LFC - Anyone supplement? Or, have you switched programs?

[shanvan]

I have been using LFC A for Dd. Originally I bought it to use with both my kids at the same time. I soon realized that Dd's confusion was holding Ds back. So, he works on his own.

 

So, I am getting tired of spending so much time re-planning lessons in a way that Dd (10) and I (not telling my age) can understand them. I am making my own worksheets and reteaching the lessons. She memorizes fine, but there just isn't enough paper and pencil practice with the grammar aspects and little things like finding stems and using the correct case. The actual uses of what she is memorizing get all jumbled up in her mind. Then I have to sort it out myself, so I can teach her!

 

So, I am casting longing eyes at other curriculum now :sneaky2: (don't tell CAP). I've looked at Lively Latin, Latin Prep, Getting Started with Latin, even Visual Latin and I Speak Latin (which I don't really think would be a good fit for us).

 

Problem is, I have Ds (13) working mostly on his own with LFC B and very few issues with it. So, I need to hold onto LFC until he finishes. That makes me think I should just use it b/c I have it. I'm also thinking he would benefit from more translation work added into LFC. And I wouldn't mind spicing up our lessons.

 

Any suggestions for programs to use to supplement? Something that has more clear cut paper and pencil exercises, translating, and also a sense of humor built in, or some fun exercises. OR suggestions for how to make LFC work without all the work I'm doing?

[Beth in SW WA]

We have watched Visual Latin daily for the last couple weeks. My dds enjoy the teacher. He is fantastic. They like Dr. Perrin also on LFC. We are taking Latin sssslllllloooowwww so I'm probably not the best to get advice from.

[JudoMom]

We're doing Getting Started with Latin and Visual Latin (my ds9 is doing these concurrently). Then we're going to LfC. CAP posted on their FB page awhile ago about making practice pages for LfC A.

 

I found there wasn't enough practice in LfC A with my older boys, so that's why I wanted my ds9 to go through the other programs first--to help give him a big picture and a lot of translation practice.

[shanvan]

We're doing Getting Started with Latin and Visual Latin (my ds9 is doing these concurrently). Then we're going to LfC. CAP posted on their FB page awhile ago about making practice pages for LfC A.

 

I found there wasn't enough practice in LfC A with my older boys, so that's why I wanted my ds9 to go through the other programs first--to help give him a big picture and a lot of translation practice.

 

I wish they would hurry up with the practice pages. I'm just a little miffed that they will cost extra $ after already paying for a bundle. I think enough practice should be included to make the child successful. But, it seems like lots of things are costing extra these days. ...sigh

 

[Bloggermom]

Is there an estimate on when these practice pages will be ready?

[Ester Maria]

For what content would you like additional practice? There is a lot of stuff online if one knows where to look. What are you struggling with, what are you currently studying?

[elegantlion]

There are some free bonus worksheets on CAPs website.

 

http://classicalacademicpress.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=16&zenid=70549325ec2717aaf18b24e6b530f0e7

 

We used those with LFC A&B

[Paula in MS]

I have also made some blank charts for the declensions and verb endings and put them in page protectors. I am having my dd10 write the endings with dry ease marker. We are also going through very slowly at this point.

[shanvan]

For what content would you like additional practice? There is a lot of stuff online if one knows where to look. What are you struggling with, what are you currently studying?

 

I have no experience in Latin and am learning alongside Dd, but I'll do my best to explain. She is in LFC A Unit 2, which is a review of vocabulary, masculine and neuter nouns, finding the noun stem, sentence patterns subject noun/verb and Subject noun/linking verb/Predicate Nominative and several other concepts taught in the unit.

 

My frustration is more with the design of the curriculum in general and not with specific content. For example, after a short lesson with maybe one of two examples of sentence patterns and very little explanation of how to translate, and very few practice sentences in the workbook, an item on the test might be to translate from Latin to English an entire sentence and then label its parts. Then take sentences written in English and rewrite them in Latin.

 

So, I suppose the real problem here is that there just aren't enough practice exercises for the grammar. I feel like the main emphasis is on memorization. Again and again concepts that are taught very quickly without much practice are on the tests.

 

I've spent this morning reading many threads about Latin curriculum and I'm wondering if Dd should just stop Latin until next year, when she will be in 5th grade, and then start with Latin for the New Millennium. She is only just turning 10 and maybe I should wait even longer, but I don't think she would like to give up Latin entirely. I'm putting too much effort into making LFC work and I'd like her to have some meaningful Latin instruction before high school. LNM is rather expensive, though. What would you say are the essential books needed?

 

My tentative plan is to move Ds (who will be in 9th) into Wheelock's or Helene next year.

[shanvan]

There are some free bonus worksheets on CAPs website.

 

http://classicalacademicpress.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=16&zenid=70549325ec2717aaf18b24e6b530f0e7

 

We used those with LFC A&B

 

Thank you! I haven't looked at these in a while and completely forgot about them. I can see they will help give practice at least in some areas. I'm off to take a closer look.

[Mommy7]

I just talked to CAP. They said they are working on some practice sheets, but that it will definitely be a while before they are available...2 or 3 years even. I told them that the sample looked great and that people were asking on here about when they might be ready. He said he would pass that on and to keep an eye on their website. He commented that they would be in pdf form or something like that...not in an actual book format.

 

Hope that helps.

