Latin with multiple ages?

[PentecostalMom]

I would like to begin a Latin course this summer with my 9yo (10 by summer), and 6yo. I have Prima Latina, but am wondering if I should use SSL instead as a sort of intro. I don't want to get into a huge discussion, but I need them combined right now in as many things as possible. Any thoughts or suggestions? I am fairly open. TIA!

[Haiku]

I wouldn't attempt to combine kids aged three years apart in Latin. You won't be able to get very far before your older son's understanding of the abstract grammar concepts will outstrip your younger son's, so either your older son will just be marking time, memorizing vocabulary but not really learning Latin, or your younger son will get lost.

 

If you can't do Latin separately with them, then I suggest either just teaching your older son or not bothering until your younger son is at least 10 (or older, depending on how strong he is in language arts).

 

Having spent the last three years learning Latin with my daughter, my opinion is there is little value in learning a bunch of vocab but not actually learning Latin and in memorizing a bunch of forms divorced of context. It's only the constant repetition in usage that we get from learning the vocab and grammar PLUS doing the readings and translations that makes it stick. (That is to say, I find cutesy vocab programs a waste of time, and I find forms-only programs a waste of time.)

 

Latin is tough and takes constant dedication. If you're just going to dabble, imo, don't bother.

 

Sorry ... that may be more than what you are looking for!

[3girls4me]

We started SSL with my 3 girls when they were 10,7, and 4!!! The 4 year old was just listening in because she was there but she knows the songs just as much as they do. She doesn't do the workbook of course. They are now in book 2. I like that it is just giving them exposure. My oldest daughter will have to go into a separate Latin study next year, for reasons the above poster mentioned. But all 3 kids say SSL is their favorite learning of the day. If you are needing to combine and really really want to start Latin, you may as well try it! The 11 and 8 year old are also doing Vocabulary Vine. We are doing 3-4 roots a week and review them each day in morning time. Both of these are really helping with vocabulary and I love the lights turning on in their minds when they learn "tele" and "scope" and then realize the roots alone would tell them what the word means. No dictionary needed :)

All that to say, maybe you won't get the most out of a combined situation because of age differences, but it won't be wasted!

[PentecostalMom]

I wouldn't attempt to combine kids aged three years apart in Latin. You won't be able to get very far before your older son's understanding of the abstract grammar concepts will outstrip your younger son's, so either your older son will just be marking time, memorizing vocabulary but not really learning Latin, or your younger son will get lost.

 

If you can't do Latin separately with them, then I suggest either just teaching your older son or not bothering until your younger son is at least 10 (or older, depending on how strong he is in language arts).

 

Having spent the last three years learning Latin with my daughter, my opinion is there is little value in learning a bunch of vocab but not actually learning Latin and in memorizing a bunch of forms divorced of context. It's only the constant repetition in usage that we get from learning the vocab and grammar PLUS doing the readings and translations that makes it stick. (That is to say, I find cutesy vocab programs a waste of time, and I find forms-only programs a waste of time.)

 

Latin is tough and takes constant dedication. If you're just going to dabble, imo, don't bother.

 

Sorry ... that may be more than what you are looking for!

What curricula have you been using?

[StartingOver]

No matter what curriculum you use, you will want to spend some time explaining grammar or have finished 3rd grade grammar. My kids are not the norm, and I have spent extra time on grammar. This is the second time I have attempted Latin. The first time many years ago was a fail and we moved to Latin roots. Mine have done Getting Started with Latin, Lively Latin 1&2, and are currently in Latin Prep 1. Everything is going smoothly, but with these ages and this pace it is teacher intensive. A ton of review, cheat sheets on the wall, & Quizlet. I am thrilled with their progress though.

Edited January 26, 2016 by StartingOver

[blondeviolin]

I'd probably let your younger have free time and do GSWL with just the older.

[PineFarmMom]

I would like to begin a Latin course this summer with my 9yo (10 by summer), and 6yo. I have Prima Latina, but am wondering if I should use SSL instead as a sort of intro. I don't want to get into a huge discussion, but I need them combined right now in as many things as possible. Any thoughts or suggestions? I am fairly open. TIA!

We never did Prima or Ssl. I did start LC1 with an almost 11yo and 8yo when the oldest was 5th and the youngest was 3rd. It has worked well and they are now midway through first form Latin. Your gap is still bigger than mine was. The only way it really worked for is was because the younger is fairly quick and able to grasp more difficult things. I would look long term and see how far you want to take Latin, particularly with the older one and if it will be worth it to hold off starting while waiting for the younger to be ready. I'm guessing you are dealing with 5th and 1st graders. I would likely just start the older one on his own course and let the younger sit in. We use the LC/first form series and really really like it. The videos make the course easy for me to facilitate!!

