Latin? Should we?

Heather, you could always add Aramaic.  Might make dh chuckle if you tell him you want to add that too!  LOL

We do Latin every day.  With younger ages I start at about 20 minutes a day and with older about 30-40.  We do NOT always get through one LitCT in one year, but that is OK.  Yes, Heather, I think you would have PLENTY of time to start with Getting Started with Latin first.  I did this with my 10yo this past year; we did easily finish the book in one year this time, and it only took about 15 minutes a day.  Very nice little resource.  Then you could move on the next year with LitCT and your two oldest would be very ready and your next one would be closer to what I think of as the LitCT minimum age–about 10.  The necessary grammar is pretty tough for anyone younger.  Although the younger ones could learn some vocabulary and derivative words easily as you go. 

Anyway, GSWL is  not expensive, only about $20 I think?  LitCT for the first year with two students doing everything would be about $130 without the pronunciation cd’s or extra activity book; then you COULD if you printed off the sheets for the study sheet book, and kept them, re-use the whole batch with the next two kids if you wanted (this is what we did.)

Don’t copy too much Heather or your house will look like mine.    Bad, very bad.  LOL

Yes, you can.  I did have some Latin exposure long, long ago, but both my older kids passed me up by the second or third year.  There is lots of teacher help in that TM and I’ve been able to figure out just about everything we needed, except for a handful of times when I emailed the author and she straightened me out.  There are even many different possible answers given for all the different exercises so you don’t have to try and figure out on your own if what your kid just said is OK or not. 

so.. where do I sign up to be just like Bookworm???  🙂

I have debated doing Latin for a while.  I read about all the advantages and think wow.. that’s amazing!  And yet.. it totally intimidates me.  But you guys all make it sound exciting!!  So I think we WILL do it.  I have a 10, 8, soon to be 6  so gr 5, 3, 1… when do I start this and with who?  And I can start with Latin in the CT?  thanks for all your help, opinions and advice!!  

One thing I wanted to mention–if you get Latin in the Christian Trivium and begin using it with children in the 10-12 age range, do NOT try to cover an entire book per year.  Just move at a slow enough pace for the children to absorb it all–if it takes you two years or longer to finish the book, don’t worry about it.  Getting through the first 3 volumes by the time children are done with high school is THREE high-school level credits and VERY good preparation.  The fourth volume is very different; it is mostly readings to be translated.  I am making mine do it but consider it somewhat more optional.  It is really nearly college level. 

I have used Getting Started with Spanish; we liked it but had to slow it down a little too, and add in some conversation (friends’ children who are bilingual) to cement it all and help him retain it.

Great!  LOL 

Tell dh that’s no fun.  Aramaic sounds fun too!  LOL  It greatly influenced even the Hebrew portions of the Talmud, that’s why I’ve always been curious about it.  I have a Strong’s, Hebrew alphabet books,  and an interlinear Greek and a stack of Greek references, but not enough time (or extra brain space!) to do much with it now.  So I guess I’m a nerd too!  There are LOTS of worse hobbies though.