Combining dc in Latin?

[arcara]

This will be our 1st year studying Latin. My dc will be in 3rd/4th grade and 1st grade. I've already purchased PL, and I'm planning to teach them together with it. However, I'm wondering if this will really work. If I follow the program through with LC I, LC II, and Henle, this would put the 1st grader starting Henle in 4th grade. I like keeping things simplified and teaching only one thing, but not at the expense of my dc's frustration or boredom.

 

Have any of you been in this situation? What was your experience? Should I hold off on the 1st grader and just let the 4th grader get started? I've read a little about the Song School Latin. Would that be a better choice for the 1st grader for now?

 

Thanks for your input!

[BabyBre]

I'm not familiar with Henle, but I know LCI would be way over my 1st grade dd's head. She'd be bored to death with it.

 

We're using Song School Latin right now for ds-K and dd-1st (oops! I mean ds-1st and dd-2nd. *sigh* They grow so fast.) and they love it. It's very easy to teach and very gentle. We only spend 15 min or so once a week on the lesson and then review the vocab and phrases a couple times during the week with cards we've made or using the songs CD. If your younger one sits in with your older as much as she can then you can use Song School to suplement her own vocabulary. She'll probably pick it up lightening fast that way.

 

My oldest used LC in the middle grades and it was enough for him.

[StephanieZ]

We've used PL & LC1 and then have switched to LP.

 

(FWIW, though we're really happy with our switch to LP, we did like PL & LC1 and I'll likely use PL with my youngest when she is 3rd grade, then take her into LP. If she is very eager to start LP younger than 3rd, then I'd do a year of LC1 before going into LP (which I wouldn't advise starting before 4th or 5th grade.)

 

So, I would not try to start the 1st grader on latin yet. I'd do PL with the 3rd/4th grader and then follow on with LC1, etc. While your older child is doing PL, the yougest can certainly learn some prayers and stuff (my youngest really enjoys this!!), but I wouldn't want to try to really *do* it with the youngest. They'd be drastically slower than the 3rd/4th grader and I really think it would be *more* work for you as well as frustrating all around.

 

I'd wait for the younger child to be 3rd grade or so before starting with PL, etc. They can start earlier, probably around 2nd grade, but the thing is that LC1, etc are more intense and they really need to be more like 4th grade before hitting LC1, etc. I can't see doing it so early. . .

 

What I ended up doing was my oldest did PL, then she did LC1 while her younger brother did LP. Then, half way through this past year, I combined them both in LP (3rd & 5th grade). This is a stretch for the 3rd grader and right on for the 5th grader. They're both rather accelerated/bright.

[Amy loves Bud]

This will be our 1st year studying Latin. My dc will be in 3rd/4th grade and 1st grade. I've already purchased PL, and I'm planning to teach them together with it. However, I'm wondering if this will really work. If I follow the program through with LC I, LC II, and Henle, this would put the 1st grader starting Henle in 4th grade. I like keeping things simplified and teaching only one thing, but not at the expense of my dc's frustration or boredom.

 

Have any of you been in this situation? What was your experience? Should I hold off on the 1st grader and just let the 4th grader get started? I've read a little about the Song School Latin. Would that be a better choice for the 1st grader for now?

 

Thanks for your input!

 

 

Well, I'll tell you my view and you can take it for what it's worth - the opinion of a very inexperienced Latin teacher!

 

I started my two in 1st and 3rd with Prima Latina. We just finished LC1 at the end of 2nd and 4th. They are both doing very well with Latin. We will start up with LC2 in the fall and continue to work together. If at anytime the younger can't keep up we'll slow down to her pace.

 

Unlike math, they don't need to reach a certain level of mastery by a certain grade level, so I don't mind slowing the older one down in order to simplify my teaching requirements. If we chug along at the younger student's pace, the older will still have an excellent Latin background when we finish high school.

 

Hope this helps!

[Tweed]

Last year, I taught all the kids PL and they did very well together, no problems at all. When we hit LCI, they began moving at their own pace. I found that I was holding back my oldest child because I was trying to get the others to catch up. Now I am in the position of trying to figure out what I am going to do when we start LCII which is happening in a couple of weeks. I think I will be able to move my 3rd and 4th grader to LCII at the same time, but I'm going to take my 2nd grader and redo LCI starting at about lesson 10.

 

It is nice trying to keep the kids together for some subjects but I found trying to do it with Latin was defeating my purpose for homeschooling--giving my children the ability to move at their own pace. Now, if I can just figure out how I am going to find the time to teach two different Latin classes everyday. :001_huh:

[arcara]

I'm really appreciating all the advice!

 

Where do I find info on Latin Prep?

[yaoyao]

I am in very similar situation. I'd like to start Latin with both DD12 (rising 7th grader) and DD7 (rising 3rd grader). Neither of them has had Latin exposure before. I just bought Lively Latin Bigbook 1. Should I start it with both of them at their own pace, or buy Latin Prep for DD12? Thanks

[TracyR]

Here is how we are doing Latin and you can take it as you will . But I'm finding that its working great this year for us this way .

 

My two oldest 3rd and 4th graders are working on PL . They are doing great with it and we are almost half way through already and had only started it last month . So far my 3rd grader is able to keep up with her 4th grade sister .

We will go right into LC1 as soon as we are finished with PL . If for any reason my younger starts to struggle I will hold her back and continue slowly .

 

My kindergartener wanted to learn Latin , but I am preceding slowly . As they really should be able to read first in English and be a bit more grounded in English first . So we have started with Song School Latin . BUT only to learn the fun songs that they have . We aren't getting into studying Latin until maybe about next year or so . Then we'll do another run of the student workbook from Song School Latin and I'll let her do the activities . After completing that then we'll get into PL and the rest of the series .

 

I do like Song School Latin but it doesn't get into the grammar part of Latin like PL does . PL gently introduces the grammar along with Latin . Song School Latin teaches in a fun way to learn Latin , with songs and short activity sheets ( circle what the word means , match the words , games etc ) . Both each have very good points and it would be neat if you had one curriculum that combined both :>) You can read my review on Song School Latin on my blog ( link down below ) .

 

So far that is what we are doing . Wether we continue on with the LC series I don't know . As long as it works we'll keep with it but if it doesn't I'm willing to try the Latin for Kids series .

[Laura Corin]

I'm really appreciating all the advice!

 

Where do I find info on Latin Prep?

 

It's a middle school programme: the earliest I would use it would be for age 9 or 10. There are samples on the GP website. In the US, it's available from horriblebooks.com; you can also get it from the UK with free shipping by using bookdepository.co.uk.

 

Best wishes

 

Laura