not familiar with most textbooks for students. I could use some suggestions for Latin textbooks for 9th or 10th grade students who have no previous exposure to Latin.

[Ester Maria]

If you are ambitious, your students are reasonably smart and you wish to use a solid, old-fashioned comprehensive textbook, look no further than Wheelock. It is supposedly college-level text, but in my opinion, a high school class can use it as well and spread it over two years (Latin I & II).

 

If you are somewhat less ambitious, but still want to get things done, and prefer a modern approach mixed with the traditional instruction, I suggest Latin for the New Millenium. It is not something I would personally use, but I cannot deny the quality of the text in its own sphere for its own intended audience - and, a bit unlike Wheelock, LNM is spot on when it comes to high school, the way it is designed is a lot more kid-friendly.

 

And then there is Henle, with whom I have no practical experience, but it seems to be somewhere in the middle between these two?

 

These are the only three I would even consider. I would stay very far away from anything resembling Cambridge, Oerberg, etc. as it is not in line with my prefered pedagogy and goals.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

If you are ambitious, your students are reasonably smart and you wish to use a solid, old-fashioned comprehensive textbook, look no further than Wheelock. It is supposedly college-level text, but in my opinion, a high school class can use it as well and spread it over two years (Latin I & II).

 

If you are somewhat less ambitious, but still want to get things done, and prefer a modern approach mixed with the traditional instruction, I suggest Latin for the New Millenium. It is not something I would personally use, but I cannot deny the quality of the text in its own sphere for its own intended audience - and, a bit unlike Wheelock, LNM is spot on when it comes to high school, the way it is designed is a lot more kid-friendly.

 

And then there is Henle, with whom I have no practical experience, but it seems to be somewhere in the middle between these two?

 

These are the only three I would even consider. I would stay very far away from anything resembling Cambridge, Oerberg, etc. as it is not in line with my prefered pedagogy and goals.

 

Ester,

 

Do you have a familiarity with Ecce Romani? I'm curious where you'd put it. I'm not familiar with Cambridge, so I'm not sure if it would fall into that category.

 

The early lessons don't seem explicitly grammar based. But I do like the fact that it gets the student into reading, translating and producing sentences early on.

 

I'm planning to use Henle and Ecce Romani in tandem.

 

FWIW, I'm not sure if there are durable copies of Henle available for the school market. These might be books that ought be be purchased by students and used over a couple of years. I don't know that the Loyola paperback editions would stand up to being issued and reissued to students for several years of use.