Ya’ know, there’s some pressure on homeschoolers to teach Latin. It’s out there. Latin is cool and all, but there are ways to test it out before you commit to a full on Latin course of study. For the long haul, Latin may not be the best route for your family, but you can still introduce it and reap some benefits without the commitment. If you have been thinking about it and felt some trepidation, read further.
This to-do-or-not-to-do Latin seems to come up particularly with students between grade levels 3 and 7. Latin is definitely a good subject to combine ages and learn together! Several Latin programs seem to cater to this age and depth of instruction. These programs leave the door open for deeper study, or they can just be used as a year (or 3) of Latin exposure. You might decide to follow them up with a Latin or Greek word root program for vocabulary building (Vocabulary from Classical Roots), rather than continuing on in language study. We know the value of such vocab studies on those big exams! Let’s take a closer look at Latin with these programs.
Latin for Children has 3 levels: A, B, and C. This series requires the parent to have no background in Latin at all, making it a friendly option. Each level has a primer (aka textbook), activity book, an answer key, history reader and a DVD/Chant CD combo. We sell all of this in a bundle. The activity book is consumable, so each student should have his/her own. Each primer has 32 short lessons and students will learn some good basic grammar and vocabulary. Do one lesson a week! Easy to work it in and Classical Academic Press is just so fun to use!
Once Upon a Time (Olim in Latin) has 2 levels and a very different structure. It is a series of readers and workbooks, with a side book called Derivatives. The readers have Bible stories, fables & parables that you read at a comfortable pace. The workbooks are not too tricky with vocabulary, copywork, matching and word searches. Derivatives 1 & 2 can actually be used by students as a stand-alone for Latin-based vocabulary instruction. Very cool! I loved the relaxed vibe this program gives to a tough topic!
Visual Latin is a video-based Latin course. There are 2 DVDs with 10 lessons each. Instructor Dwane Thomas does all the work for you. He knows the topic and is delightful to watch. It’s not cutesy or babyish, so your middle-graders will approve. What a great way to teach students to take notes! He reads abridged selections from the Latin Vulgate Bible. Students interact with the videos by repeating after Dwane and completing the PDF worksheets (with answer keys). Students will be reading and writing short sentence right away! Thank you Mr. Thomas!
Minimus Latin has 2 levels: Starting Out and Secundus. It uses a cartoon mouse named Minimus (get it?) to engage learners. We follow his adventures with a Roman family and learn basic vocabulary, grammar and culture. I like the archaeology component! It’s a great tie-in to your social studies. There is a student text, teacher resource, and an audio CD. Latin pronunciation help is a must for those of us unfamiliar with the language. In the back of the teacher book are reproducible activity sheets for the students. It’s gentle and entertaining! Perfect for an introduction for the younger crowd (and their parents)!
Latina Christiana used to have 2 levels, and now has only 1. This course from Memoria Press can be used as a solid introduction for students who then go on to do First Form, Second Form, etc., or you can simply stop here. We offer a complete set with all the essentials and then some. Who doesn’t love a bundle? Here you will find the student book, teacher manual, flashcards, instructional DVDs and a pronunciation CD. Instructional DVDs are a big deal. It makes a daunting topic easier to teach. No pressure! Plus, your kids will enjoy the variety. There are 25 lessons in all, plus a big review chapter, maps, history, songs and prayers. Memoria Press Latin is so user friendly!
Getting Started with Latin is an option for the parent whose student comes to them and says, “I want to learn some Latin.” You don’t have the time to add it in, so you are looking for a self-study. Here it is! That’s not to say that a family couldn’t use this like any of the other options with multiple kids. This is a single book: non-threatening, inexpensive. It is not a consumable workbook, so kids work on their own paper. It includes 134 short lessons: less than a page each. You will get vocabulary, simple grammar, and content to memorize. Latin expressions are scattered throughout with the history of the phrase included. Kind of fun, eh? The author has a free audio download on his website to aid with pronunciation. For under $20, this can’t be beat!
What do you think? Like the idea of having a go at Latin without the commitment? Go for it! Introducing a language at this age is all about lighting a spark. This spark comes with a safety net – if the kids (and you) hate it, you can always try out a modern foreign language instead! Odds are, you will finish tout the year and make the decision what to do next. There is no bad side here. Your kids will learn a bit how Latin works and gain some valuable vocabulary going forward if you stop here. If you continue with Latin, your students gain a depth of study that will carry over into their lifelong learning.
Carpe Diem! ~ Sara
For further information, download our Latin Curriculum Comparison Chart!
