French, or Latin?

[momto2Cs]

I own Getting Started With Latin, and we've just never gotten started with it. :glare: I had a friend offer to pass on her Rosetta Stone French as they move through it. Kids aren't particular either way right now. (I know Spanish would be the most useful out here in CA, but neither is interested in that at the moment).

 

So, would you go with French or Latin? (10 yo, 12 yo)

[fluffybunny]

I would choose Latin, because you can then learn most Romance languages more easily from there. I teach French to a group of homeschoolers and I have noticed a difference in one girl who is also learning Latin; she can grasp French more easily by deduction.

[Hunter]

Others here can sing the praises of Latin better than I can.

 

If a student is headed to junior college and planning to take a foreign language there, you might want to consider introducing French. Spanish and Chinese and several other language courses are usually full of native speakers looking for an easy credit. Too often teachers cater to the majority rather than the course description. French is easier to pass, and more enjoyable to take, or at least I'm told.

[serendipitous journey]

I think you ought to go with whichever you'll do :) . I agree that French is more enjoyable up-front for sure, and there are more programs. I'm liking Galore Park lately, and their stuff is nice for test prep as well; whichever you do you might want to look at their So You Really Want to Learn ... for it? ... but that's beside the point -- you didn't ask for curriculum ideas!

 

at any rate, if you have GSWL and it isn't getting done perhaps it's time to import some French and see if that happens more easily!

I would humbly suggest that your question is kind of misworded -- what you are really asking is Rosetta Stone French vs. GSWL. There is a bigger difference in the approaches between these two programs that the languages themselves. I'm not a big fan of Rosetta Stone, though I must confess I haven't seen the French version.

[IrishMum]

We are trying to do both, but French always gets done because if I cant be bothered doing a lesson I can tell boys to watch Garfield in French on youTube. They pick up a lot just listening, I swear;)

[Georgiana Daniels]

If you study French, you'll know French. If you study Latin you will know the foundation of all the romance languages. It's my belief that Latin will take kids further in the long run. With a good foundation in Latin, kids can more easily move into French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, what have you, later.

 

Maybe GSWL is not a good fit for your family. Perhaps a different program would help jumpstart your family's enthusiasm and effort?

[happyhappyjoyjoy]

We are trying to do both, but French always gets done because if I cant be bothered doing a lesson I can tell boys to watch Garfield in French on youTube. They pick up a lot just listening, I swear;)

oh thank you for this idea!!!!

[happyhappyjoyjoy]

I agree with whoever said do which ever one will get done. The best curriculum is the one you actually use. I started Learnables French and love it. DS1 will begin Latin next year online with MODG's online program. I think it would be best to pick one and just do it. Then in two years add the next one.

[Arcadia]

I'll just do both and let your kids pick. After all there is still time to "specialise" in a world langauge for high school requirements.

 

We are trying to do both, but French always gets done because if I cant be bothered doing a lesson I can tell boys to watch Garfield in French on youTube. They pick up a lot just listening, I swear;)

 

 

My kids can watch Tin Tin in french without understanding a word. Older can sing the Canada Winter Olympics song "J'imagine" in french correctly just by listening to it throughout the 2010 Winter Olympics. A lot of the library's children DVDs has french subtitles too. Our libraries has a good collection of children french readers, much better than german and russion and less than chinese, japanese and korean.

Latin was recommended by their teachers but hard to interest them since we are agnostic and kids don't see any use of latin in daily life.

[Giraffe]

I took a year of Latin before taking French and the advantage I had over the other students was obvious. I saw roots and could deduce the language faster and easier than everyone.

 

I say Latin, then French.

[JenniferLynn]

We are doing both, from the beginning. I studied French in HS & college, so can teach a lot myself. But we use Rosetta Stone too because the kids love using it and they do pick up a lot that way. It is good for oral practice, and they are always up to go do it (that and Timez Attack are the only computer "games"). I do not think they would end up truly great in French just via Rosetta Stone though, but we are only in the 1st set and do minimal writing/typing. But if your kids find it engaging, they will become conversant. Then it is great to find high school kids or babysitters who can parlent francais with them a bit too.

 

We do Song School Latin too, moving into Prima Latina. So far they don't confuse Latin & French, and the two have reinforced each other. Sometimes I will throw in a Spanish translation if I know it too, and they are getting a good sense of the relationship between Latin, Romance languages, and English. We like languages and hope to add another modern before they are done, but if I had to choose only one it would still be Latin for all the usual reasons listed.