I want to start my son on Latin next year. He will be 10 by then. Has anyone used or know much about Matin Latin, Getting Started with Latin or Latin With Children? I like that the first two have low parental prep and are fairly student led.
He takes Hebrew, too and will continue; he’s starting his fourth book of that and I was told that Latin should come fairly easy to him since he has a background in Hebrew. Any thoughts on that?
I don’t think I’m much help as we are just planning to start Latin next year, too. I did look at the programs you mentioned, but I decided to go with Galore Park’s Latin Prep 1. It is more intensive, I believe and I don’t expect to get through a whole level in a year. It is from the UK and recommended for 11+. My dd is 9, but since I have no real prospects for Spanish right now, I figured we’d go ahead and start Latin sloooowly!
It is a parts to whole approach with contextual reading thrown in. That makes the most sense to my brain, so I went with it. I expect to receive the materials in a couple of weeks.
I’m sorry I can’t be of any real help. I just thought I’d let you know we’re in the same boat so to speak, though we don’t have any Hebrew – wish we did!
My daughter and I are almost done with Getting Started with Latin, and I’ve enjoyed it. It required no prep on my part. We just opened the book to the lesson, read the short explanation together, and took turns translating. Answers are in the back so we could check ourselves on the spot. I suppose you could have him write his answers if you wanted it to be more independent.
It seemed straightforward, logical in its approach, and took small steps, but not babyish at all.
Getting Started with Latin also has a free audio download of each lesson. You can choose between ecclesiastical pronunciation or classical pronunciation. The audio has been a huge help to us.
We started it when my daughter was 12. I wouldn’t start it before age 10.
Rachel, we’re probably going to do Cambridge Latin next. My goals are really just exposure to it and appreciating the challenge of translating. There are other benefits, of course, but my daughter’s main foreign language is ASL so this is just an add-on.
I’ve decided NOT to use Galore Park’s Latin Prep. It just looks too complicated to figure out! It’s in the to be sold pile now.
I have now decided to try Latin for Children b/c I love the way they chant and I know that will be a hit with my kids. So we’ll see. I hope to start in July.
I’m doing Latin 4 Children, too. We can commiserate with with each other! I went through a lengthy decision making process, but now I can’t remember why I chose it. But I wrote it down in my notebook and I know I picked it; I just wish I could remember why. I don’t think I’m going to get the activity books and I read numerous times that the readers weren’t all that good (dare we say twaddly Latin?), yet useful. I think after Level 2, using Ecce Romani as reading/translating material was recommended, as it is apparently more meaty and meaningful: http://www.homeschoolcurriculum.com/curricula/reviews/ecceromani.php
Oh Well, I know I did the research and hopefully it’ll work. Now in the next few months, I’ll have to figure out how to incorporate it into our day. We start in Oct. so you’ll get a head start!
I just and looked at my notes. After 2 years of L4C, then I have that we will go into Latin Alive! w/EcceRomani readings for the above mentioned reasons.
I did buy the activity books, so I’ll let you know what we think of them when we get to it. I didn’t get the readers, for the same reasons. I will keep your long term plan in mind, perhaps it will help when we get there!
Thanks, that would be great if I could have a heads-up on those activity books. I don’t time for busy work and my son would balk at it anyway; so if it’s useful that’s great.
I’m looking at Latin programs for my older son (will turn 10 early Oct) this year. How did latin go for you both this past school year? You both used Latin for Children, did you and your kids like it?