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Recommendations for Latin?


erinjo
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This is my very first post here! How very exciting! LOL

 

I am finishing up my second year of homeschooling my sons, ages 9 and 7. My 9-year-old will be in 4th grade next fall and I am planning to have him start learning Latin.

 

No one in my family currently knows Latin, but my husband knows biblical Greek, ancient Hebrew, Egyptian hieroglyphics, Aramaic, and at least one other ancient language no one has ever heard of. ;) So he is my obvious choice to be the Adjunct Latin Professor and has agreed to do so (yay!), but he would like to study over the summer before he starts teaching in the fall.

 

So. I know nothing about Latin curricula. I need to choose something for my son, but then I wondered if it would be smarter to get something different for my husband, who obviously is really amazing with languages and who learns very quickly. I thought maybe we should look into something college-level for him? Or would it be better to just buy one curriculum and have dh study the teacher's guide and call it good?

 

Thoughts? Other alternatives I haven't thought of?

 

Thanks in advance for your help! I've been perusing your boards all weekend and am so excited about the vast amounts of experience here! :)

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Latin Book One and Latin Book Two by Scott and Horn are available in their entirety, with answer keys, from Yahoo groups. I have them on my Kindle and my dd's Nook.

 

Our Latin plan has been Getting Started With Latin + Salvete and then moving on to LB1 and LB2. I purchased GSWL and Salvete (OOP) for a combined total of about $30. Salvete is Minimus' predecessor. The kids like it because it focuses on a Roman family with several children. They like that the youngest boy is a bit of a brat who is often described as causing some mild chaos. ;) LB1 and LB2 are solid, grammar-based books that have a good amount of reading incorporated. I wanted a combined grammar/reading program, and all the books we have fit that bill. I once read a review of Wheelock's Latin that talked about how it was the perfect book to study Latin ... if one wanted to spend years learning grammar forms divorced from context and come away from your Latin study with the ability to decode but not read Latin. I know that many people have success with Wheelock, and I believe in the grammar-based reasons for learning Latin, but I want my kids to be reading fluently from early on, as well.

 

Tara

Edited by TaraTheLiberator
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We've enjoyed Latin for Children. I recommend getting the basic bundle (we didn't like activity book, but the DVDs, audio CDs and workbook were just enough). The DVDs do the teaching so no-worries for the mom that knows nothing about Latin.

 

The website has games and videos that my children have enjoyed viewing and playing for practice.

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Wow. Way to go to your DH. Lots a lot of learning in that there head. ;)

I'm impressed.

 

I have NO talent when it comes to languages so I started my young kids off on Song School Latin. It's a very gentle approach to Latin vocabulary but I think a little young for your kids. You can probably start them with something meatier right away.

 

I won the first ten lessons of Visual Latin awhile back and plan on using it with myself this upcoming schoolyear to try and get myself a little bit ahead of my girls. But then again, I really like the instructor's engaging way of teaching. Your husband sounds like he would do fine with something more complex.

 

I'd be curious to hear other families' thoughts on teaching an unknown language. I just assumed I would try to keep a few levels ahead of my girls but I wonder how many people do it alongside their child.

 

:lurk5:

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Wow. Way to go to your DH. Lots a lot of learning in that there head. ;)

I'm impressed.

 

I have NO talent when it comes to languages so I started my young kids off on Song School Latin. It's a very gentle approach to Latin vocabulary but I think a little young for your kids. You can probably start them with something meatier right away.

 

I won the first ten lessons of Visual Latin awhile back and plan on using it with myself this upcoming schoolyear to try and get myself a little bit ahead of my girls. But then again, I really like the instructor's engaging way of teaching. Your husband sounds like he would do fine with something more complex.

 

I'd be curious to hear other families' thoughts on teaching an unknown language. I just assumed I would try to keep a few levels ahead of my girls but I wonder how many people do it alongside their child.

 

:lurk5:

 

My husband is very smart. I used to be smart too but then I had kids. :tongue_smilie:

 

I appreciate all the input. :) I am totally new to this so I need all the help I can get!

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