When did/will you start teaching Latin?

[Aspasia]

I'm just trying to decide when to start.

 

Whenever you started, would you do it the same way again?

[Mama Anna]

I think it depends on the kid.  Dd10 began with Prima Latina in 3rd grade.  She loves language, so it's been fine.  Dh and I have talked about dd7 and we've decided to wait with her until at least 4th if not later.  She's fine with Language Arts, but she's not really looking forward to Latin and, knowing her, isn't likely to be so language-focused in general as dd10.  All of that to say, we've decided to start her later and not necessarily expect her to get through the full WTM-recommended course.

 

WTM recommends starting one foreign language around 3rd grade while language learning is still comparatively easy for kids.

 

HTH!

 

Mama Anna

[Erica in OR]

We started Prima Latina with our two oldest when they were in third grade. We're delaying it with our third child. It just seemed to drag the whole thing out, plus we were doing Spanish (La Clase Divertida for three years), so they were getting other language exposure. I'm guessing probably start LC1 in fifth or sixth grade. I forget what TWTM has as a later Latin start, but it will be that or close to it.

 

Erica in OR

[PeacefulChaos]

Link started with Prima Latina in 3rd grade.  We weren't big PL fans, but he is still doing Latin.

Astro will start with Song School Latin in 3rd grade next year.  

[KrissiK]

Third grade for both my boys. Yes, I will be starting my daughter next year when she hits third grade. We begin with Prima Latina. I sometimes wonder if 2nd grade would be a good place to start, but wih MP's progression, I wouldn't have a child begin the Form Series before 5th grade. My pretty bright 5th grader is in First Form and he's not struggling, but it is challenging for him.

 

However, I have all three kids doing Greek Codecrackers from CAP and my second grader is just doing great. She's got the Greek Alphabet down quite well, and is starting to "get it".

[Forget-Me-Not]

3rd grade. That seems to be the point where they can write comfortably enough to handle it.

 

If I had it to do over, I wouldn't use Memoria Press products. They were ok, but we've had much better success with GSWL and Latin Prep.

[matrips]

We started this year in third grade. It's gone really well using GSWL.

[SorrelZG]

After phonics and reading fluency have been established. For my firstborn, that was back in kindergarten. For DD (currently K), it will be later.

 

With DS I started with Song School Latin but dropped it part way in and switched to Prima Latina and after that started Latina Christiana 1. I didn't care for it as much at the time and dropped it for Lively Latin 1 which has been awesome. I don't know if I'll repeat PL with DD. I can't really plan for what she'll start with until she's closer to starting. She does already sing some of the SSL songs and Latin Memory Songs.

[StartingOver]

We started playing with Song School Latin just singing. Then at 7 my son started Lively Latin I got part way, went to Getting Started with Latin got half way, back to Lively Latin after he finished 3rd grade grammar. He will be starting Lively Latin 2 soon. My daughter is almost 6, and interested enough to request Latin. She is using Getting Started with Latin and 2 grade Grammar but at a slower pace.

[Superfly]

My girls started at ages 7/5 with Power Glide Latin. Last year and half of this year we did Song School Latin. And now we are doing Prima Latina since I already had it.  So far we've only done it as a fun extra.  All the programs are on about the same level so they have just been reviewing the same material over and over again.  I would definitely do it the same way again.  They have developed a love of the language and can't wait to start a higher level in July.  Depending on how they like PL, we will do either Latina Christiana or Latin for Children next.

[happypamama]

We started DD in Latin in third grade, with GSWL.  We started it then because she was asking to start it, and it was a HUGE hit.  I would absolutely do it that way again with her.  No writing, just working with me orally.

 

We started DS1 the same way, GSWL this year (third grade).  He likes it and does just fine, although it's not quite as intuitive for him as it was for DD.  However, he's doing well, so I would do it again that way with him.

 

No plans to start Latin with DS2 (age 5) yet. :)

[Tranquility7]

We started DS with GSWL at 5.5 – however, he is very strong in LA, and enjoyed FFL1 prior to starting GSWL.  During GSWL (which took us a year since I wasn’t all that diligent with it) we also covered FFL2 and FFL3,  as well as GWG2 and 3, as well as MCT Island (I know, that is a ridiculous amt of grammar for a little kid, but DS *loves* grammar/LA!).  Finally I decided to ditch the English grammar for now, since it seemed very repetitive, and instead folded our grammar lessons into our Latin.  It has worked like a *charm* for us.  DS is now 7.5 and we are slowly working through both Latin Alive and Lingua Latina together (two extremely different programs, but I’ve found they complement each other very well).

 

We skipped the Latin programs for young elementary, because DS really loved the reading and translation aspect of GSWL, and I couldn’t find much of that in any program for littles.  So we just jumped into programs for big kids and take them slowly.  It is definitely a challenge, but DS loves it.

 

All of this to say, I wouldn’t focus on age so much as exposure to grammar.  I find Latin easier to introduce when there is already some basic English grammar understanding.

 

Incidentally, I really started Latin with DS as kind of as a diversion… just something new to try that I kept hearing about, but I wasn’t very committed to it at all.  But I’ve been completely amazed at how much benefit there has been, in so many different areas!  I now consider it one of the most important things we cover, simply because the benefits have become so diverse for us.

 

I’m currently planning to do things the same way with DD.  It will be interesting to see how it goes.  She is only 4 now, but already knows a ton of Latin vocab and chants just from being in the same room when I review with DS (though she doesn’t really know what she is chanting at all, obviously).  But OTOH, she knows virtually no formal English grammar.  So even though I'm technically going to take the same approach with her, it will be inherently different since she will have LOTS of exposure to Latin prior to learning any English grammar, whereas DS didn't even know Latin existed when he was starting out in grammar.  Plus, I don't really have any idea yet if she will have an intuitive grasp of grammar the way DS does.  So who knows!

