Thoughts on CAP Latin for Children Primer A?

[ExcitedMama]

Last year we did SSL and DS loved it. He was retaining the information so well that I didn’t bother with review as we went along..big mistake! When we reached the end of the book he failed the review section. I tried working with him on review with the cards but his retention was awful compared to when we were doing the DVD and workbook. I wasn’t sure if I should repeat SSL or move on to SSL2 which we have so this year I just ended up dropping it. Since he liked the format I’m thinking of trying the Primer instead of focusing on SSL. any thoughts on Primer?

[SoCal_Bear]

SSL2 does review SSL1 vocabulary and does introduce grammar. It is a good ramp into LFC A. Let's see you son is 8? I think if he has a decent grasp of grammar he could do it. It moves faster than SSL2 though. I wouldn't repeat SSL. I would just have use the song CDs for him. SSL 2 is a good step up from SSL 1. LFC could be a little much for 8yos. It is really dependent on your child. For Schole and Wilson Hill, they schedule LFC A for grades 4th to 6th. There's a a lot of material to cover in each chapter. SSL2 would make the transition to LFC A really smooth. That being said, mine did LFC A with Schole when he was that age, but he has really high retention and foreign languages come easily for him. He will be skipping LFC C with his teacher's permission and moving on to Latin Alive 1 in the fall with her at WHA because he ready for the workload.

Alternatively, you could do SSL2 and get the online practice for SSL1 to work alongside or through the summer. It's $19.95 as an add on. It comes free now if you buy their curriculum with the streaming videos. It's pretty fun and a good way to practice. https://classicalacademicpress.com/product/song-school-latin-book-1-online-practice/

 

Edited May 29, 2019 by calbear

[Coco_Clark]

I would do SS2.  We did both SSL abd then LFC A.  The three SS books took us 3 years, as we moved slow with lots of review.  When we started LFC my kids were 10, 10, 9, and 8.  Honestly, my 8 year old struggled a bit.  It's a LOT of grammar, and very quickly.  SS is much more fun and gentle.

[cintinative]

We used the prior version of LFC A so I am not sure how the new one addresses this, but in the old one at least, there was some English grammar that would be helpful for your child to understand prior to starting. Things like: what is a subject, a verb, a noun, a direct object, etc.  If you have not done any formal grammar, I would at least try to do grammar in tandem with LFC-A.  

I have the Latin for Teachers videos (which also predate the current version of LFC A) and she (Karen Moore) recommends that you don't start LFC-A until 3rd grade at the earliest. She teaches at a classical school and said she has to coordinate with the English grammar teacher as to what concepts are covered when she is presenting LFC-A to 3rd grade.  Also she mentioned building in more chants/review.