Living Language or Latin first? or Both for Elementary age

[Homeschoolmom3]

Trying to decide but not overload my child. He has picked up alot of Latin from older brothers but want to start working more with him and can't decide on whether to do both, or one of the other.  Thanks for your advice!!

[Homeschoolmom3]

No thoughts anyone?

[Slache]

I would leave it up to him. Surely he has an opinion?

[Gil]

Do whatever is practical and sustainable for you.

 

I never even considered Latin--it doesn't serve any purpose for us so I can't really say that I "chose" a living language over Latin, but I chose a living language and over rode my kids first choice for a living language to study. They wanted Japanese, I have them do Spanish instead. Spanish is practical for us and is more easily sustained for a few years. Our goal is oral and aural fluency by the start of 6th grade.  We're going to be doing a Spanish language elementary curriculum this year and I hope that it goes well. The boys are "3rd graders" but we're studying from textbooks meant for 1st and 2nd graders in Mexico.

 

Depending on where you live, I would pick a language that is practical to you and/or your immediate future plans. Even though they didn't pick Spanish, they get a big kick out of the immediate feedback of using Spanish in their lives and conversing with natives in Spanish. We wouldn't have the opportunity (or the extra motivation) if we'd gone with Japanese.

 

Also, its easier to find materials in Spanish than almost any other language my part of the US--there is a ton more Spanish language media available than Japanese.

 

We've been doing Spanish since 1st grade and probably have another 3-4 years of Spanish study ahead of us before we reach our goal of where I want us to be at, they'll start intensive Japanese probably in 6th grade and continue in Spanish and Japanese until they graduate.

 

[Homeschoolmom3]

I agree with the Spanish how it is easier to implement.  My older kids have done Latin and have mingled a bit with German but we haven't been good about any living language and I regret that with them.  My oldest is planning on going into missions and wants to focus on Chinese (Mandarin).  I think it would be easier for us all to stick with one language and really try to work at it.  Just didn't know for my youngest if I should continue with Latin which he has picked up some with his brothers or us all to start and work on a language together. He loves other languages and loves French words, ha (he seems most interested in) but really has an interest in any language.  Uhh, decisions!  Thanks for your comments.

[Teneo]

We are focusing on Spanish here. That said, on Saturdays my husband and 6 year old son have a special "school time" in which they study Latin and the Greek alphabet together.

[lulalu]

How old is your youngest? Kids before 10 can easily learn multiple languages and keep them straight. (We work overseas and I have seen it so often) Doing both in the same year should work just not at the same time. Maybe spit up by half a year and then review each language as you are learning the new one. It is common for kids to confuse grammar and words when learning more than one language. It is NORMAL and means they are processing the different grammar structures. And the confusion is a good sign of deep thought! I would go for it!

[Homeschoolmom3]

How old is your youngest? Kids before 10 can easily learn multiple languages and keep them straight. (We work overseas and I have seen it so often) Doing both in the same year should work just not at the same time. Maybe spit up by half a year and then review each language as you are learning the new one. It is common for kids to confuse grammar and words when learning more than one language. It is NORMAL and means they are processing the different grammar structures. And the confusion is a good sign of deep thought! I would go for it!

 

He is 4.  He loves languages and thinks its fun.  He loves to tell me all of the word he knows.  :-P

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

You didn't make an option of "It depends!"

 

Both/either are fine!  But I would say if you have access to some great resources for learning a living language, then go that route, at least at first.  Can your child work with native speakers of a living language some way or another?  If so, go that route.  If not, just choose what seems most interesting to your kid.