Going a little nutty about Latin...Help!

[Staci in FL]

Despite that fact that my father repeatedly preached to me that Latin is an enormous waste of time to learn (his argument was that it is not a "spoken language"), I am convinced that my children need Latin from third/fourth grade up through high school. My problem is that I simply cannot choose a program to use.

 

I have a rising fourth grader, a rising first grader (who is reading extremely well) and a rising K5-er (who is also reading quite well). Should I try to fold the younger ones into the fourth grader's Latin teachings? Or should I just wait until they are in third/fourth grade?

 

Lively Latin seems a little erratic to me (I have it). Prima Latina seems extremely boring to me (I have it). Latin's Not So Tough looks good (though no one except Classical Conversations seems to use this) simply because it goes all of the way up through high school, which is actually what I'm looking for...something that I can start now and will let me keep going.

 

So, I'd love to hear your recommendations to me for Latin! Bring em on, you Latin experts!

 

Staci

[abbeyej]

Well, first of all, I would not try to combine the younger ones with the older student. If you would like to start them this year, you might look at Song School Latin from Classical Academic Press. But that's really not necessary -- you could just as easily wait three years and start them together with Lively Latin or whatever you use with your older child.

 

I actually like Prima Latina and used it with my older son, but you're right that it's not colorful or wildly entertaining. Song School Latin has little songs and illustrations, and may be easier for you to implement anyway. *If* you want to do Latin with your little ones this year. (Prima Latina is way too young for a 4th grader.) (And if you did Song School this year, they could begin whichever program you did this year with your older one the next year, though probably at a slower pace, since they'll still be quite a bit younger than that child was.)

 

I haven't used or owned Lively Latin to really review it. I've heard enough good things, and from the samples I've seen, I'd go ahead and use it with the 4th grader. I can understand your concern about it being "erratic", but I still think (since you already own it) it would be worth a try.

 

I wouldn't use "Latin's Not So Tough". I truly don't have much good to say about it, and I think it's a mistake to think that a child who manages to slog through the upper levels (and I've known almost no one who made it past about level 4) would have a background and understanding even remotely equivalent to a "high school level" of Latin. I'm really not sure why Classical Conversations uses it when there are so many, better Latin programs available for elementary students now.

 

If you do Lively Latin 1 and 2, you could easily go on to Latin Prep from Galore Park (my favorite) next, and four years of that (Latin Prep 1-3 followed by So You Really Want to Learn Latin 3 would be roughly the equivalent of 3 credits of high school Latin in an American high school). Or you could use Latin Alive from Classical Academic Press or one of the traditional high school texts...

 

If you're still unsure about Lively Latin, you could check out Latin for Children, also from Classical Academic Press. Personally, I like what I've seen of Lively Latin more, and since you already *own* it, that gets my vote. But it's one more option for you to consider.

 

So, my simplest suggestion: Do Lively Latin this year with your oldest, and even though your youngers are *capable* of doing Latin now, they won't be hurt by waiting a couple of years, so don't take on such a huge project at once. Alternately, if you're really gung-ho, you could consider doing Song School Latin with the littles and Latin for Children with the older one. Either way, you'll have 2-3 years worth of elementary Latin for your older student before you start on the next program of middle school / high school level Latin.

[latinteach]

Despite that fact that my father repeatedly preached to me that Latin is an enormous waste of time to learn (his argument was that it is not a "spoken language"), I am convinced that my children need Latin from third/fourth grade up through high school. My problem is that I simply cannot choose a program to use.

 

Well, there are people who do speak Latin. Quite a few, actually! These are recent or upcoming American conventions, but there are also international groups that meet.

 

http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/aestivumeng.html

http://www.classics.buffalo.edu/events/buffaloniense/

http://summer.umb.edu/summerinstitute/latinbysea/

http://www.wenval.cc/boreoccidentales/boreo_english/deconventiculis.asp

http://www.cavclassics.org/index.html (Rusticatio Virginiana - scroll down the page)

 

Although, it is likely you aren't aiming for conversational proficiency.

 

I have a rising fourth grader, a rising first grader (who is reading extremely well) and a rising K5-er (who is also reading quite well). Should I try to fold the younger ones into the fourth grader's Latin teachings? Or should I just wait until they are in third/fourth grade?

