Latin ideas for three age groups?

[Kirsten in MO]

I would love some advice on choosing latin for this year. Some background: My boys will be 6th, 8th and 10th graders this year. I started Prima Latina when my youngest was in 3rd and we all did it together (I know, it was a pretty easy for my then 7th grader, but I wanted to do it together and I never had latin either so I thought it best to shoot for the youngest kid!)). We then went on to Latina Christiana I and Latina Christiana II, which we finished before Christmas last year. We sporadically reviewed vocab cards but didn't start another program.

 

Now, I want to keep going with Latin, but am unsure whether to keep everybody together, or let my older son go on with Henle and spend the year doing something else with the other two. I would like to keep doing Latin together, but I don't think my 6th grader would like Henle. I know the oldest could do it on his own with no problem, but I'm not sure about the 8th grader...I really don't want to do 3 Latin programs, but could probably do two if necessary. Is there one program that could work for all of them? The problem is that the 10th grader is really bright and quick to learn, but my 6th grader is still a reluctant reader and writer, so it makes the age gap seem even bigger than it is.

 

Maybe I could have the youngest do Ludere Latine this year for review and try the other two in the Henle (which I already own) I also bought a used Oxford Latin which looks fun but seems to move pretty fast. I thought we might do that together one day a week for the reading practice...

 

Other options?

 

Thanks!

Kirsten

[latinteach]

Maybe I could have the youngest do Ludere Latine this year for review and try the other two in the Henle (which I already own) I also bought a used Oxford Latin which looks fun but seems to move pretty fast. I thought we might do that together one day a week for the reading practice...

 

Cambridge Latin might be a better choice than Oxford for your sixth grader. Oxford is quite good, but I think that the storyline and subplots in Cambridge would be more interesting to a reluctant reader. Your older children could also read along in Cambridge too, even if they continue on with Henle.

 

You'd want a scope and sequence for Cambridge so you could keep track of the forms and syntax covered -- they are approached in a different manner than Henle, but over the course of the series, everything is all there.

[Brenda in MA]

Kirsten,

 

Personally, I'd stick with Henle because LC I & II are designed to lead right into it. For the 10th grader, if your goal is to have him complete a Latin I high school credit during the school year, you could have him do Henle, Units 1 to 7. Mother of Divine Grace School publishes a syllabus for the course that includes daily lesson plans, quizzes and tests.

 

For the youngest, you might look into the Memoria Press syllabus that covers only Units 1 & 2 of Henle in one school year. It moves quite slowly, and the background from LC I & II would really help him a lot. I've used this syllabus with a young student, and it went very well. I had him answer some of the exercises in writing every day, but often he did some written and some oral because he just didn't have the endurance to write out so many exercises at a sitting.

 

For the middle one, I guess I'd say to make a guess and see if you think he could keep up with the 10th grader, or whether you should keep him with the 6th grader at the slower pace.

 

Last year, I did Henle units 3 - 5 with my 6th grader, and although the material isn't terribly exciting, as you get into Henle, there are more reading passages and a little more interesting content. I could see how Henle might not appeal to girls because of all the battles and descriptions of war. However, my son liked that subject end enjoyed reading about the Gauls being defeated over and over again.

 

We also started using Lingua Latina last year for extra practice with reading Latin. My son found it very different at first and didn't like it, but now, after reading a few of the stories, he really enjoys it. The stories deal with Roman family life, and the stories follow one family and its escapades. The little graphics in the margins are quite funny. Perhaps you could read some of the Lingua Latina stories with the 6th & 8th graders to help keep them interested.

 

HTH,

Brenda

[Kirsten in MO]

Thank you Brenda and Latinteach for the recommendations! I have heard good things about Cambridge and Lingua latina, so I suppose the hard part will be deciding which to choose.

I think I might just try the Henle with all of them and see how it goes. I have the Memoria press guide, so I could just use that for the younger two, and let my high schooler go on if it moves too slowly for him, or have him do two lessons in one. I am going to purchase one of the other two programs to try because I would really like to see if they might be a better fit than the Henle. Sometimes having a lot of choices is good, but sometimes it can make things a lot harder!!

 

Thanks again,

 

Kirsten

[Kendall]

I started Henle I with a 6th and 8th grader. We worked through it in 2 years without a guide. I am planning to use Lingua Latina along with Henle with my 3rd son (6th grade, he is in unit 3 or 4 of Henle I and I plan to add LL after unit 5) The obvious big plus to sticking with one program for all is that even if they don't stay together, it is only one prep for you.

[Michelle in MO]

I've looked at Cambridge Latin online and I like the idea of a Latin reading program!

 

Kirsten, you know how my girls struggled through Henle I! We finished the book, but they didn't enjoy Latin! I would recommend a couple of things for you:

 

First of all, Henle's grammar is more do-able for a h.s. student than Wheelock's, IMO (although, in deference to many on the h.s. boards here who have done Wheelock's quite successfully, that can work, too). You won't get a "dumbed-down" grammar with Henle; Latin grammar is Latin grammar. You'll just get the grammar at a slightly slower pace than Wheelock's; there are fewer concepts introduced at one time.

 

I highly recommend that you look at Plaid Dad's suggestions in The Latin-Centered Curriculum. He has a unique way of combining Henle with Lingua Latina, which is a Latin reading program. I think the readings do help a child to incorporate the Latin grammar more inductively plus help keep their interest, while the Henle will drill the grammar into them. The readings will probably be more interesting than Henle, too, although I can't say for certain, since we used Henle by itself. At any rate, it might be worth checking out this option.

 

Best wishes and blessings to you! Kirsten, check your Private Messages box---I'm sending you one about your books!

[LisaNY]

I agree w/Brenda and Michelle. They have laid out some good options for you. :001_smile: