CAP Latin: Where to begin?

[Slache]

I had planned on concentrating on Spanish and then beginning Latin Alive in 7th grade. Some recent threads suggested that Latin Alive comes much more naturally when one does Latin For Children first. If I'm going to consider Latin For Children then I'm going to consider Song School Latin as well. So where did you start and how happy are you with the results? If I were to do the entire sequence I would like to begin in 2nd grade. Anyone opposed? Thank you for your thoughts.

[Ethel Mertz]

Sounds like a good plan to me! DS loved Song School Latin (they only had the first year when we did it). I kept DS in LFC this year, but next year (8th), we'll start in with Latin Alive.

[ScoutTN]

My Dd started in 2nd with SSL and will be a 6th grader in Latin alive this fall. We also did GSWL in there along the way. 

My kids love the SSL CD. They didn't have the Dvd when we did it. 

 

Dd is a words girl and is good at grammar so Latin comes easily for her. Ds... remains to be seen. He starts this coming year as a 3rd grader.

 

I have found the CAP customer service people to be helpful and responsive.

Edited May 24, 2016 by ScoutTN

[MinivanMom]

My dd started Latin Alive in 6th and did great. Her only previous exposure to Latin was a few months of working through Getting Started with Latin at the end of 5th grade. She's a strong humanities girl, though. We concentrated on French in elementary school, because I felt strongly that a spoken language should come first. I do think Latin has come a lot easier for dd, because she started a little bit older when she had a solid grammar foundation in place.

 

My understanding is that all the CAP series start from the beginning. Latin for Children just moves at a quicker pace than Song School Latin, and Latin Alive moves at a quicker pace than Latin for Children. So it isn't necessary to do SSL or LfC before Latin Alive. You can if you want to, but Latin Alive starts from the very beginning; it doesn't assume any prior knowledge. Some kids would probably benefit from doing Latin for Children A in 6th grade before starting Latin Alive in 7th, but other kids could jump into Latin Alive in 7th without any problems. It really depends on the student.

 

If you're going to focus on one language now with elementary kids, I would strongly recommend going with Spanish. There will be lots of time down the road for Latin.

[SilverMoon]

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Edited September 5 by SilverMoon

[Slache]

I speak Spanish. My original plan was to speak, read, watch and listen to Spanish, then start a Spanish grammar program around 3rd grade. On the side I wanted them to study Greek so I really wanted to hold off on yet another language. I think at this point I'll plan on beginning with Latin Alive, but keep SSL and LFC in the back of my mind in case I change my mind. Thanks for everything!

[MinivanMom]

I speak Spanish. My original plan was to speak, read, watch and listen to Spanish, then start a Spanish grammar program around 3rd grade. On the side I wanted them to study Greek so I really wanted to hold off on yet another language. I think at this point I'll plan on beginning with Latin Alive, but keep SSL and LFC in the back of my mind in case I change my mind. Thanks for everything!

 

If you speak Spanish, then you should absolutely go with Spanish. Don't miss the opportunity to help them develop fluency while they're young. Growing up bilingual is a wonderful gift.

 

Once they are strong Spanish speakers, then they will have no problem jumping into Latin or Greek in middle school if you decide to add a third language at that point.

[SoCal_Bear]

We finished SSL1 this year and have started SSL2. It is definitely a step up and introduces grammar. After I looked at SSL2 and looked at the beginning of LFCA, I definitely see how SSL2 leads right into it.