Latin For Children

 

I have been putting off the formal study of Latin in our homeschool for lack of a Latin program that offered the help I would need to succeed.  Over the years I have looked over many a Latin program, and concluded that this would be something that I would start, but not finish. 

 

What sets Latin for Children apart from the other Latin Programs I have looked over is the DVD and correlating Primer.  With the DVD, you can learn Latin along with Zoe and Madison as they are taught by their dad (author Christopher Perrin) at home.   Each lesson features the chanting and singing of vocabulary and paradigms along with clear grammatical explanations by Dr. Perrin. The actual text from the Primer appears on the screen as the girls chant and sing their vocabulary and paradigms, making it easy to follow along.

 

As I watched these cozy home teaching lessons and held my matching Latin Primer in my hand my fear vanished.  I thought to myself, “I CAN do it --and now I even WANT to do it.”   Dr. Perrin makes the learning of Latin seem easy when he explains the phonetic basis of Latin and how most of the consonants are pronounced the same as in English with a handy chart of the exceptions.  After talking us through this chart, he takes us to the chart of the vowel sounds in Latin and gives us clear and simple explanations.

 

Latin for Children lines up with Veritas Press History which is a core program we use for our study of history.  My son was paging through the Latin History Reader for Level B Latin for Children and he said, “Hey, this goes with Veritas Press History!”  And he proceeded to tell me what each of the chapters were about.  When he got to page 61 of the reader titled Peregrina he said, “This must be about the Crusades because it says, ‘Dues vult!’ which is what the Crusaders would say.”  He had already learned through Veritas Press that “Dues vult” means “God wills it!”   This correlation of the two programs will be most helpful!

 

Another plus with Latin for Children is the Primer.  The Primer is a combination text and workbook for your child.  It has a clear visually appealing lay out with an answer key that exactly matches the Primer lay out.  (Good answer keys are important to me.  They save me time and stress!) 

 

When I first heard there were chants and songs along with the program I was a bit skeptical.  My children have turned their noses up at some solid academic programs that included chants that seemed a bit babyish to them.  But I watched the Latin for Children DVD with my 13 year-old son and he liked the chants and songs!  Congratulations Dr. Perrin, Zoe, and Madison, you have passed a stringent critic (my son)!  Your delivery of Latin for Children is both engaging and thorough.  Your chants and songs are pleasant and up-beat and will appeal to a wide age range of students!

 

 We are looking forward to learning Latin with all of you!

 

Britta McColl R

Mother to 7 exuberant children

Morning Star Learning

 

 

The following description of Latin For Children was used by permission from The Classical Academic Press website.  For further information visit http://www.classicalacademicpress.com/pageview.asp?PageID=16014

 

Latin For Children-Level A Bundle includes:

 

1.  Latin for Children, Primer A textbook

2.  Latin A, Answer Key

3.  Latin A, DVD set -3 DVD’s (+ chant-cd)

4.  Latin A, History Reader-Roman History

 

All of the above is only $85.00

 

Latin For Children-Level B Bundle includes:

 

1.  Latin for Children, Primer B textbook

2.  Latin B, Answer Key

3.  Latin B, DVD set -3 DVD’s (+ chant-cd)

4.  Latin B, History Reader-Middle Ages

 

All of the above is only $98.00

 

Latin For Children-Level C Bundle (available on request)

 

 

What is a Chant CD? ?The chant CD, now included with both Latin For Children Primer A & B videos, is an audio CD that contains Dr. Perrin pronouncing each vocabulary word--first the Latin, then the English equivalent--which is then repeated by his children. All 240 vocabulary words are presented, chapter by chapter, first with the Classical pronunciation then in the Ecclesiastical pronunciation.

 

*   Integrated with Shurley Grammar

*   Latin Stories Integrated with Veritas Press History Curricula

*   Classical or Ecclesiastical Pronunciation (your choice inside all three texts & videos)

*   Integrated and Clear Explanations of Grammar in Every Chapter

*   240 High-Frequency Latin Words in Each Text

*   Workbook Format, 32 chapters (proposed teaching timeline: one chapter a week)

*   Tests, Games and Puzzles in the Text

*   Professional and Classical Lay-out and Design

*   Quickly-rising Latin series among classical schools and home schools

*   Yearly revision of each text based on critical feedback of our customers

 

Each book (Primer B & C) is a succession upon the previous book. They are intended to taught sequentially beginning with Primer A (target grade: 3rd) and moving up the alphabet, one book per school year.

 

Our Latin Primers have been created over a period of six years with regular piloting, testing and revision. The approach we have taken in creating these texts reflects that experience as we have made many changes based upon classroom and homeschool experience and a good deal of feedback and criticism from parents, teachers and students.  We think you will find them simply the best texts available for grammar school students. 

 

The Latin for Children Primers are engaging, incremental, creative and filled with clear grammatical explanations, illustrations, exercises, tests, and a sizable and useful reference section. Each text comes with a plethora of mnemonic aids (songs, chants) that enable students to learn vocabulary (over 240 of the most frequently occurring words) and grammar with ease and delight. The texts are graphically engaging, featuring a crisp, classical look professionally designed. Each primer also has available an Answer Key (sold separately) which features the actual text with answers in bold print.  These books are the collaborative effort of three Latin teachers, and are the fruit of six years of research and testing. Caveat emptor (let the buyer beware), these books have made Latin the favorite subject of many students around the nation.

 

Integration

Each of the Latin Primers seeks to integrate with history and grammar.

·   Primer A is integrated with Roman history and features many images from this period. 

·   Primer B is integrated with the Middle Ages and features a wealth of medieval images and Latin stories throughout the text. ?

·    Primer C is integrated with early American history and features corresponding imagery (three-masted ships, maps, etc.). Those using the Veritas Press history curriculum will find Latin stories corresponding to the Veritas Press history cards.?

·    ?Each primer is integrated with English grammar and will introduce the same concepts in Latin grammar that are being introduced to students using the Shurley Grammar so that the two courses reinforce one another. We use the same terminology and labels as Shurley Grammar.

 

Age, Level and Sequence of the LFC Series

Primer A is suited for children as young as 3rd graders (our "ideal").  Advanced 2nd graders (who are independent, strong readers) may also qualify for Primer A, but not usually.  Primer A is suitable for students as old as 7th graders, but they will travel quite fast, and likely will want to go on to Primer B before the year is out.  Given these facts, one can determine how to use Primers B and C. Most schools use the Primers in sequence beginning in the 3rd grade.  Homeschoolers have used the primers successfully in many combinations from 2nd through 10th grade.

 

 

To purchase Latin For Children visit www.morningstarlearning.com  Look under the category Teaching the Trivium.

 

If your children are struggling with reading and writing in English, I recommend that you postpone the study of Latin until they are more secure.  The program that I use and recommend for teaching spelling, reading, and writing of the English language is Spell to Write and Read (SWR) by Wanda Sanseri.  If you begin this program with your children when they are in kindergarten they will achieve college level spelling mastery by the time they are in 5^th or 6^th grade.  I am planning to take all my children through SWR and then begin Latin For Children when they are secure at spelling and reading.  My 13 year old son will be the first one to study Latin for Children and I am sure he will do well with it.  I am also certain that his younger siblings will learn along with him, and this will be helpful to them later on when they formally begin Latin for Children.

 

Britta McColl R

Endorsed SWR Trainer

Mom to 7 exuberant children

 

For more information on Spell to Write and Read visit:

 

What Is Spell to Write and Read (SWR)?

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MorningStarLearning/66553/

 

Does SWR Work for Wiggly Willys?

http://homeschoolblogger.com/MorningStarLearning/64551/