Which Latin program to start with

[Cassie]

Hi.

I have 5 children 11, 9, 7, 5 and a newborn. We have no Latin experience and the children have only studied grammar informally. They all write well though. What are your recommendations for us? If possible I'd like to keep them together, but if you don't think that will work, let me know.

In your programs are all the principle parts of verbs taught together or at different times?

Thank you!

Cassie

[tanya]

Hello.

Idealistically, your 11 year old would be ready for First Form, your 9 year old for Latina Christiana I, and your 7 year old for Prima Latina. But I know that this would sorely complicate your life, so let me suggest an easier way that will be just as effective for you. I'd go ahead and do Latina Christiana I with the 11 and 9 year olds next year and First Form with them the following year. I'd let the 7 year old participate orally, learning the vocabulary and grammar forms but not requiring that student to put them to use yet. Then, when your 5 year old is a fluent reader and you feel would be a good Latin student (and that really is dependent on the individual student), those 2 younger students could do Prima Latina together (at the ages of 8 and 6 or 9 and 7). Some of this really is dependent on the students and their readiness to take on Latin. Let me briefly explain these programs to you, and that may help you make a decision that would work for your specific children.

Prima Latina is a very basic introductory course. It deals mostly in English parts of speech, so it could almost replace English grammar for you. So, you talk about a part of speech, such as a noun, and then you look at some Latin nouns and talk about what nouns look like in Latin. There is a little conjugating and declining, but it is minimal. This course is perfect for 1st-3rd graders.

Latina Christiana I is another gentle introduction, but with LCI, you learn a grammar form every week and you have more vocabulary words. So, you come out of LCI with a good understanding of conjugating and declining.

First Form Latin is your first course that is more than an introduction. It was written for older beginning students or younger students who have already had our introductory courses. It is the first quarter of your Latin grammar, and your first serious step toward translating Latin literature. It teaches all 5 declensions and 6 verb tenses in 2 conjugations. It is formatted like LCI in that it has 1 grammar form and 10 vocabulary words each week, but the workbook has 4-5 pages of written exercises for students to complete for each lesson. This helps reinforce the grammar for older students in a way that they are ready for. FF is intended to lead students toward mastery of the grammar, but it is too difficult for really young students.

I hope this helps. Please feel free to ask more questions, and I'll do my best to answer them.

Regards,

Tanya Charlton

[Cassie]

That sounds like a good plan--Thank you!

Cassie