ereks mom Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 And where (online) can I find sample pages of Cambridge? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 The Cambridge US website has some. Here are a few sample pages from the student's books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forty-two Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 No, they aren't really similar at all. Latin Prep takes a grammar-translation approach (parts-to-whole), and Cambridge Latin is a reading approach (whole-to-parts). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 No, they aren't really similar at all. Latin Prep takes a grammar-translation approach (parts-to-whole), and Cambridge Latin is a reading approach (whole-to-parts). We tried Ecce Romani, but found it frustrating because it seemed that the grammar wasn't taught systematically (at least not in a way that made sense to us). We liked the stories -- that is, we thought they were cute, and translating was kind of fun -- but we didn't like having to figure out the patterns in grammar by noticing how word endings changed. We prefer a more straight-forward approach: teach us the grammar rules and let us do some application exercises, then show us how it works by having us read & translate stories. I'm thinking Galore Park Latin will be a better fit for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 We prefer a more straight-forward approach: teach us the grammar rules and let us do some application exercises, then show us how it works by having us read & translate stories. I'm thinking Galore Park Latin will be a better fit for us. Latin Prep is fun (cartoons, colour, some dry humour) but very systematic. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latinteach Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 No, they aren't really similar at all. Latin Prep takes a grammar-translation approach (parts-to-whole), and Cambridge Latin is a reading approach (whole-to-parts). Keep in mind that while Cambridge Latin is reading approach, it does present the grammar in a graded, systematic way. Whereas most grammar-translation textbooks focus on morphology to begin with, and only later upon syntax, Cambridge teaches morphology in context with syntax. Morphology refers to the formation of words. Syntax refers to the formation of sentences. Cambridge teaches sentence patterns from the very beginning, which is why it is called a Reading approach textbook. The first lesson in CLC teaches the nominative case, in the context of a subject-verb sentence. The second lesson adds the accusative in the context of a subject-direct object-verb sentence. Students are also made aware of the fact that the endings allow Latin sentence structure to be flexible, but it is still true that most Latin sentences follow certain patterns. As sentences become more complex in CLC, the other cases are added. The stories in Cambridge are connected around the story of a family living in Pompeii in 79 AD and focus on Roman life and culture. It helps to consult the CLC Scope and Sequence. You can find it for the 3rd and 4th editions at http://www.cambridgelatin.com as a free download. This details the grammatical sequence. Latin Prep also teaches sentence patterns, which many grammar translation textbooks do not. Latin Prep presents the grammar as charts. The British order of cases is given. (The North American Cambridge course uses the American order in its reference grammar charts, though it teaches them in an order more similar to the British presentation.) Latin Prep has more stories and translations than So You Really Want to Learn Latin, also from Galore Park. The stories are not connected or sequential (as Cambridge's are but they do focus primarily on culture and mythology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latinteach Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 We tried Ecce Romani, but found it frustrating because it seemed that the grammar wasn't taught systematically (at least not in a way that made sense to us). We liked the stories -- that is, we thought they were cute, and translating was kind of fun -- but we didn't like having to figure out the patterns in grammar by noticing how word endings changed. We prefer a more straight-forward approach: teach us the grammar rules and let us do some application exercises, then show us how it works by having us read & translate stories. I'm thinking Galore Park Latin will be a better fit for us. Well, Cambridge isn't quite the same as Ecce, so that's not necessarily true. Though if you prefer a deductive approach, Galore Park is probably going to appeal to you the most. Cambridge uses sample sentences to present new grammar concepts. Then it gives you a grammar lesson in English, typically followed by a story where you apply new concepts learned in the sample sentences and grammar lesson. There are some exercises in each chapter as well as an accompanying workbook. Many teachers like the exercises, quizzes, and activities available through the North American Cambridge Classics Project's catalog. These were written by teachers not the publisher and are quite good. Cambridge has a connected storyline based around a Roman family in Pompeii in the year 79 AD. There is an emphasis on teaching the grammar in the context of sentence patterns. (The Scope and Sequence makes these sentence patterns clear.) Ecce presents you with an entire story at the beginning of each chapter. Comprehension questions follow in Latin. "Quis est..." "Ubi..." "Cur..." (Who, what, where, why types of questions, but in Latin and intended to get the learner to think in Latin.) Then there are building the meaning lessons, which explain the grammar in English, followed by exercises fairly similar to Latin Prep. Ecce has a connected storyline based around a Roman family. Latin Prep starts out with a grammar lesson in English, then moves on to the story. There are lots of exercises and a translation. The stories aren't connected, but they are thematic based upon mythology. There's a great deal of emphasis on the grammar charts but Latin Prep does teach the sentence patterns. You could start out with the English language grammar lesson in Cambridge or Ecce, then go back to the sample sentences or story if you wanted the storylines in these books but really wanted a deductive approach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted February 3, 2009 Author Share Posted February 3, 2009 Well, Cambridge isn't quite the same as Ecce, so that's not necessarily true. Though if you prefer a deductive approach, Galore Park is probably going to appeal to you the most. Cambridge uses sample sentences to present new grammar concepts. Then it gives you a grammar lesson in English, typically followed by a story where you apply new concepts learned in the sample sentences and grammar lesson. There are some exercises in each chapter as well as an accompanying workbook. Many teachers like the exercises, quizzes, and activities available through the North American Cambridge Classics Project's catalog. These were written by teachers not the publisher and are quite good. Cambridge has a connected storyline based around a Roman family in Pompeii in the year 79 AD. There is an emphasis on teaching the grammar in the context of sentence patterns. (The Scope and Sequence makes these sentence patterns clear.) Ecce presents you with an entire story at the beginning of each chapter. Comprehension questions follow in Latin. "Quis est..." "Ubi..." "Cur..." (Who, what, where, why types of questions, but in Latin and intended to get the learner to think in Latin.) Then there are building the meaning lessons, which explain the grammar in English, followed by exercises fairly similar to Latin Prep. Ecce has a connected storyline based around a Roman family. Latin Prep starts out with a grammar lesson in English, then moves on to the story. There are lots of exercises and a translation. The stories aren't connected, but they are thematic based upon mythology. There's a great deal of emphasis on the grammar charts but Latin Prep does teach the sentence patterns. You could start out with the English language grammar lesson in Cambridge or Ecce, then go back to the sample sentences or story if you wanted the storylines in these books but really wanted a deductive approach. I appreciate your taking the time to type all this out for me. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted February 3, 2009 Author Share Posted February 3, 2009 ... Phenomenon of Language, Tabula Latina by David Florian. It also has cartoons and quirky humor, but is systematic. We really like it! It is an introductory Latin course; it covers present tense first & second conjugation verbs and first & second declension nouns in the nominative and accusative cases. I wish the author had written more books so we could use them for Latin 1 & Latin 2! I saw sample pages of Latin Prep, and it looks similar to the Florian book. Latin Prep is fun (cartoons, colour, some dry humour) but very systematic. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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