[ddcrook]

DD started GSWL in third grade and Latin for Children in fourth (her current grade). She is a word girl so she is enjoying Latin. I'm glad we started when we did.

[Cindyz]

Off topic, but is there any writing or work pages in GSWL?  Would the kindle version be fine?

[Tranquility7]

Off topic, but is there any writing or work pages in GSWL?  Would the kindle version be fine?

None.  We did the whole thing orally.  I would think the Kindle version would be sufficient.

[mom2att]

Depends on the kid.  My oldest and youngest started in 3rd.  But my kid who is retaining it best and benefiting from it the most started in 5th.  This is my boy with processing issues who I wasn't sure would even be able to do Latin or any foreign language, ever.  The order and logic of Latin are a good fit for him, and waiting a few years to begin rather than slugging away in 3rd has made a huge difference.  He started with Prima Latina, which is an easy program for a 5th grader, but gentle, easy starts are the best way to begin for some kids--certainly for this one!

[73349]

My plan is to start Spanish in 1st grade and then try Latin in 5th.

[angelmama1209]

we did song school latin in 2nd then started lively latin in 3rd. going to try ssl with my 1st grader and k'er next year.

[Irishmommy]

With my oldest we started (very lightly) in 5th with Lively Latin. It has gone very well, but this year is the first we have really been serious about it. We will finish LL this year (7th) and do LL2 for 8th. Dd will finish SS Latin (which she loves) this year (3rd) and we will probably go to SSL 2 next year, then LL for her fifth grade year.

[petepie2]

My oldest DD started Prima Latina in 2nd and now is doing great in First Form Latin in 4th. My DS is doing Prima Latina this year (2nd), and while he's got the vocabulary down (lots of review), grammar doesn't click as well. My plan next year is to start Latina Christiana I but be prepared to go at a slower pace as needed. I may even have to do it over 2 years. He probably would have done better with Prima Latina in 3rd.

[The Governess]

We started Chinese in K and Latin in 4th. I think it's best to wait on Latin until you've built a strong enough English grammar base, and then really dig in. We jumped in with a high school text, but dd9 is solid enough on her English grammar to handle it.

[Kathryn]

We did Song School Latin in first and had planned to continue from there, but we joined a Greek church and so went with Greek this year for second. We'll complete the three years of Elementary Greek before adding in Latin, I think. So, that would be fifth for us.

[Clear Creek]

I started Latin with my older two in 3rd grade (using Prima Latina), and I plan to do the same with my youngest.  By that point they have enough English grammar under their belt to understand the Latin grammar.

 

ETA: I also wouldn't start it earlier (personally) because we continue after Prima Latina through the MP Latin series, and the Forms involve a lot of writing, more than I would require of a student younger than 5th grade.

[lorisuewho]

I started Latin with my older two in 3rd grade (using Prima Latina), and I plan to do the same with my youngest.  By that point they have enough English grammar under their belt to understand the Latin grammar.

 

ETA: I also wouldn't start it earlier (personally) because we continue after Prima Latina through the MP Latin series, and the Forms involve a lot of writing, more than I would require of a student younger than 5th grade.

I'm really struggling with this. I started my oldest with PL this year (2nd grade) and we dropped it half way though the year because it was too much. Now I'm debating whether to restart it next year with both boys together to make it more interesting for them (one will be in third and one in second grade).

 

Do you think I should wait to start Prima until they are 3rd/4th instead of 2nd/3rd?

[Clear Creek]

I'm really struggling with this. I started my oldest with PL this year (2nd grade) and we dropped it half way though the year because it was too much. Now I'm debating whether to restart it next year with both boys together to make it more interesting for them (one will be in third and one in second grade).

 

Do you think I should wait to start Prima until they are 3rd/4th instead of 2nd/3rd?

 

If your plan is to combine them, definitely wait until the youngest is in 3rd grade or you run the risk of it being too much for him, too.  I don't think PL is too easy for a 4th grader or LCI too easy for a 5th grader either, so there isn't any harm in waiting that long to start PL with your older boy.  If anything, it will be easier for him - I know a 6th grader who is using PL, and he is having no trouble memorizing all the vocab each week...in fact, he likes to quiz my daughters on all the vocab (I don't think he understands that LCI and SFL are after PL, lol).

[lorisuewho]

If your plan is to combine them, definitely wait until the youngest is in 3rd grade or you run the risk of it being too much for him, too.  I don't think PL is too easy for a 4th grader or LCI too easy for a 5th grader either, so there isn't any harm in waiting that long to start PL with your older boy.  If anything, it will be easier for him - I know a 6th grader who is using PL, and he is having no trouble memorizing all the vocab each week...in fact, he likes to quiz my daughters on all the vocab (I don't think he understands that LCI and SFL are after PL, lol).

Thank you!

[Forget-Me-Not]

None.  We did the whole thing orally.  I would think the Kindle version would be sufficient.

I agree.  We do written exercises, but she just keeps a notebook.  It's a thin paperback book with a short (1 paragraph) lesson and ten exercises on each page.  The answer key is included in the back. 

 

Re:  Combining.  I don't combine Latin.  But I will say that using GSWL with my 3rd grader and Latin Prep with my 5th grader at the same time has been great.  They use a lot of the same nouns/verbs and both jump into the accusative case (direct object of the verb) early.  Latin Prep moves on fairly quickly with the other cases, but I can see that GSWL will be a great foundation for Latin Prep. 

[Forget-Me-Not]

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