Latin Road to English Grammar - Review
If you are interested in teaching your children Latin, I have a perfect candidate for you.
The Latin Road to English Grammar by Barbara Beers and published by Schola Publications.
The beauty of this program is the teacher (hence in this case me), need not have any knowledge of Latin at all. All the preparation work is done for you (thank you Barbara!) The only thing the teacher needs to do is follow the outline, and the bonus is, they get to learn too.
The word Latin, I think, strikes fear in people. But with The Latin Road there really isn't any bewilderment involved.
I was fortunate enough to get to try this out courtesy of Schola Publications and the TOS Crew.
Using this was a direct challenge for Genius, as she has had no formal foreign language lessons yet, and English grammar tends to be a struggle for her. Yet she has embraced it, and actually asks when we're going to do Latin in our school day!
I received a Curriculum Set, Teacher Training DVDs, the Complete Student Package and Extra Worksheets/Tests.
The Audio CDs that come with the Curriculum Set were so wonderful. The correct pronunciation of all forms, vocabulary, exercises and readings are on 2 CDs, and they are invaluable.
One of the huge benefits I see in this curriculum is the vocabulary that is introduced. Since so many of our words are steeped in Latin, it is beneficial (and fun I might add), to find the origin and derivatives of the words we use everyday. Since Genius will be taking French for a foreign language credit, this will surely help her also.
While learning the Latin Syntax, English Grammar is reinforced through workbook activities. I highly appreciated this, as to cover English Grammar while learning something new.
The content included in The Latin Road is so huge, it is nearly impossible for me to condense it into a blog posting. So let me highlight in bullet form what I found most useful about this program:
- Vocabulary - complete with flashcards, this will expand your child's English vocabulary by learning the Latin roots and origins as well as help them learn words in any other European languages you choose to pursue
- Audio CDs - clearly enunciates the proper pronunciation of words and phrases, making it easier to understand the markings in the teaching guides and workbooks
- Reinforce English Grammar mechanics and usage by learning Latin Syntax
I mention the "serious" part because there are some things to note with this curriculum. They are spendy. I think it is well worth the cost, however if you are not willing to take the time to use it properly, you may not wish to part with the $$. It is time consuming. It is not hard to teach, but it does take time. On average you will be looking at 30 minutes of your own time, working with the students, and another 30 minutes of work for the students on their own. Per day.
If you at all are considering this, take a look at Schola Publications website, check out the free samples they offer and read some more reviews by other members of the TOS Crew.
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Reader Comments (3)
I can't imagine anyone who doesn't know Latin being able to teach Latin. I do think it's a shame not many schools teach it anymore. My daughter took 4 years of Latin, advance Latin in HS and scored Gold Medals on the National exam. For fun she took a semester of it in college too, though she didn't have room in her schedule to continue it with all she needed for a double major and a minor. She says it was the best class she ever tood throughout all of HS, made reading easier, writing and vocab etc better.
Good luck in your quest
Sandy
Welcome mats always out, do stop in for a visit.
As someone who took (and loved!) Latin in HS and college, I was very inspired to see such a positive review of this product. Thanks for sharing! I hope that it continues to be a great tool for you. :)
I gave you a http://treasureseekers.wordpress.com/2009/02/21/tos-crew-award/" REL="nofollow">TOS Crew award!