How do you "do" Latin with an older child?

[madteaparty]

I wasn't planning on doing Latin but fresh off the RFP conference, my 9 year old has asked. Since I'm always complaining here that he expresses no interests, I've decided to indulge and made clear to him we shall stick to it at least a semester. I speak Italian myself so feel more "qualified" teaching this than say, math ;) But, we are doing two other languages (one of them my native language, which is useless, but it'll involve no seat work), and ideally I want to do Latin for 30 min a day everyday. Any curriculum that easily lends itself to this, realizing he is not likely to continue past one semester? We are doing French and also MCT for language arts so I hope there's a reinforcing effect even if we don't continue. Many thanks!

[Amy Jo]

Getting Started with Latin is 134 lessons I think? You might be able to condense the first lessons down a LOT, and combine the later ones that don't include Latin translation. You could even ignore the lesson numbers and just work the 30 minutes.

 

Otherwise you could try a lower grade introductory course and speed it up. One could do that with Prima Latina, but it's more basic grammar plus Latin vocabulary, so I'm not sure it's what you want.

 

I'm not sure how much value 1 semester of Latin grammar would have. It might be more fun to just get something like Minimus if you want an exposure course - just the student book. That way you can see the forest (connected story, myths & a little history) instead of starting at the trees (words & endings).

[happypamama]

I'd start with Getting Started With Latin; it's easy and gentle and is a good price fit (especially if you opt for the Kindle version) for getting your feet wet. I started it with DD when she was 9 and will be starting it next week with my current 8yo son. In the first few lessons, 30 minutes will be way more than you needed (actually, the later ones too, probably), but you'll get a very solid Latin foundation. No writing is necessary, although you can have the child do the translations on paper if you prefer; I wanted to learn Latin alongside my children, so we have done it all orally.

 

Beyond that, we have liked Latin's Not So Tough, and you'll be well-prepared for Level 3 or 4 (3 has no grammar that is new after GSWL but has some new vocab, so we started with that one) after GSWL. We continue to do that one orally (with the occasional written page for her portfolio) so that I'm learning it too, but even though I'm pretty strong in languages, DD is still faster than I am. ;) (Doing it orally requires that I sit down with her, and in my busy day, it's my way of making time to spend with her, rather than just giving her work and checking it.)

Only on this board would nine be consider "old" to start Latin...

[Laura Corin]

Only on this board would nine be consider "old" to start Latin...

Yes. For me it's still young. I start with living languages and add in Latin at about age 10.

 

L

[kiwik]

I was thinking you meant 14 or so. The WTM doesn't start until 3rd grade which isn't far off 9 anyway.