[Narrow Gate Academy]

Any suggestions for programs to use to supplement? Something that has more clear cut paper and pencil exercises, translating, and also a sense of humor built in, or some fun exercises. OR suggestions for how to make LFC work without all the work I'm doing?

 

I would suggest using the free practice pages from the website. At the A level there are usually one or two pages per lesson. There are also blank sheets for conjugating and declining. You just have to pick a vocabulary work to two to practice on. As far as translating, I don't know how far you are in the book, but there will be more translation practice the farther into the book you get, and you can add the history reader pages at midyear.

 

HTH

[shanvan]

I would suggest using the free practice pages from the website. At the A level there are usually one or two pages per lesson. There are also blank sheets for conjugating and declining. You just have to pick a vocabulary work to two to practice on. As far as translating, I don't know how far you are in the book, but there will be more translation practice the farther into the book you get, and you can add the history reader pages at midyear.

 

HTH

 

The practice pages are a help, but I'm not sure they are enough for Dd. Rainefox accurately describes what I am looking for in her post http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3551957&postcount=22

 

What she describes is exactly what I am doing on my own currently and exactly what CAP provided in their samples of the pdf practice pages they hope to sell eventually. There are a few of these types of exercises in online practice pages, but not enough. There is not enough practice of this nature in the LFC workbook or activity book for my Dd. I know we are not alone in this from what I have read in several other posts. I have to make my own. It's a lot of work and 3 years is a long time to wait for CAP to release them.

[Ester Maria]

Shannon,

 

If I recall correctly, there are a LOT of free samples on the Latin for the New Millenium website. I recommend you to go there and see if the textbooks (without necessarily all of the accompanying materials) would perhaps be a good fit?

 

It is a theoretically high school level text, but I do not doubt that there are many middle school students who would be okay with it, especially since it uses a mix of approaches and there is a feel to it that there is a bit of everything in there.

 

I was trying to find some online practice pages for you, but they are all either too advanced either not in English (the ones I know of). I am sure there *must* be additional stuff online, though.

[shanvan]

Shannon,

 

If I recall correctly, there are a LOT of free samples on the Latin for the New Millenium website. I recommend you to go there and see if the textbooks (without necessarily all of the accompanying materials) would perhaps be a good fit?

 

It is a theoretically high school level text, but I do not doubt that there are many middle school students who would be okay with it, especially since it uses a mix of approaches and there is a feel to it that there is a bit of everything in there.

 

I was trying to find some online practice pages for you, but they are all either too advanced either not in English (the ones I know of). I am sure there *must* be additional stuff online, though.

 

Thank you, Ester Maria. I appreciate the time you've spent helping me! I have looked at the samples online and I do think it would be a good fit for Dd and wish I had used it with my son. I now have to figure out what to buy and how to afford it.

Edited January 28, 2012 by shanvan

[Bloggermom]

The lack of extra practice is why I am glad I am going to be pairing it with Lively Latin.

[Zoo Keeper]

Shannon,

 

My oldest boy has/had the same issues of non-retention with LfC A; just not enough practice to give it context and make it all stick. I had him start doing GSwL along with his younger bother--this helped TREMENDOUSLY. I think it moves slowly enough so that adding this in won't be overwhelming. I also added in excercies from First Latin Lessons(on archive.org) by Henry Fletcher Scott--this is the same guy who did the Latin: Book One available on Yahoo.

 

There is also that little history reader book that CAP has to go along with each level; they expect you to be at about lesson 14 or so before you start adding this in to LfC A.

 

My boys love LfC and think it is fun; I didn't want to kill their enjoyment of Latin and spend more $ on yet another Latin program; adding in more translation with GSwL and First Latin Lessons (or the Latin Book One) has been very helpful and cheap.

Edited January 28, 2012 by Zoo Keeper

[shanvan]

Shannon,

 

My oldest boy has/had the same issues of non-retention with LfC A; just not enough practice to give it context and make it all stick. I had him start doing GSwL along with his younger bother--this helped TREMENDOUSLY. I think it moves slowly enough so that adding this in won't be overwhelming. I also added in excercies from First Latin Lessons(on archive.org) by Henry Fletcher Scott--this is the same guy who did the Latin: Book One available on Yahoo.

 

There is also that little history reader book that CAP has to go along with each level; they expect you to be at about lesson 14 or so before you start adding this in to LfC A.

 

My boys love LfC and think it is fun; I didn't want to kill their enjoyment of Latin and spend more $ on yet another Latin program; adding in more translation with GSwL and First Latin Lessons (or the Latin Book One) has been very helpful and cheap.

 

Thanks! I'll take a look at these before spending big $$! I do love the look of LNM, but I hate to spend so much after investing in two levels of LFC.

 

[acurtis75]

You might consider using Prima Latina with your daughter first and then moving on to LFC. After we completed Song School Latin I didn't want to take any time off from Latin and LFC seemed like too big of a jump for my daughter at the time. I decided to use Prima Latina as sort of a bridge between the two. It discusses grammar but on a very basic level (more like this is a list of nouns...this is a list of prepositions) and covers lots of derivatives but doesn't get in to more complex grammar. It's a nice reinforcement of English grammar and a good basic program to use before LFC in my opinion. The next level, Latina Christiana, recovers everything in Prima Latina and could be used for extra practice.