 

You could use Song School Latin with the younger ones. It doesn't really focus on grammar so much as what one might call "awareness of the Latin language." Essentially, they would learn some basic vocabulary and start recognizing Latin.

 

Lively Latin seems a little erratic to me (I have it).

 

I think it is actually quite organized. I think that she does a good job varying the activities so that it's not the same thing, day after day. She works in grammar, culture, myth and word studies, which I think is pretty impressive.

 

Prima Latina seems extremely boring to me (I have it).

 

Memoria Press has very, very traditional grammar-translation based textbooks, focused intensely on the learning of forms in the early stages, reserving syntax for the upper grades. Since syntax is needed for sentences, this is why there are fewer readings. Their philosophy of Latin education is very conservative: learn the forms first, translate and read later. A lot of parents will supplement if they want reading or translation at an earlier stage.

 

So, I'd love to hear your recommendations to me for Latin! Bring em on, you Latin experts!

 

Therefore, it is really important to know what your philosophy of education is regarding Latin. Why do you think it is important? (It is, but why do you think so?) And what do you want to accomplish? A great vocabulary and understanding of English grammar? Reading fluency? Knowledge of the Greek and Roman worldview and history? What you are hoping to accomplish will influence what curriculum or curricula that you choose.

[Jen500]

I'm by no means a Latin expert, but my 8 yr old sons really like Lively Latin. We tried Prima Latina first and it just wasn't for us.

[LND1218]

We have liked Latin for Children. But we also liked Livey Latin too.

[Staci in FL]

Latin Teach and Abbey...your input was especially helpful. The primary reason for wanting my children to study Latin is for the benefit that it will give their English language skills. I know that Latin studies will make the study of other languages easier.

 

I appreciate the Latin's Not So Tough comments, Abbey.

 

I think I will probably hold off on doing Latin with the younger two and try to have dd9 plow through Lively Latin. Maybe it won't seem so erratic if we actually stick with it and finish it this time.

 

Again, thanks for the input!

 

Staci

[Academy of Jedi Arts]

There is a great benefit to starting young kids on "Latin Light" - especially if they are reading well. My dd dabbled in Minimus. We didn't treat it like curriculum, instead she just went through the book getting familiar with the vocab and doing the translations and activities. Now, she is doing Lively Latin as her first "real" Latin study and the little bit of background she has is proving helpful.

[obiandelismom]

Despite that fact that my father repeatedly preached to me that Latin is an enormous waste of time to learn (his argument was that it is not a "spoken language"), I am convinced that my children need Latin from third/fourth grade up through high school. My problem is that I simply cannot choose a program to use.

 

:lol: We have the same father! In fact, I have to work during the day, and so my mom and dad help with some lessons, but my dad flat-out refused to teach ds latin, even though he studied it all the way through college!

 

We also had a hard time picking for my 7yo, but have settled with Minimus, and are liking it so far. Good luck!

[Staci in FL]

The father thing is so funny, isn't it? My dad had four years of high school Latin and simply refused to allow me to take it in school. I think he ranted about not taking Latin more than he ranted about being home on time when I was out with my friends!!!! So, what did I do? I took four years of high school German. I can count to 10 in German. That's it. I retained NOTHING else. AND...I struggled with the verbal portion of the SAT! ARRRRRGGGHH!

 

Staci

[TracyR]

I would do Song School Latin with your Ker and 1st grader . It is a fun program and you can see a review of it on our blog ( link in signature ) .

 

As for Prima Latina we thought it might of been boring but then we started using it . Do you have the DVD's ? The DVD's really help beef up the program more . I think we would of been bored to death if I was just doing it with the student book and CD .

No matter what you use you will still have to work on the chants and drill , drill , drill . Doesn't matter what program you use .

 

I'm assuming that you are willing to use a Christian program . How about the Little Latin Readers ( http://www.chcweb.com/catalog/LanguageArts/Latin/catalog.html? )

Have you given the Prima Latina a run before you deem it boring ? I was worried too that my girls thought it was going to be boring and I was going to have to have to go with Latin for Children . But so far so good . As long as I use the DVD's :>)

In conclusion I have been VERY happy with their Latin retention with using PL .