[Chelli]

I'm using GSWL with both my girls (ages 12 and 8). It's going great, but I can see after we finish the book that I might have to split them up.

[Haiku]

What curricula have you been using?

 

I started off with Getting Started with Latin, and then we moved to Latin Book One and Latin Book Two.

[Steven]

If you really want one class for both, I would seriously look at I Speak Latin by Andrew Campbell. It teaches Latin as if it were a modern language. The emphasis on on understanding and speaking, not translating. Grammatical concepts are illustrated by examples and patterns, not wordy explanations. So it would be very usable by a child who can mimic patterns, but not grasp grammatical explanations. Unlike SSL, by the time you finish the 55 chapters, your kids will actually have a very solid grounding in Latin grammar--nominative and accusative case for the first two noun and adjective declensions, present tense verbs for all four conjugations, etc. 

 

Even if your younger one can't fully keep up with the older one, they will both get more out of ISL than SSL. ISL is not particularly desk-bound. Verbs are introduced, for example, by giving commands (jump, sit, run, etc.). It also introduces vocabulary for modern household items, so you can talk about the things in your house. The chapters on food has you make a menu and play restaurant. 

 

(Even if you don't want to teach them together I still recommend ISL.)

 

The book recommends making flash cards with student drawn pictures on one side and the Latin word on the other. We started out that way, but then shifted to taking photos and writing on the back. Alternatively, you could use a computerized flashcard system like Anki to make flash cards with a picture or movie, text, and sound file (to better accommodate your younger one. We ultimately moved our vocabulary drilling to Anki. If I were starting over, I would use Anki from the beginning. 

 

I speak Latin is very scripted and so is very easy to use. 

 

I would combine ISL with a solid English grammar program. I use KISS Grammar, which emphasizes identifying subjects, direct objects, conjugated verbs, prepositions, etc., in real sentences rather than memorizing definitions. I found it tied in very easily with ISL. 

 

My only complaint with ISL is that there is no follow on book. We switched to Familia Romana with great success once we were done with ISL. 

[Classical Katharine]

A three-year age difference is going to hold your nine-year-old back so I'm thinking of other ways to meet your priorities.

 

You can certainly do vocabulary and paradigms with both of them and that will benefit them both down the line, but as soon as you start in on grammar (to make it worthwhile for your older), your younger is going to be lost. A one-year age difference is usually okay, especially if the younger child is stronger in language skills. Maybe even two. But three . . .

 

One possible solution, since you are seeking to streamline, is to just do Latin with your elder child for now. Then once he or she is old enough to study more independently, begin Latin with your younger.

 

Another possibility to wait until they are both considerably older, say ten and thirteen. At that point you could do the same material with both, though more slowly than your older is able to go.

 

Another possibility is to do a program with your older that lets her work on grammar and translation, but teach only the vocabulary and paradigms to your younger. That way you are only teaching from one program, but not holding your older back. Then later you do the same program in full with your younger, but by then you know it, so it's easy for you.

 

HTH!

 

 

 

 

[Targhee]

My thought is that going at the pace of a 6 year old is time wasted for the 10 year old. And possibly the 6 year old.

 

I tried combing three kids, 7, 9, and 12, for Latin using GSWL. Oldest wanted to move faster, youngest was getting confused, and middle child loved it but wanted to do it himself. Younger ended up doing SSL, which she liked but she retained so little I decided we'd drop Latin until 4th or 5th grade. My middle, who is musical and likes making up songs, loathed the SSL songs when his little sister would practice them. He happily worked independently through GSWL, and now BBoLL. Oldest used Latin Prep.

 

My suggestion is to wait until your younger is older (I think 10 is a great age to start!) before doing Latin. If your older is ready then just have him/her start solo. If solo work in any form isn't possible I'd switch to something easier to combine them both in, like music, art, or PE. Definitely you can combine for science and history. But language and math - they really need to be taught at their level.

[Bratsche]

I'm going to second the I Speak Latin suggestion.  It's a fabulous program.

[PentecostalMom]

I already own I Speak Latin, Getting Started with Latin and the entire Prima Latina set. Maybe I'll just stick with exposure. I'll have to see how it goes.